River Ridge Press, Dominica

14/03/2025

Celebrating Caribbean Women Writers for Women's History Month! 📚

This week, we’re highlighting four incredible Caribbean women whose novels explore history, identity, and coming-of-age journeys. While River Ridge Press is not the publisher of these books, we honor their literary contributions and the powerful stories they tell.

📖 The Farming of Bones – Edwidge Danticat (Haiti) weaves a heartbreaking tale of love and survival set against the backdrop of the 1937 Parsley Massacre in the Dominican Republic.

📖 Annie John – Jamaica Kincaid (Antigua) crafts a poignant coming-of-age novel following a young girl’s strained relationship with her mother as she navigates adolescence and self-discovery.

📖 Abeng – Michelle Cliff (Jamaica) explores race, class, and sexuality through the eyes of Clare, a mixed-race girl growing up in 1950s colonial Jamaica.

📖 Buxton Spice – Oonya Kempadoo (Guyana) captures the raw and vibrant world of a young girl coming of age in a politically charged Guyanese village.

These novels reflect the depth and diversity of Caribbean women’s voices in literature. Which of these have you read, or which are you adding to your reading list? Let us know below! 👇🏾📚

Backdrop Credit: Sister Act, 2002 by Ikahl Beckford

13/03/2025

This Week in Interview S1506🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/499595536...

12/03/2025

We're just about seven weeks away from the 15th edition of Trinidad and Tobago's biggest annual celebration of books, writers, words, stories and ideas!

Join us from 1 to 4 May for an action-packed programme — of readings and discussions, performances and workshops, and more — for all ages.

Watch this space in the coming weeks as we share further details or sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know: https://newsletter.bocaslitfest.com/

11/03/2025

🕊️ Remembering Alwin Bully 🕊️

On the second anniversary of his passing, we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Alwin Bully—visionary, artist, and founder of the Nature Island Literary Festival. His impact on Caribbean arts and literature remains unmatched.

Join us in celebrating his memory by reading the poetry tributes shared in his honor. You can find them here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.591416273018709&type=3

Nature Island Literary Festival is celebrating and honoring the memory of our dearly departed founder and first chair, Alwin Bully, by sharing the poetry tributes received.




RIP Alwin.

(please feel free to send us your tribute poems at any time)

10/03/2025

🌿📖 Paradise or Profit?

When love for land collides with corporate greed, who truly owns paradise? Nobody Owns the Rainbow by Kristine Simelda is a gripping tale of resilience, love, and the fight to protect what matters most. 🌊✨

Get your copy today locally at Jay’s Bookstore on Independence Street, Roseau, Nature Island Dive in Soufriere, or at Ora Arani on Cork Street, Roseau.

Or at Amazon for ebooks and paperbacks: https://amzn.to/3dT1oz5

is a page turning Caribbean multi-cultural adventure romance that pits human impulse against the absolute power of Mother Nature. This island adventure romance, set amidst a battle between human impulse and the absolute power of Mother Nature, will keep you turning pages. So grab this book to...

09/03/2025

09/03/2025

📢 SAVE THE DATE! 📢

The launch of The Haunting at Mountain Lodge by Becky Jno-Baptiste is almost here! 🎉 Join us on March 13, 7 PM at UWI Global Campus for an evening of folklore, history, and spine-tingling storytelling. 📖✨

This debut novel blends Dominican folklore, Maroon history, and family secrets into a gripping speculative horror—one you won’t want to miss!

👀 Stay tuned! We’ve got an exclusive interview with Becky Jno-Baptiste coming soon, where she dives into the inspiration behind the novel, the writing process, and what’s next!

📍 Who’s excited for this one? Drop a 🔥 in the comments if you’re planning to attend!

SAVE THE DATE! The launch of The Haunting at Mountain Lodge written by Becky Jno-Baptiste and published by River Ridge Press, Dominica is this Thursday, 13 March, 7 p.m. at UWI campus auditorium on Elmshall Rd.!
A good number of manuscripts cross my editorial desk, but this debut novel was outstanding from the beginning. Set in the mountains of Dominica, there is so much more to this book than horror—Dominican folklore, Maroon history, as well as family dynamics and romance pepper the plot of this fantastic read. Don’t miss your chance to come and meet the author and pick up your signed copy of The Haunting at Mountain Lodge at this gala event. HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

09/03/2025

: Write a poem about the act of looking. How can you subvert the expectations of the reader by leaving the scene to go into the interior of your mind? : at.pw.org/Pastoral

09/03/2025

“To write the Caribbean well is to expose the authentic secrets — dark or lightness,” declares Leone Ross. The award-winning Jamaican-British novelist, short story writer, educator, and creative mentor will lead a three-part “Writing Desire” masterclass for the Bocas Academy.

The sessions, carded for 8, 15, and 22 March, will all be held virtually via Zoom, and are open to attendees worldwide.
Register now at https://islandetickets.com/event/Bocas-Academy-Masterclass-Writing-Desire

Masterclass participants can expect rigorous practical exercises as well as a deep immersion in reading material. “I’m inviting people to leave better writers, with objective craft techniques they can use to write with guts, authenticity, and particularity,” says Ross. “Whatever stage of your process you are in, I want to help make you better. Doing that via the semantics of desire just makes the whole thing even more fun.”

