Vid: Greatest Miss Marple + Journey of Jerrice J. Baptiste’s Book

It’s an understatement to call querying for a really stellar literary agent “daunting” (here’s info on my novels). Since perseverance wins the game for so many things, I work to keep up my confidence. For instance, I seek out success stories like that of today’s guest. Also, I’m constantly on the lookout for movies and books that depict singular women who didn’t let allow aging to slow them down.

My latest movie find is 1961’s “Murder She Said.”  I challenge anyone to not be tickled by Margaret Rutherford’s smart/funny/original depiction of Miss Marple. A behind-the-scenes romantic tidbit is that Margaret always made screenwriters add in roles for her husband, Stringer Davis…

Today’s guest, Jerrice J Baptiste, visited HBT before, this time and this time. She’s donating half the proceeds from her latest book, “Coral in The Diaspora,” to Ecole Mixte La Redemption, which is an impoverished primary school in Cite Soleil, Haiti!

Below she relays how “Coral in the Diaspora” is taking flight — plus, she gifts us a photo of her dashing great-grandfather Laurore and a preview of her next book…

The Journey of Coral in The Diaspora by Jerrice J. Baptiste

What an accomplishment to go from the blank page to a published book! I couldn’t believe that I had created a second book of poems for adults Coral in The Diaspora. Each poem was a unique gem full of positivity, and a message of hope for my native country Haiti. Some of the poems were inspired by some real-life characters like my godmother who was a seamstress, my grandmother, my Great grandmother, my Great grandfather Laurore who was a Baptist minister on the Island of La Gonave in Haiti. They were positive, peaceful influences in my life and in the lives of others.

Over the years of my life, I had heard some of their stories and tucked them gently like a pink hibiscus flower behind my ear. I saw them as elders with a lot of wisdom, faith, courage, integrity and humility. I also became fascinated with traditions and rituals since my first published children’s book, Tu es ma belle, You are my beautiful, where each child in a family is greeted by the same loving words every morning, living in different parts of the world. I adore, “Tu es ma belle,” which is a fun whimsically illustrated children’s book by April Matula.

I had never imagined a second positive book about rituals and traditions from Haiti, but this time people of all ages could enjoy it. In 2019, before the pandemic the first poem in the collection “The Harvest” flowed from my mind onto the blank page. It took me by surprise. A wonderful surprise!  The poem lingered within me for days.  I was struck by its effortless nature. So, I was intrigued to see if there were others in there that wanted to come through. And there were about eighty other poems that were born.

I selected the most captivating ones like “The Sacred Wash” to submit to magazines and journals which was first published in The Yale Review, and then other poems published in The Caribbean Writer and others published as well in other journals. I never sat down and said to myself, “I’m going to write an uplifting, feel good book about elders and community life in Haiti.” No, that’s not how it happened. As each narrative or poem came, I was stunned, and curious! I fell in love with the deceptively simple language, colorful imagery, and the beauty of the organic island setting.

***

In June 2022, I was invited to record a podcast of Coral in The Diaspora with Sharon Israël called Planet Poet: Words in Space in Roxbury NY. We were both intrigued by the beauty of each poem. It was the first time; the collection was reaching the world. The characters range from farmers, fishermen, seamstresses, minister, even surfers on the island. Who knew that Haiti was a destination place for surfers from all over the world. After I wrote “Seaside Host” about an expert surfer named Mr. Laissez-Faire who teaches surfing on the island, I did my research and confirmed that Haiti has been a destination island for surfers for decades.  I was shocked and knew he had to be part of this collection of poems.

***

An excerpt from Seaside Host

Monsieur Laissez-faire welcomes his new friends with a handshake pulled into a hug, and a cold mug of beer. “Bienvenue mes amis!” and adds, “Anyone who wants a coconut drink must go to the next shack. My neighbor Jacquot loves to serve them. Here we drink beer my friends! Salut!”  The circle of new friends raises their mugs following Monsieur Laissez-faire. Afterwards, he signals for the surfers to sit on the tree stumps around his fire pit.

