Welcome to The Bookcase.

I'm your host, Shawna Richards, a sometime writer and a long time 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'm so excited to give our homegrown storytellers a chance to tell their story.

Tonight's selection from The Bookcase How Anansi Spun Madras and I'm honored to welcome its author, Torhera Durand.

Torhera welcome to The Bookcase.

thank you for having me , Shawna It's a pleasure to be here.

So tell our audience a little about yourself and how you came to write How Anansi Spun Madras.

Well, I am I love to say born, raised and educated here on Saint Croix.

I would like to say a jack of many trades.

I loved writing poems and short stories when I grew up.

And so with my experience being at the University of the Virgin Islands, there was actually a point in time where we were kicked off of campus because of the COVID 19 pandemic.

And so I you know, I took the opportunity to try my hand at writing a little bit more.

And at the time, I actually had just completed a storytelling workshop at UVI.

And so I just started writing How Anansi Spun Madras because I needed something to kind of get my mind off of the pandemic.

And so the story just kind of unraveled and revealed itself to me over time.

Aside from writing, I'm also an entrepreneur, so I've been trying to make writing a part of who I am and make it a business.

And I've also been able to share my talent with those in the community.

Nice.

Nice.

So you said the story just came to you.

Now, Anansi is a popular figure throughout children's literature.

Is that the story that you set out to write about specifically about Anansi?

Yes.

So because or prior to leaving campus, we were learning about cultural storytelling and a few of the stories that we read were specifically Anansi Stories.

And they always took me back to a time in elementary school where I grew up listening to Anansi stories, learning how to dance, Quadrille and Maypole.

And so, you know, I felt that it had been so long since I've heard an Anansi Story.

Why don't I try my hand at writing an original Anansi Tale?

And it was I was kind of conflicted when I did because I didn't know how the community would take an original Anansi Story and if they would feel that it's really part of the culture and part of our heritage.

but, you know, I just went out on a limb and now it's something that can be considered part of VI heritage, and I'm very proud to say that.

So what do you like about Anansi, oh if you like, I almost have like a love hate relationship with Anansi.

I love that he is intelligent and very witty, but I also I wouldn't say dislike him for it, but it makes me kind of give him the side at times because he's such a trickster.

I just love how a lot of the stories are Anansi stories that we hear.

There's always a moral or lesson that comes along with it, and that's one thing that I wanted to try and included in my book as well, isn't that part of a Anansi's charm, though, that he is a trickster, that even when you think he has the best of intentions, he's thinking how he's going to get over won over.

Yeah.

And I love that about him.

But I feel like sometimes I'm like, you know, I wanted Anansi to kind of, you know, learn a little bit as well because I feel like in a lot of the stories that we read, he always outsmarts everyone and he always wins.

But I was like, You know, Anansi, I feel like you need to learn a little lesson yourself.

did you specifically set out to write a children's book?

I actually did not.

So when I originally wrote How Anansi Spun Madras there was a lot of wit in the story and a lot of little nuances that I felt older individuals, especially those who were maybe in college or in higher education, and adults like myself would pick up on and love.

And after I wrote the story, I actually met with my mentor because I was just sitting on the story until I want to say about late or mid 2021.

Okay.

And I wanted to do something with it.

I didn't want it to just sit in my book like a lot of the poems and other things I wrote.

And so I reached out to my mentor, Yohance Henley, and I told him, You know, I really want to publish this book.

I know you've published some books yourself.

Could you give me any advice?

Could you mentor me?

And one of the things he told me was, you know, children's books are very popular and they sell really well.

And so, you know, I said, you know, I love this story as something for adults, but I would also like to get Anansi stories back in the hands of young Virgin Islanders.

And I've always felt that Anansi stories are really multi-generational.

They are because it's a character that you read as a child.

You may revisit it as a young adult, you revisit it when you're older.

So there's something in How Anansi Spun Madras for everyone.

I think, there is.

