Author’s latest fictional work receives support

One of the newest works by Barbadian author Shakira Daniel has been endorsed by the top brass of the National Library Service and one official is calling for more local authors to come forward with their works.

Daniel, who goes by the pseudonym Lollipops 2 Marsh, last Thursday morning officially launched her fantasy work Lu Joaker- Selene Alpha Book 1, a fantasy
work on werewolves.

Deputy Director of the National Library Service Beverley Archer who attended the official launch said that what is so critical about the book is the legal deposit aspect which she called on other authors to do.

The legal deposit is a requirement for publishers to send at least one copy of their publications free of cost to designated libraries.

Its purpose is to preserve the presence of the books for generations where all published works are saved as part of a country’s heritage.

“This is for their benefit. It is for posterity, their own transmission to future generations and we would want many more Barbadians and authors but particularly those persons who are publishing items or books in Barbados,” the Deputy Director said.

“So basically what we want to focus on here in the launch of Shakira Daniel’s book is the importance of the legal deposit.

The National Library Service has a dual role as a national library of Barbados as well as a public library service of Barbados,” she told Barbados TODAY.

The author shared that her interest in writing fantasy started from her days at St George Secondary where her headmistress at the time encouraged her to explore her possibilities. “I guess I was lucky,” she said, recalling the support from her headteacher.

“She was very encouraging to me… I was one of those children that got into trouble but I wasn’t too out there in trouble and I had a guidance counselor and we used to go to poetry readings and she encouraged us to stay in the library at lunch time,” she said about what she described as a privilege.

Her headmistress eventually read one of her books and was impressed by the Germany- based author’s work.

“She said you’re doing really great and you should continue and keep this up,” Daniel recalled. The author of the work on werewolves had a word of advice for aspiring artists: “If you have a creative idea just go for it. I would encourage them to go for it. It’s either you fail once or you try again,” she added.

Meanwhile, CEO of  Passionate Words Editing Services, Robert Gibson who is responsible for putting out the work said that he was simply ecstatic about the actual launch.

“As I always say I am passionate about people and getting their dreams [realized] so when she spoke to us about getting the book published, sure we can do everything [but] now to get here, I tell people all the time this is why I do what I do – passion is part of my whole ethos and I love seeing people in their passion,” he said, recalling some of his clients who actually get emotional seeing their work in hard copy.

Gibson told Barbados TODAY that he expects the book to attract that niche market which is into fictional work.

“Animekon is around the corner…there are a whole lot of people who know about this book and they should be interested in purchasing it,” he said. (MR)