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The Conversation with Nadine Matheson
Anne Hawk: Chasing Dreams and Amplifying Black Voices
Season 3, Ep. 88
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What happens to the children who are left behind when their parents seek a new life in a distant land? This haunting question forms the heart of a conversation with author Anne Hawk, who joins us to share insights from her novel "Pages of The Sea". Together, we unravel the stories of the Windrush generation, focusing on the emotional complexities of family separation and reunion, with a personal lens drawn from our own Caribbean roots. As we reflect on these narratives, we emphasize the necessity of amplifying Black authors' voices, ensuring their stories resonate beyond the confines of Black History Month.
Anne's personal journey, marked by perseverance and unexpected twists, serves as a beacon of hope for aspiring writers. From navigating the redrafting process to the surprising turn of events leading to publication, her experience underscores the importance of self-belief and community support.
Pages of the Sea
After her mother sails from the Caribbean to England to find work, Wheeler is left with her two older sisters, three cousins and two aunts.
She couldn’t feel more alone. She longs for her mother to send for her as promised. Everyone tells her to just wait. But for how long?
In the meantime, she has to learn to get along as best she can, exploring the island with Donelle, making kites with Bounce, following the carnival through the town. But most of all she must avoid the threat of her cousin Floyd.
Set during the mid-1960s on a Caribbean Island, issues of family, migration and abandonment hang over Wheeler and her unknowable future.
A story of sisterhood, family secrets, and the sacrifices of love. No novel comes as close to this heart-breaking evocation of what it’s like to be a child left behind.
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