As they get served grilled lobsters and more beer, the men talk about the beauty of the land, seafom rocks, the best surfers of the day and of course the goodness of their host. “Please tells us how you came to have this unusual name Monsieur Laissez-faire?” says a surfer.  He responds “Well, I taught many people how to ride the waves for decades and I would keep telling them to be one with the sea.” Another surfer asks him “What’s the trick to being one with the sea?” Monsieur Laissez-faire smiles and repeats, falling in the sea! falling in the sea!”

***

What I love about the book is the reader gets a private tour of the island, with exceptional delicious fruits to eat like mangoes, papayas, passion fruit, pomegranates, coconuts at the farmer’s market, or gets to hum along to French songs on a vinyl record with godmother. Rock in cadence to her foot on the pedal of her sewing machine, take a sieste with an exhausted fisherman, listen to Great grandmother welcome a newborn by an oil lamp light, and don’t forget the hot Haitian cocoa that brings together neighbors in grandmother’s backyard each night.

Gathering

Godmother cuts fabric

on the wooden table. I reach

to grab fringe floating in air. Color of rose

and green pastels. I live in the sound of

her foot pushing pedal in cadence.

My head leans in, over her shoulder

as two pieces of silk are sewn together.

The floor vibrates. Godmother hums along

to French songs playing on a vinyl record.

We’re surrounded by iridescent dresses

in the sewing room. Thread filaments

in sunray dance. Godmother holds

gold thread and needle to hem.

Readers are stunned that there are no conflicts in Coral in the Diaspora. They ask me, “How did you manage to write a collection of prose & poetry about Haiti without any conflicts in the book?” I understand their question considering Haiti is so far from being a paradise island in the Caribbean with all of its political struggle, instability and poverty. That’s a true sign of Spirit working through me. It’s not that I’m ignoring the gang violence, suffering and starvation. I feel a greater force guided me in writing this positive peaceful book. “God and the imagination are one,” as it has been said. My imagination was fully engaged in each prose, and narrative. The magic of this book is also beyond my full comprehension! I certainly don’t know it all and the reasons why Coral in the Diaspora is only a happy family book! A dear friend called the book, “My love letters to Haiti.” She’s right!

***

The publisher of Coral in the Diaspora is Abode Press. They fully captured the essence of my book with a colorful book cover and a book mark (an insert) for each book sold. On the book mark is a photo of my Great grandfather Laurore who was an elder and a Baptist minister on the island of la Gonave in Haiti. Great grandfather Laurore looks quite charming in his black and white photograph wearing his fedora. When I think of an elder who could best represent the island and had helped it to thrive it would certainly be him. I feel proud and joyous to share his photograph and his generous spirit with the world.

It feels like the journey is just beginning for Coral in the Diaspora! I’m grateful for it and be blessed by all who encounters it and reads it! I want the joy that I feel when I read the poems and narratives to not only be felt but to possibly transform its reader.  Because I feel a stream of universal joyful energy flowing through me again and again at each encounter. The poems are my love letters to Haiti! They transform me and I hope you too!

***

(A poem that is reserved for the next collection!)

Luck in The Morning

Morning, as sun climbs in the sky,

a family of lady bugs climb the kitchen

window then flies to the ceiling.

They’re said to bring good luck!

A Haitian cacao ball is grated into water,

simmered, and melted in the cast iron pot.

We add milk, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg

vanilla then stir. Soon, we have chocolat chaud.

Four cups are filled to the rim.

As we sip, our lips and noses are lightly touched

by foam. Rich dark cacao sinks to the bottom of cups.

The room fills with laughter as fingers become flexible

spoons twirling the essential bitter body 

until the last lucky sips.

~Jerrice J. Baptiste

How do you stay optimistic when you’re beset by challenges?

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1bKmdGi98yHTSe70pLcbyf?si=0cf963dc6d5546a7

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