Welcome to The Bookcase.

I'm your host, Shawna Richards, as sometime writer and a longtime reader.

I invite you to join me as we explore The Bookcase and celebrate Virgin Islands authors and talent.

Each week on The Bookcase, we'll introduce you to a local author and learn more about them and their work.

A storyteller lives in each of us, and I am so excited to give our homegrown storytellers a chance to tell their story.

Tonight's selection from The Bookcase is 2020, Near Perfect Vision, The Corona Effect.

And I'm honored to welcome its author, Mr. Rhudel James.

Rhudel, welcome to The Bookcase.

Thank you so much for joining us this evening.

First, I want you to tell our audience a little about yourself.

Okay.

Good evening, everyone.

My name is Rhudel James I'm from Saint Thomas Virgin Islands, and I'm an educator, longtime educator and guidance counselor, special education teacher.

And this thing about writing books isn't something that just happened.

It was something that was there.

But like most people, I was afraid of rejection.

So basically I sort of tabled it.

But it came about quite hilariously.

So It sounds like there is a story there, but we'll get back to that.

So you say that you were afraid of rejection when it came to writing.

Is this your first book?

No, it's not.

This is my sixth book.

Wow.

That's impressive.

In a matter of three years.

So I got started and continued.

So 2020: Near Perfect Vision is that about the year 2020 or just the understanding of perfect vision?

Explain the title to us.

There are people that says you don't judge a book by its cover.

Right.

So and of course, there are various views that people have when you see a movie or read a book.

So, yes, to your questions and no at the same time, 2020, whenever we hear the word 2020 or the term, we think that means perfect vision.

But it's actually a near perfect vision because only God has perfect vision.

Okay.

We have an indication more than maybe others, about what where we're going, but we don't have total 20 / 20 vision.

We don't know it all.

So when I started to write the book, it was meant just to inspire, to support those that believe in God, those that struggle.

But they have a faith in God.

But lo and behold, what I was speaking about in the beginning, took hold the Corona Virus came about, and what I was trying to encourage people to be ready for was happening.

So it took on another trajectory and basically it ended up being something that I didn't see in the beginning.

But the way it ended up is exactly what I saw as I started to write it.

So the story that you started to tell is a story that turned into the story that ends up in this book, correct?

Correct.

So I was wanting to encourage because we're living in perilous times and some people get discouraged.

So I just wanted to lift people up and tell them to stay in the world, continue to trust God and so forth, because it's going to get worse.

And as I was writing that, the news came about.

And being a teacher, I know that many of our students do not read books.

They do not want to watch television as far as news and so forth.

So I said, okay, this is it.

I have to capture whatever is going on.

I started writing on January one and I stopped writing on December 30th.

So I took a whole year.

Yes, took the whole year.

And I was I was I was being God's reporter.

As the world was reporting what was going on?

I was talking about that.

But I was talking also about what God has to say about this situation or any situation that you're in.

So I looked at myself as God's reporter, as well as the world's reporting.

I just wanted to make sure that I had it down, that I could go back two years from now, three years from now, and show as to what was going on during that time.

Do you consider yourself a religious person and for the person who is not religious, will they find something in this book that speaks to them?

Yes.

Specifically when there's danger, when there's trouble.

What do most of us what do we do?

We sort of ask for help, whether it's a family member, you know, coworker.

Many of us reach out to God.

Am I a religious person?

No, I am a I'm a believer in God.

I'm not into the words.

And no, I believe in God.

My faith is in God.

And if it sounds like I'm religious.

Okay.

As long as you hear God in it somewhere, I'm good.

So you became really technical there.

You said you're not a religious person, but you believe in God.

So you believe in a higher power?

I believe in God as the Bible describes him.

The Bible talks about.

Yes, the the God of the Bible.

That's who I believe it is.

So what I found interesting in your in your book in 2020, Near Perfect Vision, is that you pull very specific but relevant pieces out of what was happening in that time in 2020.

Yes.

And also have biblical passages and scriptures that support or bring understanding through what was happening at that time.

Was that intentional?

Yes.

Yes.

Because again, in beginning in trying to encourage when you're in the middle of a storm, you need something to say, okay, I know this is a storm, but I also know that God exists and he's made certain promises to me.

I'm his child.

He can't lie.

So therefore, I believe what he said and I want to get through this.

So whenever you're in any situation, be it.

What we were going on, what was happening in 2020.

God has a word for that.

And that was a time of of turmoil for I don't think anyone in this lifetime had experienced anything like that.

And there was really no guidebook.

But I guess that you would say in reading it and reading your book, you said you basically said and correct me if I'm on the wrong path, you basically said there is a guide and the guide is in the Bible.

