Ms Catrina Llewelyn Jones, who wrote an 80-page book on her memories of growing up in Anguilla, and her dream of returning to the island many years later, was among the local authors at the just concluded Lit Fest.
Ms. Jones, who serves as a Nurse in Wales, is the daughter of Dental Surgeon Dr. John Jones who worked in Anguilla several years ago and has since returned to the island to continue serving at the Dental Unit in The Valley.
Ms Jones visited The Anguillian on Monday and spoke about her book Back To My Roots And the Green Loblolly Tree. She said she participated in Lit Fest as a local author and to talk about her book to promote tourism in Anguilla. On the third day of the event, she sat on a panel alongside YasusAfari, Amanda Steadman and Gillian Royes. “We were talkingabout books. The audience was asking us questions and I read part of my book,” she stated.
Ms Jones spent part of her life in Anguilla and then returned to the United Kingdom with her family. She was back in Anguilla in 2009 to work at Hughes Medical Centre and left in 2011 to continue her nursing career. She is now on holiday and came especially for Lit Fest at Paradise Cove.
“It was a great three days, and I met with some big characters like – Nikki Giovanni, Judith Curr andEdwidgeDanticat. They all encouraged me to write again and I thought about writing more about my experiences in Anguilla.”
Speaking about her publication, she told The Anguillian: “My book is about being brought up here and my memories of when I came back in 2009. I would live here if I could, but at the moment my job is over in the UK. The book is really an expression of my love for Anguilla. It is really about my childhood here, my memories and old photos that the people of Anguilla can relate to, and of photographs of Anguilla today – and I have drawn a comparison. I also spoke about my father returning the island and how he became President of Rotary.”
Ms. Jones added: “If I do sell this book, some of the proceeds would be going to charity in Anguilla.” Copies will be available at various places on the island but – mainly tourism properties.
