>> Announcer: THE UPCOMING PROGRAM WAS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PROGRAM ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF WTJX, ITS BOARD, STAFF OR UNDERWRITERS.

♫♫ ♫♫ >>> WELCOME TO "THE BOOKCASE."

I´M YOUR HOST, SHAWNA RICHARDS, A SOMETIME WRITER AND A LONG-TIME READER.

I INVITE YOU TO JOIN ME AS WE EXPLORE THE BOOKCASE AND CELEBRATE VIRGIN ISLANDS AUTHORS AND THEIR TALENT.

EACH WEEK ON "THE BOOKCASE" WE´LL INTRODUCE YOU TO A LOCAL AUTHOR AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THEM AND THEIR WORK.

A STORYTELLER LIVES IN EACH OF US, AND I´M SO EXCITED TO GIVE OUR HOMEGROWN STORYTELLERS A CHANCE TO TELL THEIR STORY.

TONIGHT´S SELECTION FROM THE BOOKCASE IS THE VIENNA CAKE MYSTERY AND THE COLLECTED WORKS OF CHARLENE ABRAMSON JOSEPH.

AND I´M SO EXCITED TO WELCOME HER TO "THE BOOKCASE."

CHARLENE, WELCOME TO "THE BOOKCASE."

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH YOU.

>> SO TONIGHT WE´RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT "THE VIENNA CAKE MYSTERY" AND SOME OF YOUR OTHER WRITING.

AND I KNOW SO MANY OF OUR AUDIENCE KNOWS YOU AS CHARLENE ABRAMSON JOSEPH, AN EDUCATOR, THE PERSON BEHIND THE SPELLING BEE AND ALSO INVOLVED IN THE PSTP STEM PREP PROGRAM.

BUT FOR THOSE WHO DON´T KNOW YOU LET ME HEAR SOMETHING ABOUT YOU AND YOUR WRITING AND YOUR WORK.

>> WELL, CHARLENE ABRAMSON JOSEPH.

I WAS BORN IN NEW YORK BUT I AM A CRUZIAN BY ANCESTRAL HERITAGE.

>> FROM FREDERICKSTON.

>> FROM FREDERICKSTON.

AND I HAVE THREE CHILDREN AND I´M MARRIED.

I HAVE THREE GRANDCHILDREN.

AND AS YOU SAID I WAS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR 30 YEARS.

I TAUGHT AT HENDERSON SCHOOL.

THAT´S WHERE I MET YOU.

AND I ALSO TAUGHT AT ARTHUR RICHARDS.

TAUGHT AT ARTHUR RICHARDS I TOOK A POSITION AS LANGUAGE ARTS COORDINATOR AND IT WAS IN THAT POSITION, ONE OF MY DUTIES WAS TO DO TEACHER TRAINING.

AND SO AS PART OF MY TRAINING I WOULD SOMETIMES WRITE STORIES IN MY WRITING WORKSHOPS.

AND SO "THE VIENNA CAKE MYSTERY" IS ONE OF THE STORIES THAT I WROTE DURING THAT TIME.

>> SO WAS "THE VIENNA CAKE MYSTERY" SOMETHING THAT WAS KIND OF PERCOLATING IN THE BACKGROUND UNTIL YOU FINALLY TURNED IT INTO A BOOK?

>> WELL, I THINK THAT WHEN I RETIRED I STARTED TO THINK ABOUT THE THINGS ON MY BUCKET LIST.

AND ONE OF THEM WAS TO WRITE A BOOK AND TO HAVE IT PUBLISHED.

SO I DUG IT OUT AND THEN I THOUGHT THAT I NEEDED A LITTLE BIT MORE TRAINING.

SO I WENT TO THE INSTITUTE OF CHILDREN´S LITERATURE.

AND I TOOK THE BOOK AND SUBMITTED MY BOOK AS ONE OF MY ASSIGNMENTS.

SO IT WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

THAT WAS -- GETTING IT READY FOR PUBLISHING.

AND I SENT IT TO A PUBLISHER IN 2015, AND FOR THREE YEARS I DIDN´T HEAR ANYTHING.

AND THEN THAT STORY CONTINUES.

>> SO WHEN YOU STARTED WRITING "THE VIENNA CAKE MYSTERY" YOU HAVE SUCH FASCINATING CHARACTERS.