Yes.

Okay.

That's correct.

I can’t add anything to that.

Okay.

So you said that you have some you have some hysterical stories about when you started writing.

I've been writing for many years.

I just haven't been publicizing or letting people see it.

However, my students have told me, and in many, many times, Mr. James, you talk so much, bet you should write a book.

You know, that's what one said.

The other one says, You talk too much, you could write a book.

So I heard it enough.

And then what happened actually was a former, a former a parent of a student wrote a book.

And in the book she said I was the reason that she wrote her book.

And what it was is that she disagreed with me in some counseling that I gave to her son.

She and her son were there counseling talking about career goals and she was answering all the questions.

I said, mam, would you please allow your son to answer the questions?

And she looked at me, she looked at him and she looked back at me.

And then she says, Are you going to house him?

Because she knew her son and he wasn't at that point able or ready to deliver, to find out or have answers of his own.

And that's what I wanted him to do.

So that was the impetus for her to write a book and her book was about helping children get to college.

Maybe the children were reluctant or didn't have enough information.

And I I've always wanted participants it’s a two way thing.

So because of that and my name got in the book before I put it in, I said, I've got to get my books.

And so I had my first book in 2018.

So what inspires you to write is a real life experiences.

What is the motivation?

I have a thing that I said.

It's amazing and I mean it's amazing what God can do or what God does.

And so when you look at the backgrounds of where people come from and to where they are now, the things that they go through in life, their experiences and you see that they were in darkness and danger and now they're in light and they're experiencing their they're sharing that.

Well, my situation was I came in a situation where I used to stutter and it was terrible.

I had a couple of issues and they were terrible.

And listening to you now, you would never know.

No, but that's but that's what's amazing.

So when I had those situations, I never knew I was going to write books or whatever.

But one of the persons I was sharing the experiences with me said to me, don't get mad at them.

People don't be vexed with them because God don't make the junk I or make the mistake.

So while I was struggling with self esteem issues and so forth and stuttering, he says they're the ones with the problem, the ones that were making fun of us and teasing us or whatever.

And once he said that a light went on, all of a sudden I realize, wait a minute, if they're the ones that are having the issues, then they need help.

And for all.

And then all of a sudden I said, Well, I can help them.

So I was eight years old at that time and didn't know I was going to be a teacher, but knew I wanted to help people and so through the years I've learned I'm a teacher now, I'm a guidance counselor now.

So I'm actually doing exactly what I said I wanted to do, but I didn't do it by myself.

And I realized a long time ago, God is involved in this.

So I stopped running and started to listen and everything became easier.

Is that what inspires your writing, that you want to help people through your writing?

That's where it started as a foundation.

But as I grew up and I was in education, a lot of people are confused they need help.

They want help.

Sometimes they don't know how to ask for it.

So being in a helping profession all these years and then finally stop running from God is like everything clicked.

You're supposed to help everybody that asks for help.

However, help is a small thing or a lot, and you're supposed to do that.

And by doing that you show the love of God.

So that made so much sense.

So my inspiration is people everybody is asking for help.

Everybody needs help.

And so wherever I can help, that's basically what I do.

Since I'm an education.

Writing, reading, figuring things out, things like guidance counselor, helping them go from point A to point B, it's all part of the the whole thing that God has given me to do so.

You've only been publishing recently, but you've been writing for years.

So what do your early writings look like?

Poetry Really?

Self-expressions, not novels or anything grand as that, but just self-expression.

Well, they said I was afraid of being rejected because it's like, Well, who's going to read this anyway?

Because everybody writes this and there's so many words of who who would be interested in what I have to say.

I'm nobody.

But, I maybe accidentally showed something to someone and they enjoyed it.

I'm like, Why?

So the truth of the matter is, is that God gives us talents and we may not know that it's a talent we may think is just something to help us get through.

But really and truly, a lot of our writing is for others to read so that they can understand that there's something about them.

You know, there's a relationship between the words on the page and somebody's life.

So everyone who reads 2020, Near Perfect Vision should be able to get something.

They will get something, they will do something somehow.

As a teacher, there's homework to be done.

I didn't pretend that this is a full writing that from the beginning to the end you'll get everything you need.

I intend for you to study.

it is the word of God.

I intend for you to study the Word of God, to understand how you can apply biblical principles to your life today and what happens A lot of other people skim, They don't really study.

Is it a book of parables, or will the reader get it?

The reader should get it, but just like I did when I began.

I prayed because not just because it's in black and white and it's a small word, then we'll understand it.

So we have to pray for understanding as well.

It's a book from God.

It's a book for us to understand that he's here.

He's in the middle of the storm with us.

Chapter Three and Chapter Four.

