BCLF Always LIT

In this episode, Andre Baggoo (award-winning poet, writer: Pitch Lake, The Undiscovered Country) chats with P Djeli Clarke Nebula, Locus, and Alex Award-winner P. Djèlí Clark about his novel "A Master of Djinn" which is part of the Dead Djinn Universe collection of stories. Set in Clark's fantasy alternate Cairo in 1912, the book tells the story of Fatma el-Sha’arawi, who is the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, called to investigate the murder of a secret brotherhood named after one of the most famous men in history, al-Jahiz,  who vanished years before.The murderer claims to be him...returned after all these years..but could it? Agent Fatma must unravel the mystery.You must read A Master of Djinn to find out...Shop BCLF Books - https://bookshop.org/shop/bclfbooksGet BCLF Merch - https://www.bklyncbeanlitfest.com/shopLet's be social - Instagram | Facebook | Website

Frankie is beset by hard choices and loss on every side. His love interest philosophises “yu corner dark” and it is true. He’s a young man caught between a rock and a hard place: between fealty to the things and people who matter most to him and his larger-than-life desires for himself. At times, Frankie’s sense of responsibility is maddening. He seems too willing to take on the weight of his world but his sharp wit wins you over. You can’t help but root for him.Your Corner Dark is a rough ride with pulsating reggae beat, corrupt cops, epic turf scenes and lots of laughs. It is the side of Jamaica the tourist board doesn’t tell you about. It is also a gutsy, hope-filled story about family, friendships and love. Your Corner Dark is peopled with credible and unique characters that will literally have you gobbling up the pages to find out what happens next to all of them.Listen in on this conversation between Your Corner Dark author Desmond Hall and host, Amilcar Sanatan. Shop BCLF Books - https://bookshop.org/shop/bclfbooksGet BCLF Merch - https://www.bklyncbeanlitfest.com/shopLet's be social - Instagram | Facebook | Website

In Where the Rhythm Takes You by Sarah Dass, this quiet gem of an island becomes the scene of a pretty intense set of issues between multiple relationships, estranged teenage first-loves, Grammy award winning superstars and a gorgeous boutique family-owned hotel on the cusp of some major changes. The story is as vibrant as the coral reefs sheltering this tiny island gem and pulsates with the natural rhythm of the people and the land. Where The Rhythm Takes You is a perfect lockdown read that transports you to a destination paradise without the harassment  of a COVID19 travel regimen!Shop BCLF Books - https://bookshop.org/shop/bclfbooksGet BCLF Merch - https://www.bklyncbeanlitfest.com/shopLet's be social - Instagram | Facebook | Website

Get ready for ancient magic with a new world flair!In this interview, its author Ciannon Smart talks about her writing and the joy of bringing this powerful novel into the world with Trinidadian writer of modern folklore stories, Breanne Mc Ivor. Breanne is the author of a short story collection Where There Are Monsters published by Peepal Tree Press. Witches Steeped in Gold is a calabash of otherworldly tingz with a healthy dash of intrigue and drama. It’s the first printed offering by the British-Jamaican Ciannon Smart.Described as a Jamaican-inspired fantasy debut about two enemy witches who must enter into a deadly alliance to take down a common enemy, this story has the twisted cat-and-mouse of Killing Eve with the richly imagined fantasy world of Furyborn and Ember in the Ashes.Shop BCLF Books - https://bookshop.org/shop/bclfbooksGet BCLF Merch - https://www.bklyncbeanlitfest.com/shopLet's be social - Instagram | Facebook | Website

Asha Bromfield the superstar (yesssss of Jozie and the Pussycats fame) and Rasheen Roper-Robinson, two daughters of Jamaica, discuss the flawless magic that is HurricaneSummer, Asha’s phenomenal debut release!Hurricane Summer is the rare kind of debut novel; the one that stuns, suffuses your senses and leaves you completely invested. This is the kind of novel you read in a single sitting. It is unputdownable. In this nuanced conversation, Rasheen leads us through the pages of Asha’s novel and her mind to understand her inspiration and source of her story and her glittering career as a triple threat: singer, actor and now writer. Filled with insight and accurate observations about Jamaican rural society, Asha Bromfield’s writing dazzles and demands that she be taken notice of. Shop BCLF Books - https://bookshop.org/shop/bclfbooksGet BCLF Merch - https://www.bklyncbeanlitfest.com/shopLet's be social - Instagram | Facebook | Website

Without being didactic, Jones treats with the other side of paradise, the human collateral, the physical, psychological and emotional damage on those whose lives are given to creating an idyllic paradise for others, stretching all back the way from the Caribbean’s years as crown colonies to its present day SunSeaSand playground for the 1st world. How The One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House is a must read. Shop BCLF Books - https://bookshop.org/shop/bclfbooksGet BCLF Merch - https://www.bklyncbeanlitfest.com/shopLet's be social - Instagram | Facebook | Website

