Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Michael Grant signs a copy of his book, Daylight come, for his sister Vinette, at the launch held at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel, Waterloo Road on Thursday. - WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
AS THURSDAY evening deepened into Thursday night, the dawn of a new book from a new author broke at the Terra Nova Hotel, Waterloo Road, St. Andrew.
A substantial audience turned out for the launch of Michael A. Grant's debut novel Daylight Come, described as 'a tale of ambition and the pursuit of island dreams in the two Jamaicas of World War II and the mid-1960s'. True to the time period of the book, there was a display of items ranging from money to tram tickets, the photocopy of a newspaper clipping and hotel advertisements.
And the persons chosen to explore three segments of Daylight Come on Thursday were true to the nature of the selected passages. Sports analyst Hubert Lawrence sat on a high chair to read 'The Race', a 1942 contest between two men, and broadcaster Fae Ellington read 'The Hinterview', adding to her hosting duties for the night.
GUEST SPEAKER
The brief function's guest speaker, Barbara Gloudon, said: "To read a book is one thing; to create one is another. At the moment there is a paucity of writers in our country who take their craft seriously.
"Tonight I want to salute a new author at the birth of a new book."
She gave her personal experience of somebody 'pinching' her signed copy of a Langston Hughes book and going to someone's home, only to see it there. She 'repinched' the book, without making a fuss. "I believe the book we celebrate tonight falls in that category where if somebody takes your book you have to go back for it," Gloudon said.
"I congratulate him with all the enthusiasm of the book lover. I hope for you the greatest compliment of somebody trying to steal it," she said.
She also noted the historical emphasis of Daylight Come and said "Too much of our country's history is slipping because enough of us are not writing," she said.
Michael Grant was saved for last. He fielded questions, saying that research for the book took two years, writing it another year and the actual production six months.
He said he chose the two time periods because they were times when people were very proud and there was also a sense of achievement in Jamaica.
