Hey what up bookworms!

It has been an amazing season! We've traveled to Trinidad, St. Lucia, Jamaica and Barbados.  I don't know if I have a favorite episode of any of the chapters however one main thing that came out of all the conversation is to get your stuff edited.  Weather you have beta readers or if you have a group of professional editors that will objectively look over your work, it is important to go through drafts.  You have to be comfortable with being a great re writer because that's how you get to be a great writer.

If you have enjoyed the show share it anywhere online share it to friends or family members leave me a review on iTunes if you're on cast box as well you can leave a review and rating there as well.  Let me know what you think, I would really really appreciate it.  It will help other Caribbean people find this podcast.

There a lot of Caribbean podcast out there but we don't know them because people don't share them as much as we should so let everybody know about the podcast and thank you for being here it was a pleasure with your host  and introducing you to some amazing Black Caribbean Women.  I’m Empress Zingha from Barabdos and will see you in the next chapter in 2020!

If you want to get in contact with the show, send us an email: [email protected] to purchase my book you can head on over to https://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Sunflower-How-Wings-Book-ebook/dp/B07TKQ5CJR and don't forget to check out the digital book shelf as well! right here! www.empresszingha.com/thewritewomenpodcast

Nailah Imojah is an experienced Journalist, Author, Teacher and Past principal with a demonstrated history of working in the writing and editing industry. Skilled in Business Writing, Editing, Event Management, Public Speaking, and Writing Tutor.  Strong education professional with a Master of Arts (M.A.) focused in English Literature from The University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus.

In this episode she spoke about her experience teaching children in secondary school and getting them to understand the “why” of literature, advice to editors and those looking for editors, her secret love of songwriting, the decline of journalism, her new venture “The Bajan Book Shop” and quick tips on finding a publisher.  To get in contact with Nailah, drop her an email at [email protected].  If you would like to contact the show, send us an email to [email protected]

Taitu Heron is a Gender and Development specialist, human rights advocate and performance poet. She holds a BSc in International Relations from the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus and an MPhil in Development Studies from the University of Cambridge, UK. Her areas of expertise include rights-based development planning and management; and policy development and coordination, and advocacy and partnership building.  In this chapter, we talked about her upbringing within the Rastafarian community, how young people can take action for change in the community, her experiences as a poet, how writers can produce good documented research and her spiritual take over during the Tambourine Army protest.  To get into contact with Taitu, you can message the WAND - Women and Development Unit Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/WANDUWI/ or email her at [email protected].

To get in contact with the show, send an email to us : [email protected]

LINDA M. DEANE is a British-Barbadian poet, essayist, editor and publisher. She is also a creative writing tutor and mentor for "The Summer Storyteller".  Graduate of the University of Warwick’s Comparative American Studies programme  she also has over 30 years’ experience as a journalist in Barbados and the UK and is the co-founding director of ArtsEtc Inc.  In this chapter we speak on her involvement with the Barbados Literary Arts Festival as well as getting funding for it, her professional relationship with the late Harold Hoyte - her first boss, techniques she uses to get children excited to read within the public school system and having good relationships with your editors! To get in contact with Linda, check her out on instagram: www.instagram.com/the_summer_storyteller send her and email [email protected] Her website where you can see her work is, artsetcbarbados.com  and to get in contact with the show you can send us an email: [email protected] and visit us on facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewritewomenpodcast/ Don't forget to leave a rating and review on iTunes!

A prolific writer A. L. Dawn French has had her work featured locally, regionally and internationally since her pre-teen years. She has been part of publications such as "Creation Fire" 1990 published by the Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action (CAFRA), "Women's Future" 2000 published by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), "Opus Spectrum" 2015 published by the Saint Lucia Writers Forum and the "Dictionary of Caribbean and Afro-Latin American Biography" 2016 published by Oxford University Press.  Her latest works are about an eight year old heroine named PEANUT who through her adventures shares morality tales with pre-teen readers.  Find her here on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dawnnbooks/  Want to get in contact with the show? Email us at: [email protected]

Meet Dr. Karen Lord, multi- award winning author of speculative literature from Barbados.  In this episode we touched on traditional literature vs speculative fiction, the Caribbean identity and experience as it relates to writers as well as advice on writing and lengthening or shortening work for competitions.  Want to get in contact with her? Check out her Website: https://karenlord.wordpress.com Twitter: @drkarenlord and on Tumbler: drkarenlord

Want to contact the show? Hit up, [email protected] and check out the digital bookshelf on empresszingha.com/thewritewomenpodcast

Trinidadian, author and journalist Tameeka Castillo  is the scribe for Written from Within.  It is her first book of poetry and showcases a front row seat into her world.  Tameeka is also the founder of the #menvoicesmattertoo movement which highlights the issues and traumas of young men and boys within society.  Tameeka Castillo, author, activist and journalist from Trinidad , believing in changing the world, one story at a time.  Check out her website: https://www.castillotameeka.life or find her here on Instagram.   If you would like to get in contact with the show, drop us a line at: [email protected] you can also follow us on Instagram and FaceBook Don't forget to leave us review as on Itunes! Thank so much!

Sonia Williams - Author, Playwrite, Actress, Director, Editor, Activist, Spiritualist, Educator and good friend! 

 Sonia migrated to Brooklyn New York in 1979, where she attended Brooklyn Technical High School and Hamilton College, Clinton, New York. There she received a B.A. in Theatre Arts and Women Studies and a Watson Fellowship to Nigeria in 1989. In 1990 and worked extensively with Earl Warner and is also a well-respected director and performance artist whose works have been showcased at national, regional and international events. She has written Full-length Plays, Choreopoems, Short Stories and Poetry. She can be seen in the Canadian film The Triangle, the Barbadian feature film Sweet Bottom and British-Barbadian film A Caribbean Dream. 

Sonia is the recipient of many awards including the Karen Williams Prize in Theatre 1988, Watson Fellowship to Nigeria 1989, Actress of the Year Barbados 1990,the Governor General Award for excellence in Drama in the professional category of the National Independence Festival of the Creative Arts 1998 and the Roland Edwards Prize for her contribution to the development of the Performing Arts in Barbados 2016.

She  has taught in communities and institutions in Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad, including the Edna Manley College for the Visual and Performing Arts, the University of the West Indies Cave Hill, and Barbados Community College. She holds a Post-Graduate Certificate in Higher Education teaching and learning. Her Novella This Too Will Pass was published in 2014 and her intention is to facilitate the development of people and the transformation of lives through artistic excellence and service.

Contact her for artist development, directing projects, and to purchase her books via email: [email protected] or Whatsapp: 1-246-248-6660

A-dZiko Simba Gegele is known in some areas of the Caribbean as a storyteller and workshop facilitator, specializing in working with children. Her debut novel All Over Again, won the inaugural Burt Award for Caribbean Literature in 2014.  In this chapter we have a very candid talk about who she is as a writer and the story behind All Over Again.  Follow her here on her Facebook page