I’m so excited to be part of Bish Denham’s blog hop, to share her newest novel, The Bowl and the Stone. Before I share an overview of the book and details about Bish, I need to share an interview Bish and Sam recently concluded (Sam’s a character in her book). I think this will give you a great sense of the atmosphere and voice in The Bowl and the Stone:
Interview with Sam
Bish: Hi Samantha! Nice to talk with you.
Sam: Just call me Sam, most everyone does.
B: Sure thing, Sam. Are you up for a few questions? Readers want to know.
S: Shoot!
B: You talk about some of the history of the Virgin Islands in your book, The Bowl and Stone: A Haunting Tale from the Virgin Islands.
S: *blushes and becomes shy* A little, yeah.
B: Do you think it’ll make people want to learn more about St. John or maybe visit?
S: I hadn’t thought about that, but yeah, I hope when people read it, they’ll learn a little something. There’s so much history here.
B: Do you have a favorite historical story?
S: Alexander Hamilton being raised on St. Croix is pretty interesting. So is the fact that Columbus named the islands on his second trip in 1493 and that Sir Francis Drake sailed through here. But I think the best stories are about the slaves fighting for their freedom. It took them a long time, from the slave revolt on St. John in 1733 to emancipation in 1848, but the thing is they did it on their own. Emancipation wasn’t granted, like what England did. And a war wasn’t fought “for” them, like in the American Civil War. The people here in the Virgin Islands fought for and won their own freedom.
B: That’s very interesting. Your story, The Bowl and the Stone is about a ghost. Do you know of any other ghosts on the island?
S: I’m sure there are plenty, but being haunted by one ghost was enough for me.
B: If you could tell people one thing, what would it be?
S: *no hesitation* Don’t judge people by how they look.
B: Do you say that because of Trumps?
S: Definitely. He’s not who he appears to be.
B: Well thanks, Sam; it’s been nice talking to you.
S: Nice talking to you too. Tell everyone you know to read my book, The Bowl and the Stone: A Haunting Tale from the Virgin Islands.
Excerpt
“Trumps, Trumps,
Crooked as he broom,
Don’t come too close,
Give he plenty of room.”
Trumps. He’s a thin, little man with a large hump on his back. The hump causes his over-large head to bend forward. I doubt he’s ever been able to lift his head above his shoulders. His left arm, permanently bent at the elbow, has a withered claw for a hand. The face he shows most people appears angry. Crooked eyebrows wiggle over small eyes. His mouth is frozen in a frown. A dozen or so thin threads of curly whiskers grow on his long chin.
People find him ugly and unfriendly. He mutters to himself as he sweeps The Park and shakes his broom made out of sticks at anyone who comes too close.
Bish Denham, whose mother’s side of the family has been in the Caribbean for over one hundred years, was raised in the U. S. Virgin Islands. She still has lots of family living there whom she visits regularly.
She says, “Growing up in the islands was like living inside a history book. Columbus named the islands, Sir Francis Drake sailed through the area, and Alexander Hamilton was raised on St. Croix. The ruins of hundreds of sugar plantations, built with the sweat and blood of slave labor, litter the islands. Then there were the pirates who plied the waters. It is within this atmosphere of wonder and mystery, that I grew up. Life for me was magical, and through my writing I hope to pass on some of that magic.”
The Bowl and the Stone: A Haunting Tale from the Virgin Islands, is her third book and second novel. You can find Anansi and Company: Retold Jamaican Tales and A Lizard’s Tail, at Amazon.com.
To learn more about Bish, you can visit her blog, Random Thoughts, at www.bish-randomthoughts.blogspot.com.
She can also be found on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BishDenham/Author
And Twitter @BishDenham
Available now at Amazon and Smashwords
Contact Bish at:
Blog
Facebook
Twitter: @BishDenham
Goodreads
Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy, and the thriller, To Hunt a Sub. She is also the author/editor of over a hundred books on integrating tech into education, adjunct professor of technology in education, webmaster for four blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice book reviewer, a columnist for TeachHUB, monthly contributor to Today’s Author and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. You can find her books at her publisher’s website, Structured Learning.
This was a fun post with imagination and ghostly mystery, including a make believe interview, Jacqui. 🙂
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Bish has an amazing imagination. Very fun book.
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Sounds like a great book. Thank you for sharing!
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Unique. I love that. I get tired of rewritten topics.
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Yes, true 🙂
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Lovely learning about Bish and her writing. How wonderful to be from the Virgin Island, my favorite islands. 🙂
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Absolutely. I watched all the Death in Paradise series, until it seems to have gone away. Interesting world of island life.
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🙂
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Hi Jacqui – I love Bish’s themes about her beloved St John’s and the Virgin Islands … fantastic to get these stories out there … to share with many others – cheers Hilary
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That was my take, too. I rarely read stories about St. John’s or the Virgin Islands–maybe never–so this was refreshing. I’ve read a few authors who write about island life (like Michael Smart) and am always left with a more relaxed attitude no matter the genre.
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This book sounds a real treat, wonderful descriptive writing and I can just picture Trumps! What a magical place to grow up and Bish has obviously drawn great inspiration from her home island. Lovely post and thank you for the introduction to Bish and her book. 😀
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It has been my pleasure getting to know Bish and her writing. another great Indie author.
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This sounds delicious. I like learning about a place or about unexpected things when I read a novel. Added to list. 🙂 Great review and interview, Jacqui.
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Anything can happen in the islands, right? I know I’d get bored, but right now, they sound marvelous.
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another great book to put on my list.
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I love the setting. It is such a different world when you live on an island.
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sounds like a terrific book – such unique characters in a place full of history and mystery.
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It does, doesn’t it? Bish has a clever mind.
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Great review, Jacqui. This sound very interesting.
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Thanks for stopping by, Jill!
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I love reading books that are set in places it would be fun to visit. This is one.
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Very intrigued by this book. I will read.
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I hope you enjoy it, Yanglish!
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The good news is, this isn’t Bish’s first book. There are lots more to dig into!
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The good news 🙂 !
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Reblogged this on firefly465.
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Thanks for reblogging, Adeleulnais. (A most intriguing and beautiful name…)
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Thanks for the reblog!
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This sounds a wonderful adventure and a great read.
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Thanks!
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I love reading about kids who think critically to solve problems. This is one of those.
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