Wadadli Stories

I am tired today, and as the week-ahead and its many demands loom, I kind of just want to pause the world for a while. Unfortunately, that’s not my superpower. So, I’ll just lie here a while longer and reflect on the yesterday that was. The book/lit nerd in me is very happy. Wadadli Pen came to an end (mostly, there are still some loose ends and, ugh, I HATE that but so it is) and the Wadadli Stories Book Fair was the bomb. Here are some visual highlights:

How committed was I  to my pseudo-pirate get-up? It was hot as a summumma and I was in all black. No the book I’m holding, my children’s picture book, With Grace isn’t about pirates…but I don’t have my tree faerie costume yet *wink*

Forming de fool as we say here ’bout. #WithGrace

 

Okay, one proper one, with my flag in the background.

Okay, enough of that. Wadadli Stories was a book fair organized as a community event by a team of volunteers and contributors, corporate and private/individual. It included readings, reading testing, spelling bees, panels on writing, cosplay, erotica, and more.

The Cushion Club, a project I’ve volunteered with (and a patron of my other major volunteer project, Wadadli Pen) was there to read to the kids in the person of our long time chief, Cedric.

 

Do you recognize any of your favourite comic characters? They came to play.

This tent used the event to give a visual history of Antiguan mas and to promote in particular the skellihoppers, who will be on the road this Carnival (late July-early August), our 60th anniversary of Carnival, during the opening parade and J’ouvert. The lady in the middle, meanwhile, is wearing a headwrap and trimming made of the madras that makes up our national dress. #local

Just some of the books on display including new author Claytine Nisbett’s Life as Josephine and my books Dancing Nude in the Moonlight, Musical Youth, Oh Gad!, and With Grace. All available online by the way, so though you couldn’t be here with us, you can still get these and other Antiguan and Barbudan books wherever you’re reading this from.

I was busy much of the day with readings and sessions, and in the evening with the Wadadli Youth Pen Prize 2017 Challenge Awards Ceremony. Obviously, that was my highlight – it’s a project I started in 2004 to nurture and showcase the literary arts in Antigua and Barbuda, and, in spite of the challenges, I am happy to say that it is not only still here but continues to grow.

2017 Challenge winners – prizes are across three age groups 12 and younger, 13 to 17, and 18 to 35, and then the top three. The person in the middle holding the Alstyne Allen Memorial Challenge plaque, sponsored by the Best of Books, is this year’s winner.

For more images from the Wadadli Stories book fair, check the the Best of Books on facebook. For the full breakdown of the 2017 Wadadli Pen Challenge results – who won what and to read the winning pieces, go to the Wadadli Pen blog (well, as I write this, everything isn’t yet uploaded but some of the stories are and more will be throughout the day or maybe the next couple of days; so check back::reasons for the delay? See opening lines of this blog).

This is my Sunday post. Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there.