Ashanti warrior Tacky takes center stage in this fast-paced, thrilling readThis novel is a great way for parents and children to explore and connect over a not-commonly told chapter of Caribbean slave resistance and rebellion. ‘Cane Warriors’ by award-winning writer Alex Wheatle is the perfect introduction for #YAlit readers into the lives of our African ancestors. This historical account of Tacky's Rebellion, which took place in Jamaica in 1760, is viewed through the eyes of 14-year-old Moa, the youngest of the cane warriors who was determined to end the enslavement of his people. Moa's fears and motives takes you through a journey of family, loyalty, brotherhood and community.In this interview, writer Alex Wheatle and activist/Freetown Collective’s lead vocalist, Muhammad Muwakil will sit in the BCLF studios discussing Alex’s powerful #YAnovel, ‘Cane Warriors’ and survival tings for a chapter of the new season of our podcast #BCLFAlwaysLit.Shop BCLF Books - https://bookshop.org/shop/bclfbooksGet BCLF Merch - https://www.bklyncbeanlitfest.com/shopLet's be social - Instagram | Facebook | Website

What’s Mine and Yours is a complex tapestry of interconnected lives, race, identity, belonging, inheritance and the haunting, looming presence of family histories. It’s strong focus on socially conscious themes will awaken your senses and cause you to re-examine how you think about relationships and privilege. It’s also a prismatic look at several relationships: intimate partner, mother-daughter, sibling-parent and the painful process of loving a substance abuser through a cast of  unforgettable characters and an unpredictable storyline. Shop BCLF Books - https://bookshop.org/shop/bclfbooksGet BCLF Merch - https://www.bklyncbeanlitfest.com/shopLet's be social - Instagram | Facebook | Website

Literary Lovers - BCLF Always LIT is back for a brand new season!In this episode listen to the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival's Core Team:Marsha Massiah-Aaron - Founder & Festival Director Mellany Paynter - Founding Partner & Director of OperationsMelissa Harper - Program & Logistics DirectorChristopher Aaron - Communications & Media Director.as they share the vision that lead to the festival, a recap of the 1st season of the podcast and what's in store for season 2. You don't want to miss it. Support BCLFShop BCLF Books - https://bookshop.org/shop/bclfbooksGet BCLF Merch - https://www.bklyncbeanlitfest.com/shopLet's be social - Instagram | Facebook | Website

Rasheen Roper-Robinson and Tamika Gibson discuss Tamika’s new YA novel, ‘Off Track.’Check out Off Track’s publisher Blue Banyan Books for many great selectionsShop BCLF Books - https://bookshop.org/shop/bclfbooksGet BCLF Merch - https://www.bklyncbeanlitfest.com/shopLet's be social - Instagram | Facebook | Website

Hosted by Dr. Nicole Grimes - A Woman's Word with Dr. Elizabeth Nunez, accomplished writer and distinguished professor -  is a Tour De Force of the landscape of the distinctive female writer in and outside of the Caribbean. Shop BCLF Books - https://bookshop.org/shop/bclfbooksGet BCLF Merch - https://www.bklyncbeanlitfest.com/merchLet's be social - Instagram | Facebook | Website

Co-presented with the Center for Fiction; Barbara Jenkins hosts, Julia Alvarez to discuss her newest novel - "Afterlife".Shop BCLF Books - https://bookshop.org/shop/bclfbooksGet BCLF Merch - https://www.bklyncbeanlitfest.com/merchLet's be social - Instagram | Facebook | Website

Co-presented with the Center for Fiction; Tiphanie Yanique hosts, Lauren Francis-Sharma to discuss her newest novel - "Book of the Little Axe". Shop BCLF Books - https://bookshop.org/shop/bclfbooksGet BCLF Merch - https://www.bklyncbeanlitfest.com/merchLet's be social - Instagram | Facebook | Website

Krystal Sital, critically acclaimed author of ‘Secrets We Kept - Three Women of Trinidad chats with Donna Hemans about her sophomore novel ‘Tea by the Sea’. Listen as Donna shares the inspiration for the story and reads excerpts of the book.About Tea by the Sea This a masterfully expressed story of one mother’s relentless search for a daughter lost as a newborn, that will touch that most umbilical place inside of you. Written in tender, descriptive and attentive prose, Hemans brings to the fore questions about family, parenthood, deeply-entrenched gender roles, abandonment and loss. More beautifully, she leaves those questions to the reader to unearth those answers.Shop BCLF Books - https://bookshop.org/shop/bclfbooksGet BCLF Merch - https://www.bklyncbeanlitfest.com/merchLet's be social - Instagram | Facebook | Website

