Bajan author: Local writers have stories to tell the world

By Shamar Blunt

Barbadian author Anthony Baptiste credits much of his creative writing process to his decades of experience and influence from his local upbringing – from the early days of enjoying his childhood summers in and around his Black Rock, St Michael home, to the long hours of honing several crafts to make ends meet after his secondary school life.

Baptiste, who has been overseas and now, specifically in the United Kingdom since 2006, was back in Barbados recently to promote his latest book My Father is a Fish.

During an interview with Barbados TODAY, he emphasised that though growing up in Black Rock was by no means a luxurious time for him as his family, the memories from that time remain some of his most treasured and have served as the foundation for who he is today.

“I grew up old-school; from my mother, we had to learn some sort of trade which involved some sort of handwork [like] carpentry. I did a bit of that – auto body repairs…. There would be some guys in Black Rock that wouldknow mevery well from that, and I stay in contact with people.

“Growing up in Barbados I think it was a joy at that time, because summers were dunks, tamarinds, mangoes… some of them gained in suspicious circumstances, I should say, because there are some nice trees out there.

“I went to Black Rock University, otherwise known as the Ellerslie School, and that was a great experience as well. I think some of the old headmasters – Mr Trotman who has since passed, and Mrs Gooding – made a real impact on my life. Ms Ernesta Bradshaw, I’m notsure if she is still around, [but] there were some words she said to me when she saw that I had difficulty that really inspired me, and I appreciate those up to this day,” Baptiste said.

After releasing books such as Knotty Neck Nigel, Mia’s New Best Friend, Mia and the Lost Voice, all of which cover exciting adventures fit for a young audience, his work now is deeply rooted in his upbringing, as it takes influence from a well-known literary piece, but with a modern twist.

“That last book I would have done is called My Father is a Fish. That book really covers, in part, my own experience growing up. My family was not well-off, people who know me would know that, and sometimes you know there are certain members of society who find it helpful to remind you of your upbringing.

“So, this book is really myspin on the Emperor Has no Clothes. The story covers a little kid – unnamed – and his father is a literal fish, so everybody in the society reminds him that his father is a fish until there is one little boy who sees the world differently and they become friends,” the author explained.

Though he readily admits that the overseas market for authors is more intricate and wide-ranging compared to that locally and even regionally, the former Ellerslie student strongly believes that with the advent of several online platforms for self-publishing, local authors have a great opportunity to see their works go from just ideas to published pieces, given the vast amounts of creative talent found here.

“I think Barbados has great creative talent. I mean, when you look at the work of the calypsonians, for example, especially in relation to social commentary, they create tons of material. Even in the way that Barbadians talk to one another, have a laugh, have a joke, in the way we relay [our] experiences in the form of stories…, we have tons of [talent], we just need to capture that and throw it out into the world,” Baptiste declared.