GREAT BAY/MARIGOT, St. Martin (May 24, 2015)—Rochelle Ward has been selected to represent the island’s writers and authors at the 13th annual St. Martin Book Fair, June 4 – 6, 2015, said Jacqueline Sample, president of House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP).
Ward also writes under the name Faizah Tabasamu, and has been published in the recent book, Where I See The Sun – Contemporary Poetry in St. Martin. “Faizah is one of the island’s few consistent and quality bloggers, at rochelleward.com and saltfishandlace.com. Also, the author Lasana Sekou considers her to be St. Martin’s leading new generation poet,” said Sample.
“It will be an honor to hold the torch of St. Martin’s literary expressions this year at the St. Martin Book Fair. I encourage all other local writers to come out to this weekend event where writers, wordsmiths, and philosophers from around the world rally on our island. Come, let them feel the strength of our pulse,” said Ward.
“Each year a published writer is selected by book fair organizers to represent the nation’s writers and authors. The writer’s photo appears on the book fair poster as one of the invited authors from around the world. The selected writer coordinates a workshop and attends as many book fair activities as possible, like a St. Martin literary ambassador,” said Shujah Reiph of Conscious Lyrics Foundation (CLF). The literary festival is organized by CLF and HNP.
“Another encouragement for writers and publishing in St. Martin is the book exhibition at the opening ceremony on June 4, and on the main book fair day at USM, on June 6, said Reiph. “New to the exhibition will be school teacher Joselyne Arnell.” Ignacio and the Mysterious Egg is the first children’s book by the French Quarter native, “and it came out only a few weeks ago,” said Reiph.
All authors living on the island, whether they are self-published or published by a traditional publisher can sell their books at the book fair. In this way, St. Martin people and our visitors get to see, and to buy as gifts or for personal reading pleasure, more books in one place than they might get at any other time or place on the island, said Reiph.
“The writers also get a chance to meet more people in one place,” said Reiph. Writers and booksellers of all types of books will get a free table on a first come basis by contacting consciouslyrics@yahoo.com, according to a Book Fair Committee information letter.
“The June 4 opening ceremony of the island-wide book fair takes place at the Territorial Media Tech, at 8 PM, in Spring Concordia, Marigot. The new center houses the public library, and is “a super attraction this year because of its spaciousness and attractive design,” said Reiph.
“All of the people of our entire island are invited to the opening ceremony, to meet exciting writers, find new books, and to participate in all activities of the 13th annual St. Martin Book Fair, on June 4 – 6, 2015,” said Reiph.
Photo1: Faizah Tabasamu (Rochelle Ward) represents the nation’s writers and authors at 13th annual St. Martin Book Fair, June 4 – 6, 2015.
Photo2: The new Territorial Media Tech center, in Spring Concordia, Marigot, is the place for the opening ceremony of the 13th annual St. Martin Book Fair, June 4 – 6, 2015.
