On August 1st  I celebrate 🍾 #Freedom.

Join me July 25 to August 1, 2022 for Carnival Emancipation week.

On August 1, 1834, my ancestors who were enslaved Africans in the then British colony of #Jamaica 🇯🇲 were freed.  We, their descendants, still celebrate this day across the former colonies of #Canada, many #Caribbean islands, #Guyana, the diaspora, and of course, the #UK.  Emancipation Day is the equivalent to #Juneteenth.

I will commemorate and celebrate #Emancipation and #Carnival season week here in #Toronto with videos and posts about #history, #culture, and my books.

My books in the #Malaikaseries celebrate #Carnival, #culture, #family, and #migration. 

I've also written extensively about the #UndergroundRailroad and #Emancipation for blogs, #Owlmagazine, and in three of my 📚 books.  #HarrietTubmanFreedomFighter features the great #Emancipator and #conductor.

Stay tuned!

🎵Song: #RedemptionSong by #Bob Marley

Fun facts: #Redemption Song was written using the words from a speech by #MarcusMosiahGarvey. Marcus Garvey, Bob Marley, my parents, and #ancestors all come from Saint Ann , Jamaica. 

​Coming in Fall 2024!

Stay tuned for details.

This number means a lot to me.  In 2010, I got a thyroid cancer diagnosis and it made me realize that I had two wishes— travel and writing a book.

In 2011, I made the decision that I wanted to become a professional writer.

And I made the goal of having ten published books by the time I turn 45.

Well, I turn 45 in August and today, I signed the contract for my eleventh book and it feels real.  It’s official.

I wrote this story in 2020 and it’s the first book that I’ve had represented by my literary agent.  I can’t wait to share this story with you. :-)

I tend to be a very shy piano player.  I’ve studied classical piano since the age of 5 until 19 and off and on since then.  But, I’ve decided to celebrate with 11 book songs. 

I’m also happy to say that I’ll be returning to the elementary teaching classroom this fall to teach part-time primary music.  I’ve waited many, many years for such a position.

Enjoy!

More highlights from the 2022 #Toronto #Caribbean #JuniorCarnival and #FamilyDay on July 16 at #NeilsonPark.

This is my second video and more of a highlight reel of my entire day. 

Thanks 😊 to everyone who came out to the #TorontoCaribbean #JuniorCarnival and #FamilyDay, especially those who visited my table to their TD Grade One Book Giveaway copy #MalaikasCostume or #LecostumedeMalaika, purchase another, and to say “hi”. It was honestly a pleasure for me to be back in the outdoors and in-person cultural events.  I loved 🥰 signing books 📚 and checking out the parade too.

Special thanks to #GroundwoodBooks 📚 #publisher who was also my #editor for #ALikkleMissLou at #OwlkidsBooks, #KarenLi and her kids, for coming to help out.

It was also such a pleasure seeing familiar faces.

My hope for this year’s participation was pretty BIG— I had hoped to have the #MalaikasCostume float from the 2021 #OriginalSantaClaus parade.  This didn’t work out for a few reasons.  But I’m thankful for how quickly Karen, the CCBC, and my #TorontoCaribbeanCarnival contact worked to help make this happen.  I’m happy to have had these moments today.

It was also a pleasure sharing the space with author, #SadéSmith whose book, #GrannysKitchen, debuted last week.  When I reached out to her about this table, without knowing how it would turn out, she said yes.  I can’t wait to read her work.

I enjoyed speaking to parents, educators, and meeting kids and seeing how happy they were to see #Black and #Caribbean books and the authors who write them.

There were more highlights from this event but I think it will be better shown in a reel or video at a later date.

The photos and video footage were taken by me, #parade attendees, authors Yolanda Marshall, Sadé Smith, and Ayana Francis, and publisher Karen.