Looking at the Bocas 2014 Longlist: As Flies to Whatless Boys
By Shivanee Ramlochan, 2014 Bocas Lit fest blogger Published by Akashic Books in 2013. “All-in-a-sudden a rocket – launched from the ship’s foredeck – shot screaming into the air. Leaving behind its smoky corkscrew trail. Bursting with a loud pap! above the ship. It scattered a hundred bright blue sparks cross the sky, descending through […]
NGC Bocas Lit Fest Tobago, 28 – 29 March 2014
Tobago gets a new festival of literary and oral traditions! The first annual NGC Bocas Lit Fest Tobago is to take place on 28th and 29th March. Organizers of the NGC Bocas Lit Fest, in collaboration with the Tobago Word Festival Committee and the Tobago Writers Guild, have created a 2-day event of readings, performance, […]
Looking at the Bocas 2014 Longlist: Coolie Woman
By Shivanee Ramlochan, 2014 Bocas Lit fest blogger Published by the University of Chicago Press, 2013. “From 1838 to 1917, half a million Indians travelled to the Caribbean to grow and cut sugarcane. That migration had put thousands of kilometres and an even greater psychological distance between me and the village women whose tears at […]
Finalists announced for 2014 Hollick Arvon Prize
Two emerging Jamaican writers, one from Grenada, one from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and four from Trinidad and Tobago are the eight finalists for the much-coveted 2014 Hollick Arvon Caribbean Writers Prize, now in its second year. They are: Turn Around, Judy Antoine, Grenada Let It Fly, Melissa Balgobin, Trinidad and Tobago Split Level, […]
Looking at the Bocas 2014 Longlist: Pepper Seed
By Shivanee Ramlochan, 2014 Bocas Lit fest blogger Published by Peepal Tree Press, 2013. “You can drive around the entire island in one day. A place where lush fauna and young girls flourish, sticks beat steel pan and a woman’s waters break each minute, sunshine sprawls heat onto curvy cliff roads till rainy season slings […]
Finalists for the Inaugural Burt Award for Caribbean Literature
Finalists for Inaugural Burt Award for Caribbean Literature Announced Unique initiative aims to develop the love of reading amongst Caribbean youth We are proud to announce the finalists of the inaugural Burt Award for Caribbean Literature. The shortlisted titles are: Island Princess in Brooklyn by Diane Browne, Jamaica (published by Carlong) All Over Again by A-dZiko Gegele, […]
2014 VERSES Bocas Poetry Slam Audition Results
2014 VERSES Bocas Poetry Slam Semi Finals
A record-breaking ninety artists auditioned to be part of the VERSES Bocas Poetry Slam, a national spoken word competition sponsored by First Citizens. After only 3 years, this competition has changed the spoken word landscape by rejuvenating the artform and exposing new talents, like that of 2013 Poetry Slam winner Crystal Skeete whose performance of her piece […]
Judge Spotlight – Bernardine Evaristo
By Shivanee Ramlochan, 2014 Bocas Lit fest blogger Dear Bocas enthusiasts, You’ve seen this year’s longlist – ten outstanding titles of fiction, poetry and non-fiction will be duking it out for shortlist honours. Before the shortlist is officially unveiled in late March, let’s get to know the eleven judges faced with such nailbiting selection tasks! […]
Ten writers vie for the 2014 OCM Bocas Prize
Writers from five countries are in the running for the 2014 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, sponsored by One Caribbean Media. The Prize longlist, announced by the judges on 25 February, 2014, covers poetry, fiction, and literary non-fiction. The winners in the three genre categories will be announced on 30 March, and the […]
Free workshops for writers of Children’s & Young Adult Fiction!
Free Workshops for Writers of Fiction for Children and Young Adults in Jamaica, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago The first in a series of annual free workshops for writers of fiction for children and young adult will be held in several locations across the Caribbean this spring as part of CODE’s Burt Award for Caribbean […]
The art and craft of Lyrics Writing, with Llewellyn “Short Pants” Mac Intosh
By Shivanee Ramlochan, 2014 Bocas Lit fest blogger Carnival 2014 is but a few weeks away, as even a cursory glance over this season’s sea of fêtes will demonstrate. Happily, one of Carnival’s longest standing traditions, the musical business of penning calypso lyrics, was the focus of our February NGC Bocas Lit Fest workshop, presented […]
Call for submissions: Caribbean children’s anthology
CaribbeanReads is seeking email submissions of art, poetry, and short stories from Caribbean citizens for a Caribbean Christmas anthology. CaribbeanReads, in partnership with Jaxon Photography, is producing an anthology of Caribbean Christmas stories for children. The book will feature stories, crafts, and artwork from various parts of the Caribbean produced by Caribbean artists. The book is intended to delight readers […]
The 2014 spoken word season starts!
THE BOCAS LIT FEST heralds the start of its 2014 Spoken Word season that will come to a close on the final night of the annual NGC Bocas Lit Fest on 27 April. The three-part season of workshops, performance, and competitions is underway with The COURTS BOCAS Speak Out Secondary Schools Tour across 5 regions: […]
The NGC Bocas Lit Fest’s South+Central Weekend: Part One
By Shivanee Ramlochan, 2014 Bocas Lit fest blogger T’is the season for literary merriment once more, friends! In truth, for stalwart book lovers, it’s always that time, but we’re referring to the 2014 NGC Bocas Lit Fest, which is now just over three months away. This year’s festival dates are April 23rd to 27th, on […]