Bios & Bookmarks: Caroline MacKenzie
What to Expect...
It may be a time for social distancing, but we’ve found a way to get a little up close and personal with some of our favourite authors.
Bios & Bookmarks, an Online Reading Series with Caribbean Authors, will premiere on Bocas’ Instagram Live on Sunday 5 April. The series, powered by the NGC Bocas Lit Fest, will feature readings and discussions with both familiar and new Caribbean writers across the region and diaspora – allowing us to get to know the faces behind the words and what’s on their bookshelves. It’s also an opportunity to share comfort, laughter and insights to help get us through these uncertain times, (and there’ll definitely be laughter, we’ve got some special quirky questions and activities lined up for our guests, Bocas style!)
Our first featured author, Caroline Mackenzie, joins us to discuss her much anticipated forthcoming novel One Year of Ugly.
The Live forum welcomes your participation; we hope you’ll join the conversation and pose questions or share your perspectives with us as we (book)mark this unprecedented chapter in our Bocas 2020 year-round celebration. Join us on Instagram, @bocaslitfest, today at 4pm!
Frequently Asked Questions
The Bocas Lit Fest is held every year during the last week of April/ first week of May in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
The Bocas Lit Fest takes place at the National Library and the adjoining Old Fire Station in downtown Port of Spain.
Entrance to the Festival Village is free (unless otherwise stated), and almost all of our events – including readings, panel discussions, film screenings, performances and children’s events – are free and open to the public. Seating is on a first-come basis and everyone is welcome.
There are two notable exceptions:
1) The First Citizens National Poetry Slam semi-finals and finals are ticketed events. We recommend purchasing tickets early to avoid disappointment! Note: While in-person performance restrictions remain in place, the FCNPS will be broadcast on national TV in Trinidad and Tobago so everyone can enjoy.
2) You must register in advance to reserve your spot in our writing workshops. You can register online, by phone or by email. We do have free workshops, but most have a small fee.
Our Festival programme is developed around specific annual themes and generally features recently published Caribbean authors. We showcase the writers longlisted and shortlisted for the major literary awards administered by Bocas Lit Fest, as well as the independent panels of experts and writers who judge them. We also review nominations from publishers and our programme partners to determine the most exciting new voices to showcase each year.
We welcome submissions from authors wishing to participate in the Festival, but we have limited openings for writers who don’t fall into one of the above categories. We follow up on submissions/ queries from authors that fit with our programme plans and themes for upcoming Festivals.
If you’re interested in participating in the Bocas Lit Fest, send us an email at [email protected] with an author bio, book synopsis and any critical reviews/ endorsements for consideration. All writers are welcome to participate in our Stand & Deliver series.
We have several events during the Festival, and year round, that seek out and support promising new talent:
- Writing workshops for all levels (advance registration required)
- Stand and Deliver is our main platform for new writers who want to read their work for peers and a festival audience. This is an open-mic event for writers of all genres. While the Festival remains virtual, we’ll put out an online open call for submissions from writers, and the Stand & Deliver will be a pre-recorded virtual event within the Festival programme (and throughout the year if interest from writers is high!).
- Writers First is our series of free seminars for budding and self-published writers on key areas of the book business, led by publishing experts. You can access the recordings full of advice from industry professional in the content library.
- Our New Talent Showcase and New Writing events shine a spotlight on promising new writers, many of whom have gone on to be published after appearing on our stage.
- The Johnson and Amoy Achong Caribbean Writers Prize (formerly the Hollick Arvon) supports an emerging Caribbean writer in completing a work in progress.
The Bocas Lit Fest does not sell or distribute books, so books by authors appearing at the Festival (and many other titles) are sold by independent booksellers who set up booths in our Festival Village. Make sure to purchase early so you’re first in line for book signing!
Beyond books, the Festival Village has an array of exciting local products, crafts and services from specialist vendors — everything from artisan chocolate to handmade clothing, jewellery and crafts. If you’re interested in having your own booth at the Festival, contact us at [email protected] for a copy of our vendor registration form and to get more information on renting a booth space at the Bocas Lit Fest.
Since 2017 we’ve been livestreaming the events at the Old Fire Station, and those videos are available on our YouTube channel here. We have audio recordings of Festival events from before 2017, and those are available via Soundcloud here. If you are interested in using or sharing a recording from the festival, please contact us for permission at [email protected].
Yes! We recruit a large team of volunteers to help at the annual Bocas Lit Fest.