And I think as you when you as you age and when you revisit these stories, you also get to pick up on things that you didn't pick up on when you were younger.

So when did you start writing it?

Anansi Spun Madras is your first published book?

Yes.

Did you publish anything or share anything publicly prior to that?

I did not.

I, I like to say I started writing back in the second grade.

I remember my teacher, Ms. Phillip at the Evelyn M. Williams Elementary School.

She gave us this assignment to write an original poem.

And I went home.

And I won't lie.

I didn't do my homework.

And it was the morning before class, and I was sitting in my grandmother's living room and I was like, I don't know what to write.

I was trying to think of anything.

And then I saw this poem framed on top of her wall, and I was like, you know, let me try to see if I could, you know, alter this poem in some way or make like a spin off of the poem.

And I decided to write the poem was originally based on your mother, and it was like the one who bears the sweetest name and adds a luster to the same long life to her, for there's no other who takes the place of my dear mother.

And I was like, You know, I want to make a spinoff.

I want to write something about my dad.

And I wrote a really beautiful and nothing like the pressure of having to turn it in.

I work my best under pressure and I, you know, I went to class that morning and we all turned in our assignment.

And then Ms. Phillip was like, wow, this is a beautiful poem.

And I think having the encouragement or getting that encouragement from her really pushed me to continue writing.

And from there, I would just keep writing poetry and short stories.

And then when I went to the Saint Croix Educational Complex in my speech and drama class, I got the opportunity to participate in a lot of plays, writing and performance opportunities.

And I think from there my writing kind of just took off and I actually stopped for a while after graduating.

So How Anansi Spun Madras was one of the first things that I wrote and re-shared with the world.

What I really loved about How Anansi Spun Madras is the the vibrant illustrations.

Did you draw those yourself?

Did you work with an illustrator?

I wish I drew these, but my illustrator is actually from Brazil.

And I met him through an author's.

and illustrator's group chat on Facebook.

And it was interesting because when I made the post, I was very specific.

I wanted to create a book that was centered around African-American Culture, African Culture and Afro-Caribbean Culture, and that I wanted to embrace the uniqueness and the the everything that comes with being black and being a part of the Black diaspora.

And when I said it was, you know, it was a book based around Anansi the Spider, he actually reached out to me and told me, you know, he grew up listening to Anansi stories in Brazil.

And I think that was one thing that made him stand out to me.

But when I looked at his portfolio.

His name is Eduardo Pupa.

His work is amazing.

His work is very beautiful, very vibrant.

And I feel with him being from Brazil and understanding or hearing Anansi stories and their own African roots being able to translate that.

Right, Right.

So what is your as a writer, do you also read a lot and what are you reading?

I, I used to read a lot, but now because I'm so busy, I also work in Economic Development for the RT Park.

I don't have too much free time.

And so I've turned to listening to audiobooks.

And right now I'm listening to Think and Grow Rich, and I'm also listening to The Power of Positive Thinking.

I love self-help books.

I think it's something that has helped me to grow as a person, to grow as a woman.

And so whenever I get an opportunity to download a new book on Audible, I always use like my little one free credit download something every month So you say that you like self-help books and the message of those books.

What is the message in your book?

Wow, so I feel like there's a few messages in How Anansi Spun Madras One of the bigger ones to me would be not abusing your friendships.

So in this story, Anansi uses his wit to trick his friends into doing things for him, but he also tricks them into entering the obeah man's house.

Although he knew something bad could really happen, he knew that this might not turn out the best.

At that moment, he didn't really care and he acted self.

He acted selfishly.

And so I think one loving and respecting your friendships, but also to not be selfish.

But, you know, would it be in an Anansi story if he didn't abuse his friends?

no I wouldn't It would not Yeah.

So with Anansi With Anansi And just having the Cultural History.

Did you feel pressured about did you feel any concern or even fear about putting your own Anansi story out into the world?