Full article at: https://vibes.trinidadexpress.com/arts/literature/leone-ross-to-lead-writing-desire-masterclass/

Trinidad Express Newspapers

08/03/2025

Choice, Not Chance, Determines Destiny 💡

Happy International Women’s Day!💕

Kristine Simelda’s novels bring to life fierce, complex women—characters who face the world with resilience but carry soft, vulnerable cores. From intrepid journalists to passionate environmentalists, from musicians to revolutionaries, each of her heroines navigates the world on her own terms.

In her latest blog, Kristine reflects on the power of choice—both in fiction and in life. What we stand up for today shapes the legacy we leave behind. Are we making choices that truly matter?

✨ Read more: https://kristinesimelda.wordpress.com/2025/03/

Dear Readers, As an author whose novels are often categorized as women’s fiction, I tend to write female characters who are tough cookies on the outside but have a soft, vulnerable core. First ther…

07/03/2025

Honoring Dominican Women Writers for Women's History Month! 📚

This March, we’re celebrating the voices of Caribbean writers who have made an impact on Caribbean literature. Today we zero in on Dominican Women Writers.

While River Ridge Press is not the publisher of these books, we recognize their importance in telling powerful stories of identity, resilience, and heritage.

📖 Black Man Listen – Kathy Casimir MacLean explores the life of her grandfather, J.R. Ralph Casimir, a Dominican poet and Pan-Africanist who championed Garveyism and Black empowerment.

📖 The Orchid House – Phyllis Shand Allfrey’s evocative novel follows three sisters returning to their Caribbean homeland, confronting love, politics, and change.

📖 Wide Sargasso Sea – Jean Rhys reimagines the untold story of Bertha Mason, the "madwoman in the attic" from Jane Eyre, bringing the Caribbean’s lush yet haunting past to life.

📖 Black and White Sands – A deeply personal memoir by Elma Napier, recounting her journey from British aristocracy to making a home in Dominica.

These women’s words have endured—telling stories of heritage, belonging, and the complexities of the Caribbean experience. Have you read any of these? Share your thoughts below! 👇🏾📚

Backdrop Painting Credit: Banana Swirl Painting by Martin Superville (2012)

05/03/2025

🔮 Something mysterious is on the horizon... Can you hear the whispers in the wind? Can you make out what they are saying? 🌿📖

Stay tuned—this is one journey you won’t want to miss. 👀✨

04/03/2025

Dominican writers, this one’s for you! ✍🏾 Join Create Caribbean in Sharma Taylor’s FREE fiction workshop and sharpen your storytelling skills. Spots are limited—apply now!

Apply now for the Fiction Workshop: Young Adult Fiction with award-winning Jamaican author Sharma Taylor, starting March 21, 2025, at 6 PM Jamaica time.

Sharma Taylor, winner of the Musgrave Bronze Medal for Literature (2023) and the Wasafiri New Writing Prize (2020), will share her expertise in novel structure. Her work has captivated audiences across the Caribbean and beyond, and now she’s ready to help you shape your novel and bring your story to life.

Only a few spots remain, and newsletter subscribers heard it first! Want early updates on opportunities like this? Subscribe now to our newsletter and stay ahead of the curve.

03/03/2025

🎭✨ Mas Dominik: A Celebration of Unity & Tradition ✨🎭

Carnival in Dominica is more than just a street party—it’s a time when music, culture, and community blend in a joyous explosion of color and movement. From the pulsating rhythms of Bouyon in Roseau to the haunting presence of sensay masqueraders in the villages, the spirit of Mas lives on.

In this latest blog, journey through one writer’s reflections on Carnival’s evolution, from carefree reveler to nostalgic observer. Read an excerpt from a 2007 journal entry that captures the raw energy, humor, and heart of Mas Dominik.

Time to free up in Dominica!

👉🏽 Step into the revelry here: https://kristinesimelda.wordpress.com/2025/03/03/dont-stop-de-carnival/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIyry9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHVfE_ECv92VOwx0jqw9WZcGao-DNyoiMmxGLnzD1OCBGkWltDu_h_SiRpw_aem_DCn7JByzD-ush88fXNByYg

Dear Readers, In a divided world, it’s comforting to know that a country can come together despite politics, economics, and ethnicity. I have been celebrating Carnival in Dominica since 1994—from t…

03/03/2025

The currents are shifting, and a fresh tide is rolling in! 🌊📖 River Ridge Press is gearing up for an exciting revamp—new waves, new stories, same love for Caribbean literature. Stay tuned as we ride this river of change! Drop a 📚 emoji if you’re excited!

Photo Credit: Gwenith M. Whitford

27/02/2025

Every reef has a story, just like every islander. As we celebrate Caribbean literature, we also honor the landscapes and ecosystems that shape our narratives.

If it's Wednesday, it must be Coral Feeding Under the Lights Night!

https://natureislanddive.dm/feeding-coral-at-night-under-ultraviolet-uv-lights/