Chapter Three is about okay, so let's get to that.

is there a favorite passage referencing chapter three and chapter four?

Is there a favorite passage that you have that you can share?

Chapter Three is entitled The Fourth Monkey.

And that's the there's a things, there's a four Monkeys.

And it says heear, no evil, see no evil and speak no evil.

But I knew that.

So I looked for something to add and I knew hear no evil, speak no, you will see no evil.

What about doing no evil?

Okay, so that one wasn’t there.

So I did some research and I found this other one that says, Post no evil that's doing all right.

So we're in an age now where people are posting, and that's exactly what I thought of social media, which is a whole what some people call the devil in disguise.

Right.

Right.

So post no evil is an actual action.

Of course.

hearing is action, seeing is action and speaking is action.

But when you're speaking, you're actually saying something you could be doing negative or positive words into someone's lives.

But posting no evil is actually doing some things that would shape someone's thought process.

So that's something that I started.

And so fact or truth is stranger than fiction, right?

It's another saying that proves to be worth its weight in gold.

As yet another saying goes, sometimes there are things that happen in life that are more amazing, more incredible and more mind boggling than something that was simply a figment of someone's imagination.

Truth sometimes is stranger than fiction, and that's what was happening in 2020, that what was going on then had never happened before.

But how does this but you start that passage and you have the four monkeys here, no evil speak no evil, see no evil, and now do no evil, Right?

How is that in the context of that chapter?

Because there were, I think in my in just my remembrance of 2020, part of our problem is that people weren't doing anything at first, but probably because we didn't understand.

People say a lot of times that what is posted on Facebook is true certainly is not what a lot of people believe what's posted.

So what happens is if you don't do the research, if you don't spend time in prayer, if you don't find a way to connect to God or to be in alignment with God, what happens is whatever comes will knock the head and you might think it's is bigger than you are, but a lot of people that are on Facebook are or who didn't believe in the message of how to protect and safeguard their health would say that they are believers.

Okay, you’re right.

So a lot of them would say that.

Right.

Right.

So they believe in something.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Maybe they weren't believing in the right things.

But for the, for the for the person who just isn't really grounded in faith.

What is the message of this book for that person?

The next chapter and I'm glad you asked that because the next chapter, Chapter Four.

The point that I was trying to make right from the beginning of the book, Chapter Four says Three plus one equals door, three plus one equals door.

And so I'm talking about the story of the three Hebrew Boys, the way the fiery furnace and King Nebuchadnezzar saw wait a minute.

Then I put three in there, but now we see four.

So the bottom line is that God is with us at all times, even in the midst of our trials, even in the midst of turbulence.

And here we are in 2020, in the midst of turbulence, never have seen these kind of things before, but God is there with you.

And for those that may not, how the religious background or biblical understanding, it doesn't negate the fact that God is there.

And because if they think about it, they could realize that there are times when they got to something, they didn't know how they got through it, but they know it was trouble.

God is there at all times, and that's what the Bible says are all of you.

So this is your sixth book?

Yes.

Are all of your books written in the same vein or.

No.

The very first one was called I Wonder What It was, I was a special ed teacher.

And I've taught from kindergarten all the way to 12th grade.

I even did some Community College at some point.

But the questions that children ask all the time and sometimes educators, parents get annoyed with those questions.

And I was one as a child.

I used to bunch of questions.

So was it a children's book or was a book for parents to understand their children?

It was a book to help parents an children get together and talk and teachers and children get together to answer those questions.

And so there were questions from that you would get from elementary students all the way to a senior, why did it take so long for us to get a black president thought provoking things?

And so second book were answers to those questions?

Words in a moment third book.

Third book was just reminiscing about what it was like growing up in the sixties, seventies, and all.

It was supposed to be part of another book, which that fourth book was VI Melee but this book grew into a life of its own because what I would share what happens there everybody kept laughing So when you're writing all these books, do you have time to read?

What do you have time to do?

I spent a lot of time reading the Bible, okay?

And I read like excerpts of different books and so forth.

But what I try to do for myself is I, I try to stay grounded on earlier you ask about publishing and selling them.

I'm sort of low key, believe it or not.

I don't go out and tell people that I am writing books.

I don't go out and tell people I have this.

I don't do that.

But what I do is I just sort of keep my eyes and ears open.

So you read the Bible?

Yes.

The Bible is heavily referenced in this book.

How has being a student of the Bible influenced your style?

You know, there's a saying that somebody says, I've learned so much that I know something to the effect of I learned that I don't know a lot, something like that.

Okay.

So that's what's happened to me.

I'm an avid reader of the Bible and all the other books that might have Scripture references, but I realize I really don't know a lot.