I really did.

alot of the times we hear about gatekeepers and not just in the Virgin Islands, I want to believe and you know, around the globe whenever it comes to culture.

And because I was writing something that was very new, very unique.

I worried if the gatekeepers of Crucian Culture would feel that I'm not respecting the culture the way that I need to, or this isn't a you know, this isn't a story that has been passed down.

You know, why am I trying to create something out of thin air?

And surprisingly, I've always gotten positive feedback.

I definitely got advice on how to improve the story, which is great as well, and I'm grateful for that.

But everyone loves the story.

They love that I'm trying to embrace Crucian Culture bring back Anansi stories and get it in the hands of kids.

Other than your mentor, did you have a group of readers that you shared it with to get their feedback?

And I reached back out to specifically my AP English Teacher from the Saint Croix Educational Complex, and I had let her read the story give me a lot of feedback.

And she definitely, like, looked at all my punctuation wherever I needed to improve, and she gave me a lot of feedback, things that I didn't even think of from, you know, the type of fonts that I'm using so that when I write the next story, I could make it very specific to kids and ensure that, you know, every letter isn't capitalized is because they're still learning how to capitalize words and they're learning punctuation.

And so this book would really be able to guide them as they grow in their educational career.

When you wrote your book, were you thinking about literacy or were you thinking about the longevity of your story other than just, you know, really being fired up to get it on the page?

I wanted I wanted to do something that was exciting, but I also wanted to ensure that kids have an opportunity to learn.

And so I tried to use words that might be somewhat advanced, but would progress with kids or words like mischievous and prideful.

And I think at one point the obeah man says, I'll teach you a lesson or for your transgressions teach you a lesson.

And so as you and I saw that you do have, I think, a glossary.

I do in the back.

Yeah.

So as you read as you read the story, you'll notice that there are some words that are underlined.

There's also Crucian words in the book.

So I really wanted to embrace the Crucian dialect and teach kids that there's nothing wrong with saying "ayo" and "wahtah", and "deh man" You just also have to know how to code switch because of the world that we live in.

So it's important to know what you're saying and what it means and how to be multifaceted as a Caribbean person.

When I was reading your when I was reading your book, there was a line that just stuck with me.

And you wrote the line is sing in a voice deeper than your grandmother's Kallaloo pot.

And it just was such, so vivid for me.

And I immediately remembered my grandmother the huge pot.

That's the most amazing Kallaloo So how important was it for you to write something that Crucians could not only relate to, but the Greater Caribbean and just any reader?

That was extremely important.

So I am a first generation Crucian.

Both my parents are from the island of Dominica.

And so I wanted to bring in nuances of their culture as well as my own.

And like you talked about your grandmother's Kalloloo pot or soup pot My mom has this I like to call it a drum, it's not even a pot it's a drum this like, huge pot that she would always make soup for.

Soup for my family, from and even from the depiction of the Caribbean island, and, you know, my dad's a fisherman, so I wanted to ensure that the island is showcasing the sea and the fishing boats.

So I wanted to ensure that, you know, kids from any Caribbean Island would be able to pick up the book and feel like they can identify with it.

But then also learned specifically about the Virgin Islands and about Saint Croix.

Do you have a favorite passage?

I do.

Sure.

So the passage that I'd like to share, it's somewhat in the middle of the book, but I love this passage because it touches on a lot of Caribbean Food and Crucian Food.

And it also gives, like, a huge reveal of the story.

Okay, so Bro Tiger cut through the curtain and Anansi peered inside to find Fish and Fungi and Plantain, Salt Fish, Oxtail and Seasoned Rice so divine.

Ducuna dumplings and melon still on the rind Lime Juice, Passion Fruit and Guava Juice too.

There was so much to choose from.

It's as if his wildest dreams came true.

Clever little Anansi hopped off Tiger's back.

ayo, I feeling really weak.

So I'm going to wait outside while all you grab the snacks, Bro Tiger and Bro Parrot said alright Suit yourself.

