When asked why she chose to write children ’ s books , she responded , “ Because it ’ s so much fun !” Carol actually began writing children ’ s books to fulfill a need she identified in the Caribbean children ’ s publishing arena . Carol said , “ We need many , high quality books in which our Caribbean children can see themselves reflected in an authentic way , as valuable citizens in the world , worthy of being featured in a book . Those books need to be written and edited by Caribbean people who have the best understanding of what it is like to be from our islands . We need to tell our own stories , and we have to start by telling them to our children .”
So began her journey , and when she started writing children ’ s books , Carol discovered that she enjoyed the freedom of creativity that writing for children brings , and the joy she derived from the many author ’ s visits and workshops she currently facilitates .
Carol ’ s books are entertaining , but they are also educational , providing glimpses into many aspects of Caribbean life and history . She explained the reason she chose that route . “ Growing up I was exposed to many wonderful Caribbean books . If you went to high school in the Caribbean you know the books I mean . I read them as a part of my school curriculum and they have helped to shape the writer I am today .” But she considered those books to be ones she would never have picked up on her own . “ Scholarly texts with complex language and themes have their place , but we also need books
that are entertaining so children are drawn to reading them even outside the classroom setting , the sort of books that foster a genuine love for reading . That ’ s the niche that I would like to fill .” Carol noted when kids talk to her about her books , they focus on the characters and how they made them feel . She hears how they love Chee Chee ’ s mischievousness , Kyle ’ s sense of humor in the Caribbean Adventure Series , and Stein ’ s loyalty in Barberry Hill . “ Don ’ t get me wrong , our books are educational and include important themes about friendship , diversity , perseverance , family , love , dealing with change , and more . There ’ s history and information about places and animals . I know we aren ’ t fooling our young readers , they know we ’ re trying to teach them something but they will give us a pass if the book is entertaining on its own .” Clever !
Every author possesses a writing- idiosyncrasy and Carol is no exception . She describes her writing process as “ Odd , perhaps a little too organic and therefore not as productive as I would like but it ’ s what works best for me so I stick with it . I live with my stories in my head for long periods of time before I put pen to paper . So , if I am working on a book , as I move through my day I am almost always living with a character or a scene in my head , visualizing and getting really intimate with it so when I do put ‘ pen to paper ’ the words flow . Once that starts all bets are off , I can write for several hours at a time , abandoning everything else - dinner is burnt , laundry piles up , baths are less frequent … you get the picture .”
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