So what happens is I just I just enjoy reading the Bible so much that whatever happened to whatever is happening in life, I can apply biblical verses to what's happening in life, and that helps me, keeps me grounded and so forth.

And even with my I don't get upset too much because I realize God is in control and I can't control a whole lot.

What is the key message of this book?

Towards the end, I says, God has graciously granted me the privilege of celebrating another birthday and has continued to bless me and my family with his goodness loving kindness and mercies.

I will not take anything for granted as a simple consequence of my residency.

I am denied the right to vote for the President of the United States.

But I can write a book.

Okay.

you didn't write, you didn't share your writing for years, for the aspiring writer out, the other person who believes that they have a story to tell, what would you say to them?

The first thing is understand this.

No one can tell you a story like you.

So even though you might think or you might be, you might be discouraged because it does take work and it does take a while and so forth, and some people will reject you, but no one can tell you a story but you.

What you need to do is simply just begin writing, pour it out, pour it out, allow someone to help you, allow someone to even critique what you're writing because rewriting and editing is necessary.

So let me jump in really quickly.

Who helps you?

Who is that?

Who is part of that trusted circle that sees your early work before it gets to being published?

I used to allow coworkers sometimes to look at what I'm doing.

I don't do that anymore.

No, that sounds like that.

I think there's a story.

Maybe not one for the camera.

No, it's just that I realize that when others look at your work and the criticism comes, sometimes you're discouraged and you actually, you stop writing.

so my skin had to get thick and realize they may not agree with what I'm saying, but if I'm comfortable in what I said, then it goes forward.

But what happens is that you have to be so comfortable in what you're saying, that even if you do get some disagreement, it's okay because that's natural.

Yeah.

So my wife helps me.

Okay.

Yeah.

That a lot of people disagree with you in the in the process.

Yes.

Yeah.

Because I'm I'm usually positive and a lot of people are not.

So what happens is when they see that, they may call it you're being too easy or being too light.

Yeah, but I'm, but I'm being positive.

I'm being myself and I'll rather be around a positive person than a negative person.

Ask them the same question and they say off course but so that the truth of the matter is, is that they have to read more before they understood the whole process.

And then am being true to myself that they saw.

So your wife is an honest critic.

Yeah, she will tell me what she doesn't like, what doesn't make sense to her and so forth.

And I don't bother her as much.

So every aspiring writer out there should just write and have someone that they trust who will critique their work.

Yes, because they need to.

I mean, they're not writing for themselves like I did.

and did for those years, they're writing for others to read it and get some kind of message.

Right.

So if you give others an opportunity to read what you're writing, they may say, yeah, they may say, great.

They would say, you need to work on this thing here, and all you need to do is, am I being true to myself?

And you go from there.

What are your challenege What are your biggest challenges when writing?

You are an educator, a guidance counselor.

How do you carve out that time to write priorities.

I have to identify what my priorities are.

I'm a little bit older now so that when I was younger that my priorities changed.

So as I'm older now, what I realize is if I write every day, I'm getting some important information down on paper.

If I don't, then I'm not.

So I have to make a decision what I'm going to do.

So I want to write, I want to get it done.

So I do it.

I commit.

So you don't wait for inspiration?

No, it's very disciplined.

No.

Here's a glass.

I can write something about this glass.

So it's not about inspiration for me.

It's about what do I want to say What do I want to convey to you?

This glass is clear, but it's not really clear because there's writing in it.

And what does that mean?

It means that sometimes you see something, but there's always something.

I might interrupt.

You may.

might taint your view and I got that from a glass.

So the teacher in me will simply say, you can deliver a message, but make sure the message is one that the person can understand is not too archaic, but it's something they can simply understand.

So I want to ask you, are you a pen and paper writer?

Are you a sit down and hammer away at the computer writer?

What process works for you?

Yes, I do.

I do All of that.

All of that.

I lean on my phone.

I have this message thing.

I put notes in there, I do that.

But literally what gets me is when I read the Bible, I recognize that there are things that happen, say, back in the Old Testament, back in the New Testament, and how does that apply to me today?

And that's exactly where I am.

So because I'm able and I asked God to help me do this, able to biblical principles and apply them to today's situations, I'm able to see a situation and not be disturbed.

Now, I do get bothered by certain things in the environment where I work.

But then what do I do when I'm upset?

I do what the Bible tells me to do and you write it out.

I read it out, or I go to God in pray.

Thank you so much.

It's been a pleasure.

To learn more about our local talent, Rhudel James and his book 2020 Near Perfect Vision.

For more information on his book or any of the books featured on this program, visit our website at WWW.WTJX.ORG We appreciate your support of our local authors and we'll see you next week when we take another book from The Bookcase.