But we get first dibs with the biggest plates on the shelf.

They had no idea that Anansi knew all along that this little rickety shack belong to the village obeah man That makes me want to find out what happened next.

But, you know, any Anansi reader knows that if Anansi is going to get into trouble, it's because he's following his belly, right?

He always looking.

He's always looking for food.

But with all of those things that you read out, the fish and the Fungi and the Ducuna and everything, what's your favorite?

honestly, my favorite has to be Kallaloo I love, love, love.

Either a Seafood Kallaloo My mom does Smoke Turkey Kallaloo I'm getting a little hungry.

I love Kallaloo That has to be my favorite.

What inspires you to write?

So you said when you were writing How Anansi Spun Madras Know pandemic, All kinds of stuff going on.

But under more ordinary circumstances.

What inspires you to write?

Honestly, releasing emotions.

So whenever I'm feeling, whether it's sorrow, joy.

Any time there's strong emotion within me, I always feel the urge to write and try to get it out.

And I find that a lot of the time we might not have an easy outlet to get our emotions out.

We might not have someone to speak to or even if it's just something really happy and we don't have someone to talk to about it in the moment.

getting an opportunity to even just write it out.

or I have I use a notepad in my phone and I just type out whatever it is, whatever I'm thinking.

I just try to get it out.

So you're not a pen and paper?

I prefer pen and paper.

And I used to be.

But I find that it's very rare that I just have a pen and paper on me.

But I always have my phone, and so I could easily just pull out a notepad or open up a document and just type something out.

But I feel like when you write, it sticks with you a bit more and it hits somewhere different than typing on your phone.

When you started writing how, your Anansi Story did you know that the end result would be How He Spun Madras?

Or did it just unfold that way?

I don't think so.

I think when i first started writing it, I, I just knew I wanted to write something about Anansi.

And then I wanted to include I was like, I wanted to include the obeah man and I wanted him to trick his friends.

And then when I thought of the characters, I was like, okay, wait, I have a parrot and I have a tiger and I have Anansi.

What could like what could be the outcome of this?

And I was also starting to see a lot of Madras and I think they had recently came out with the VI Madras And so it kind of like something just clicked in my mind and I was like, I wonder if I could write how Anansi created Madras because you know, we use my draws for so many things in our culture, but we don't really talk about how Madras originated and where it came from.

And I thought creating this unique story that explains or creates a story around Anansi, this famous Caribbean Folk Hero, creating this beautiful fabric that we use for so many things.

It would just be, I knew in my soul that it would turn out being something that would be really impactful to our culture.

Were there any other animals that you considered before narrowing it down to the parrot and the tiger?

I actually don't think so.

I think when I first wrote it, I think I wanted to write another story because I remember I wasn't I'm not sure if it's an Anansi story, but I know there's a story about, you know, why the rooster crows.

And so I had the thought of a rooster, and then I was like, Well, there's already a story about a rooster.

And so the parrot immediately came up.

And it was interesting because after I chose the characters and when I finished the story, I started doing some background research and I honestly didn't know this, but Madras had originated from Madras, India.

I was like, oh wow.

And then I was like, You know, what's the national animal of India?

And it was like, the Tiger is actually a national animal.

And then I was like, Wait, I wonder if the parrot can relate to this in some way?

And so I looked up what were the first two Caribbean Islands to make Madras their cultural wear, their national wear?

And it was Dominica and Saint Lucia and both Dominica and Saint Lucia.

They chose a parrot as their national animal.

And so it was this weird.

I don't know how all of these characters just played into this, like really beautiful, unique story, but everything just kind of meshed and tied in to one another.

And yeah, I feel like I don't know where the story came from, but something I don't.

I feel the ancestor from way back when whispered in my ear and just revealing this to me.

How do you balance being creative with being an entrepreneur, being a full time employee?

How do you how do you make that time?

It's actually very difficult.

