“The trees whispered as the wind sought conversation. She did not stop to indulge in the gossip.”
That’s an excerpt from “The Walk” by winning writer in the 2024 Wadadli pen Challenge and latest addition to the Best of Books bookstore-sponsored Alstyne Allen Memorial Plaque, Linita Simon.
Hers is a story Wadadli Pen founder, writer Joanne C. Hillhouse, who was not a judge this year, described as “structurally and atmospherically inventive and interesting”.
Chief judge Floree Williams Whyte, a writer and publisher, and her team (which includes past Wadadli Pen winner and, like Whyte, a
director with Wadadli Pen Inc. Vanessa Thomas, and bookseller with Ten Pages bookstore Glen Toussaint) said of the entry and its selection: “‘The Walk’ is a pleasant read which gently awakens your curiosity.
The writer skillfully reveals the answers just as ‘The Walk’ ends. This piece received top marks for creativity, writing skills, and originality.”
Linita’s win – also in the 18+/adult category – is born of tenacity; she was previously long and short listed in 2021 and 2023, respectively.
She is a teacher of eight to 10 year-olds who brings her love of writing “poems, stories, chants, and songs” to the classroom, using it in her teaching.
Wadadli Pen which has worked to nurture and showcase the literary arts since it launched the first Challenge in 2004 has always encouraged teacher participation – both to boost student participation and to motivate teachers to tap into their own creativity.
Linita is fully representative of that.
Wadadli Pen also shouts out the teachers at St. John’s Lutheran Primary school whose bulk submission on behalf of their students won the school two spots on the long list (Tercada Welsh, Emeral Soufan, and Sapphyre Roberts with “Our Country” and Kemar Withy with “I am Proud”), and the prize for the school with the most submissions.
Twenty-eight of 2024’s 88 submissions came from Lutheran.
Also on the board are St. Anthony’s Secondary and Antigua Girls High School with wins by 12-year-old Zende Hazelwood (“A Caribbean Garden Scene”) and 17-year-old Chioma Ochasi (“These Flock of Feathers”) , in the 12 and younger and 13 to 17 category, respectively, with visual and evocative pieces.
Both won their categories in 2023 as well. Zende’s name will once again be added to the Zuri Holder Achievement Award plaque – sponsored by Holder’s family in memory of the young man, who was himself a Wadadli Pen finalist.
Other long listed writers are Nia-Kai Campbell (“Caribbean Senses”) of Island Academy; Caroline Constant-Vera-Ortiz who collaborated with her son – University of the West Indies Five Islands student Carlos Vera-Ortiz – on her submission (“Careful what you wish for”); Carlos also makes the list with a solo submission (“Antiguans?”) as does his sister, Carla Vera-Ortiz, a student at Sir Novelle Richards Academy,
with her submission (“Mad-tigua”); Sheniqua Greaves (“The Cultivatress’ Folly”); AGHS student Lilian Munoz (“Heart of the Caribbean”); and Paula Simon (“Whispers of the Caribbean Breeze”).
Wadadli Pen also offered incentive prizes to promising writers Kennecia Archibald (“The Key”) and 2021 Wadadli Pen winner Kevin Liddie (“The Spell’s Gate”).
The full prize breakdown can be viewed at the Wadadli Pen blog (http://wadadlipen.wordpress.com) but Wadadli Pen would be remiss if it did not shout out the patrons who have made 2024 possible: BEST OF BOOKS BOOKSTORE, CEDRIC HOLDER, DIANNE’S BROKERAGE SERVICES, DOTSIE D. ISAAC, E.M. GRIMES- GRAEME, FRANK B. ARMSTRONG, HARPER COLLINS, HAZRA MEDICA, JOANNE C. HILLHOUSE, JOY JAMES, JOY LAWRENCE, KHAN CORDICE & THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE, KOREN NORTON, LATISHA BROWNE, MILL REEF FUND, MOONDANCER BOOKS/FLOREE WILLIAMS WHYTE, PAM ARTHURTON/CARIB WORLD TRAVEL, PAPILLOTE PRESS, PATRICIA TULLY, RILYS ADAMS, SUSAN LOWES, ZAVIAN ARCHIBALD, ZOË MERCEDES TEAGUE, &, as always, the patrons who prefer to remain ANONYMOUS. Additional thanks to the ANTHONY N. SABGA CARIBBEAN EXCELLENCE, ANTIGUANICE.COM, and JUNETH WEBSON.