Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I was born in Jamaica, and have lived in St John’s for almost two decades. I love to bake, cook, write, read, and ride my bike. I really love to swim. I prefer swimming in fresh water to the ocean. I have many plants.

You’ve written short stories, plays, non-fiction – and now A Single Dreadlock. Why a children’s book? What sparked it?
I have been a nanny to many children and have read a lot of children’s books since living in Newfoundland. During that time, I was struck by how few stories centered on the lives of little Black children. Since I started writing I figured it was important to tell this story about a little Black boy and his hair and have it be set in Newfoundland. Hopefully this story will help children, in and outside of Newfoundland, to feel seen.

Can you describe the artistic process of working with an illustrator?
It required a lot of trust. First I had to put my trust in the editorial team at Groundwood Books to find the right artist for the story. Then I needed to trust that Eugenie, my fantastic illustrator, would be able to take Lovie’s story printed in black and white and produce a whimsical, kaleidoscope of colours. I am happy that when it came time to find an illustrator, I had worked with Nan, my editor, so much that I really trusted her intuition and years of experience. That really made it an easier process. While it was still hard to give up control of how Eugenie would interpret Lovie’s world, I am glad I did because she did a fantastic job at channeling Lovie’s emotional journey and with all the various scenery in the book.

What was the best piece of advice about writing you’ve been given?
Robert Chafe once told me to start my writing from the clearest point in the story that I can think of and let the rest of the story unfold from there. That initial scene or paragraph may not make the final cut but it will help to get you going. And since starting is usually the hardest part of most writing projects, that advice has been of great help to me over the years. I was also told to play with my writing. Play and fun are very important parts of writing.

If someone asked you for advice about writing, what would you say?
I would say you should have fun with your characters. Do something unexpected that keeps your reader engaged in the development of your story and characters.

What artwork, not necessarily textual, most inspires you?
Paul Parsons’ Pictoral Map of Newfoundland. I think I fell in love with Newfoundland pretty soon after moving here for school, but my experience of Newfoundland during undergrad felt a little limited. Sometime after my degree I saw this pictoral map rolled up in a shed around the bay. The map was pretty old, and it didn’t have a glossy finish but the grandeur of the illustrations drew me to Newfoundland even more. It was as if my eyes were really opened to everything that went on in Newfoundland from icebergs to woodland creatures and all the sea life. That map has a lot going on. It made me want to see all the island has to offer and to write about it in the process. I am glad that map has had a resurgence in popularity and hope it is inspiring more people to fall deeper in love with Newfoundland.

What’s next for you?
For now I am enjoying that the world can read A Single Dreadlock and experience Lovie’s story. Next is to keep writing. There are a few more stories I would like to tell.

A Single Dreadlock is available from House of Anansi Press.