Yolanda Marshall
Her target audience may not be those of us reading right now, but I'm sure after reading you'd be running to get her books for your children and younger relatives!
When did you first realize you wanted to be/were going to become a writer? In my early twenties, while attending University. At this point, I had accumulated hundreds of poems over the years. I decided it was time to create a poetry book. In 2008, I published my first book of poetry.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk? There are a few, but one remains consistent. I need a glass of wine to start, and after writing a satisfactory page, I eat a piece of chocolate to celebrate it.
What was the inspiration behind ‘Sweet Sorrel Stand.’ In most storybooks and neighbourhoods, kids have lemonade stands. I wanted to highlight a traditional Caribbean drink, educate readers on the African origins, and teach kids that they can become Entrepreneurs.
Has being the daughter of a Jazz musician inspired your writing? If so, in what ways? My Dad would play his guitar, and since I was a child, I sang along. I learnt songs at an early age, developed an excellent ear-sound. I do believe this has influence how I write, the rhythms of my words, the flow of the stories. It undoubtedly influenced my love for poetry. I would make up my own songs while my Dad played.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing? I have a fulltime career, an active five-year-old, and I love to travel, bake, cook and visit local Jazz, Caribbean and African community events.
What is your favorite aspect of writing children’s books For me, it is writing books I wish I had as a kid, representing my culture and children who are often forgotten in storybooks. I am a part of the Caribbean diaspora, and so is my son. One of the main reasons I have been concentrating on children’s books was due to the lack of characters of Caribbean heritage. I feel privileged to be able to create literature I love, and I live.
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself The person who inspired me deeply was my paternal Grandfather. He was from Barbados, a Pan-Africanist, a musician, a well-read and decent family man.
What does your child think of your books? He thinks I am so cool. He loves reading them. I once did a reading in this school, for all the Kindergarten kids. I could see the joy on his face as he watched quietly. On our drive home, he said, “Mommy, I am so proud of you!” My heart melted. He celebrates each book with me.
What do you love most about your home country? Guyana is a diverse nation, natural, rich Caribbean culture and a place where my childhood will forever be deeply rooted. I love the brown water I used to play in as a child.
How do you set and envision goals for yourself/your writing/parenting My goal is to write books that will represent my son. I can see myself doing this until he is at least 13 years old. Like many other parents, we want our children to feel valid. This is my way of giving back to the community he is being raised in.
If you could ONLY write about one aspect of Caribbean/Guyanese culture what would it be and why? In my books, I write a lot about our cuisine, which is delicious and heavily influenced by many nations in Africa, Europe, various Native tribes, and India. Our transcultural realities are too diverse to focus on one aspect. If I talk about the traditions of Carnival, I will have to talk about the history of our various music. When I speak about Guyana, I will have to talk about its culture, which is quite identical to over 15 other Caribbean nations. I find it tough to focus on only one aspect.
What’s your favorite aspect of Caribbean Literature? Caribbean literature is known to portray the resilience, humour and celebrations of our people. We are proud people, and most of our literature commands readers to acknowledge this.