I won't lie.

It's very, very, very difficult.

I find that as time progressed and now, you know, being in the early stages of my professional career, finding time for creativity almost takes a backseat.

And a lot of the times, even my creative work, there's this thing in my brain that's always like, okay, you got to find a way to make money from it.

You have to find a way to turn this into a business.

And so I've actually struggled to reignite that creative side of me.

And so now I'm trying to make time at night to just lay in bed and just write something and not something for anyone else, but just what are you feeling?

What do you want to share?

But what I've also started doing is and part of my business is I started purchasing children's book from all over the world.

So books from Jamaica and Trinidad and other Caribbean Islands.

And I literally just sit in my bed and I either read it to myself or I read it to one of my friends, and I find that it just ignites this this like youthful energy and passion.

And they're really funny and beautiful.

So, yeah, just reading those books and then finding time to write.

Since you love audiobooks so much, do you think you'll make your book into an audiobook?

I actually do.

So whenever you purchase How Anansi Spun Madras there's a code in the book that lets you access a free audio clip.

Nice.

But what I want to do is I do want to get it on Audible.

I want to work with young people in the VI to have them actually be the voice actors.

I want it to stay very youthful and fun and energetic, and I think this needs to be an audiobook.

A lot of the Anansi Stories we tell are orated performances, and I want to keep that as part of what I'm trying to share.

you are now a published Yes writer.

What are your tips for people who may be watching this program who are thinking, I have a story in me?

Well, I would say just go for it.

I'm self-published, which I'm very proud to say.

And there's so many resources out there, like we have the Internet at our fingertips.

And so you could literally just go on your phone and look up resources.

I self-published through Lulu Publishing and even on their website they have step by step guide teaching you how to create different books, whether it's a picture book, a journal, a calendar, literally anything that you could think of.

They're guides that we can access to teach us.

And so I always say if anyone wants to create a book and if they feel that they need assistance, I'm also willing to help anyone and guide them through that process.

So everyone hear that I Torhera is willing to mentor, I feel like I have to because someone who is willing to mentor me, I feel like I also have to be willing to pass on that torch and mentor somebody else and I feel like there's so many stories out there just waiting to be shared.

So if we each have an opportunity to, you know, take those stories from our mind and put it on onto paper and then share it with the rest of the world, we could hear so many unique tales and unique stories.

So what's next for you?

Another children's book?

Poetry?

Are you going to explore other genres?

I definitely want to do another children's book.

I actually had the pleasure of working with Project Promise for a 12 week creative expression workshop where I walked some kids through writing or creating their own cultural story.

and trickster tale And so they created their book and it's entitled Anansi Friends and the Separation.

And they talk about how Anansi pretty much tricked his friends and got in a bind with his friends, and they angered the wind spirit called hurricane.

And so the hurricane pretty much blasted we could just say Pangea or blasted Pangea apart and banished each of these friends to different islands.

And that's how the Caribbean was created.

And each year when the Flamboyant Tree blooms, the wind God promised to return again and wreak havoc on the friends.

And so that's why when you see the Flamboyant blooming, it's a sign of hurricane season.

Very seasonal.

Yeah.

So I want to take these stories, work with more young people in the community, and after they create this story, I want to work with them to now get it published and have a hardcover copy.

I also I've had great news and there's a potential for me to publish my book with Simon and Schuster.

Nice.

So I'm definitely looking for more opportunities to write and publish children's stories.

But I think one big project I want to do in the future is just writing about my life story and my journey and just, you know, 685 00:27:06,424 --> 00:27:07,359 sharing how you can overcome hardship and really grow into someone that you're proud of becoming and proud of being.

Well, that is amazing.

That is amazing that this Anansi story has created such opportunities for you.

So thank you for sharing that with us and with our audience.

It's been a pleasure.

To learn more about our local talent, Torhera Durand and hear about her book, How Anansi Spun Madras For more information on this 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.