Traditional fairy tales begin with "Once upon a time" and generally end with the protagonists living "happily ever after." In Caribbean literature, this relatable concept takes on a different meaning. In this panel, we will interrogate the ways:In Caribbean literature, this relatable concept takes on a different meaning. This prevalent trope in the literature of the colonizer is interpreted through our lens. Do Caribbean literary characters get to have a happily ever after? How is it earned? If the concept of 'happily ever after' can be considered a secure, permanent future of increasingly beneficial outcomes for the protagonist and his/her successors, does that indicate a life luxury that comes with privilege and dominance? As we tell the stories of the suppressed, does it mean that we have to adjust the parameters for that in Caribbean literature? Hosted by Patrice Grell Yursik, who is joined by panelists:  Elizabeth AcevedoIfeona FulaniIvelisse RodriguezKrystal SitalLisa Allen AgostiniShop BCLF Books - https://bookshop.org/shop/bclfbooksGet BCLF Merch - https://www.bklyncbeanlitfest.com/merchLet's be social - Instagram | Facebook | Website

"Folklore is the bedrock of Caribbean speculative fiction, our own way of interpreting and managing trauma." Karen Lord This enchanting panel visits the nature and purpose of folklore - past, present and future. Is folklore still relevant to today’s society? Do folklore traditions differ in various Caribbean ethnic cultures? Were folkstories ever truth-based? These are some of the burning questions we will ask and attempt to answer. As we look at folklore through the lenses of very different writers, the focus invariably shifts to one of sustainability. Can it go with us into the future? The invisible world was always a presence and partner to our ancestors. How are the stories being interpreted in contemporary Caribbean literature and what is the reception from a global market thriving with stories that dabble in mythical and magical worlds?Hosted by Karen Lord (Barbados), who is joined by panelists:  Gerard Besson (TT)Breanne McIvor (TT)Monique Roffey (TT)Imam Baksh (GUY)Vashti Bowlah (TT)Shop BCLF Books - https://bookshop.org/shop/bclfbooksGet BCLF Merch - https://www.bklyncbeanlitfest.com/merchLet's be social - Instagram | Facebook | Website

Pelau aka Rice and Peas aka Cook up aka Peas and rice. The combination of peas and rice is diasporic in the tropics. Every Caribbean nation has some version of such a dish enshrined as at least one of its national dishes. What does this dish symbolize about all we've adapted and what we've lost. And how might we build an understanding of (Black) Caribbean masculinity and a fight to revolutionize it – which is also to reclaim its divine feminine. Hosted by Roger Bonair-Agard & Kevin Adonis Browne, who are joined by panelists: Ernesto Quiñonez (PR)Richard Georges (USVI)Dmitiry Leger (Haiti)This discussion features a panel of Caribbean men in the encounter, confront, and de/reconstruction of their masculinity; and how we hold one another in that transformational journey of justice, in a way that lets us bring us all on that evolutionary journey.Shop BCLF Books - https://bookshop.org/shop/bclfbooksGet BCLF Merch - https://www.bklyncbeanlitfest.com/merchLet's be social - Instagram | Facebook | Website

Panelists Elizabeth Nunez (Trinidad), Merle Collins (Grenada) and Patricia Powell (Jamaica); celebrate the life and work of the Caribbean American literary giant Paule Marshall. These award-winning Caribbean-American writers fondly remember and discuss their favorite Paule Marshall novel and the influence of the “Poets in the Kitchen,” as Marshall called the women who gathered in her mother’s Bed Stuy brownstone. As they hold court, each panelist makes the case why the works of this literary icon rightfully belong to the Caribbean-American and, indeed, the American literary canon, and therefore should be required reading.   Shop BCLF Books - https://bookshop.org/shop/bclfbooksGet BCLF Merch - https://www.bklyncbeanlitfest.com/merchLet's be social - Instagram | Facebook | Website

BCLF Always LIT is a brand new podcast by the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival. The Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival is the first literary festival dedicated to Caribbean literature in New York City. In ‘Always LIT’ you’ll hear vibrant conversations about Caribbean storytelling and Caribbean writing from iconic and emergent Caribbean writers, poets and creatives. In addition, you can enjoy recordings of live BCLF events.BCLF Always LIT launches October 1st and new episodes are available on every other Thursday. Shop BCLF Books - https://bookshop.org/shop/bclfbooksGet BCLF Merch - https://www.bklyncbeanlitfest.com/merchLet's be social - Instagram | Facebook | Website