Cosy gathering for launch of Redemption in Indigo

by Heather Barker

TUCKED AWAY FROM the strains of everyday life and found through a maze of winding roads, Ocean Spray Apartments in Silver Sands is, perhaps, a writer’s dream. And on Friday August 6, 2010 a dream came to light in the launch of Redemption in Indigo, the debut fantasy novel from Barbadian author, Karen Lord.

The launch comprised a series of readings and speeches, including remarks from fellow author, Robert Edison Sandiford. These were punctuated by short intermissions to allow guests to enjoy refreshments, mingle, as well as purchase the novel and have Lord autograph it with a lovely fountain pen. Lord as well as actors, Patrick Foster and Simon Alleyne, shared extracts from Redemption before a cosy gathering of friends, fellow writers and family, which spilled out of the lobby onto the patio.

Publisher’s Weekly writes that Redemption in Indigo, “(A) retelling of a Senegalese folktale, packs a great deal of subtly alluring storytelling into this small package.” Booklist notes that it is, “One of those literary works of which it can be said that not a word should be changed.”

Inspiration for Barbadian writers

What should inspire Barbadian writers and aspiring novelists is that Lord has navigated the minefield that is the publishing industry. This is encouraging news for those who wish their work to have to fighting chance not only in the Caribbean but beyond and for those who see self publishing (paying to have work published) as a last resort. To succeed in the way Lord has one must write exceedingly well, share a compelling story and be tenacious.

Novel tinged with sense of humour

Lord’s book reveals insights about the human condition and is often tinged with her wry sense of humour. The beginning of the novel follows the plight of Paama who has fled from her husband, Ansige and resettled with her family in her childhood village, Makendha. Ansige, a man with an unquenchable appetite for food and foolery, goes in search of his wife. “Now that you have seen Ansige and heard something of his background, imagine the temper of a man like that when he finds a wash of landslip mud has covered the road ahead of him, the road leading to Makendha. First the pangs of fear and frustration hit his belly, so in an instant he is fishing in his saddlebags for something to chew on and settle his nervous stomach. Then he feels strong enough to start flinging blame about. He blames his mule-driving hunters for having selected the road. He blames them further for not having known in advance of its conditions. He blames the Council of Chiefs for permitting roads to get into such a condition, and then he blames the Parliament of Princes for allowing such ineffectual chiefs to stay in power.”

Lord was born in Barbados in 1968 andholds a science degree from the University of Toronto and a PhD in the sociology of religion from the University of Wales. She has taught physics, trained soldiers, and worked in the Foreign Service. In 2008 Redemption in Indigowon the Frank Collymore Literary Award. Lord won the award again in 2009 for her second novel, The Best of All Possible Worlds.

Redemption in Indigo is available in Barbados at DAYS Books. Lord will be in New York in September for a series of readings. She’ll also be a panelist at the Brooklyn Book Festival. For more visit: http://merumsal.wordpress.com/.

Heather Barker is an award-winning short story writer. In 2008 she won the George Lamming Prize for Literary Excellence while in 2009 she took third prize in the Frank Collymore Literary Award.

Images by Clearly Content