YOU HAVE BROTHER GOAT, THE DOVE, YOU HAVE THE TURTLE, YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY CHARACTERS THAT WE CAN ALL RELATE TO.

EVEN THOUGH THEY´RE ANIMALS.

THEY ALL HAVE VERY HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS.

>> RIGHT.

>> WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO WRITE A CHILDREN´S STORY?

>> WELL, ACTUALLY, I CONSIDERED "THE VIENNA CAKE MYSTERY" A FOLK TALE.

>> REALLY?

>> YES.

IT´S A FOLK TALE.

AND I WAS INSPIRED BY DELTA DORSH, OF COURSE.

I LOVE HER FOLK TALES.

AND "THE VIENNA CAKE MYSTERY" HAS ALL THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A FOLK TALE.

A CARIBBEAN FOLK TALE AND AN AFRICAN FOLK TALE.

FIRST OF ALL, IT BEGINS WITH THE VAGUE PATH.

IT HAS, AS YOU SAID, TILDA TURTLE, ROLL GOAT, MISS HEN, THE DOVE.

ALL OF THOSE CHARACTERS HAVE HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS.

THERE´S A DILEMMA IN THE STORY THAT HAS TO BE SOLVED.

>> SO WE´RE LOOKING AT A FEW ELEMENTS OF FOLK TALES.

SO IT HAS A DILEMMA.

THE CHARACTERS ARE ANIMALS BUT HAVE HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS.

>> YES.

IT BEGINS WITH A VAGUE PATH.

OKAY?

THE DILEMMA IS SOLVED AND THERE´S A THEME.

AND FINALLY AT THE END OF OUR STORIES, VIRGIN ISLANDS STORIES, SAY THE STORY ENDS.

THOSE CHARACTERISTICS WE FIND THEM IN "THE VIENNA CAKE MYSTERY."

IT´S A FOLK TALE.

AND I WANTED TO CREATE THAT BECAUSE I WANTED TO LEAVE THAT BODY OF WORK.

YOU KNOW.

AND IT WAS FUN DOING IT TOO.

>> SO WITH THE VIENNA CAKE MYSTERY YOU HAVE -- THE DILEMMA IS THAT THIS BEAUTIFUL CAKE WAS MADE BY -- >> TILDA TURTLE.

>> TILDA TURTLE.

AND EVERYBODY IS LOVING THE VIENNA CAKE.

WHY THE VIENNA CAKE?

WE HAVE SUCH -- IT COULD HAVE BEEN A CREAM CAKE.

IT COULD HAVE BEEN A JOHNNY CAKE.

>> BECAUSE I LOVE VIENNA CAKES.

AND I THINK THE VIENNA CAKE HAS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL HISTORY, ONE, AND IT´S VERY SPECIFIC.

IN ORDER TO BE A TRADITIONAL CRUZZIAN VIENNA CAKE IT MUST HAVE GUAVA, GUAVA BERRY, PINEAPPLE, GREEN LIME OR GREEN GAGE.

AND IT MUST BE FIVE TO SEVEN LAYERS.

IT MUST HAVE THE WHITE FROSTING.

SO I THINK DANICA DID A WONDERFUL JOB IN MAKING THE CAKE LOOK LIKE A VIENNA CAKE SHOULD LOOK.

>> SO HOW DID YOU -- SO THE VIENNA CAKE MYSTERY IS ILLUSTRATED BY DANICA DAVID, WHO IS ANOTHER AUTHOR THAT WE FEATURED HERE ON "THE BOOKCASE."

HOW DID YOU CONNECT WITH DANICA TO BRING THE ILLUSTRATIONS TO LIFE?

>> WELL, REMEMBER I SAID THAT I´D SENT THE BOOK TO A PUBLISHER AND FOR THREE YEARS I DIDN´T HEAR ANYTHING.

>> RIGHT.

>> SO I DECIDED THAT I WAS GOING TO PUBLISH THE BOOK MYSELF.

>> WAS THAT A TOUGH DECISION TO MAKE?

>> NO.

ONCE I DIDN´T HEAR AFTER THREE YEARS I JUST SAID I´LL PUBLISH IT MYSELF.

AND SO I COMMISSIONED DANICA TO DO THE ILLUSTRATIONS FOR ME.

AND THIS WAS FUNNY BECAUSE WHILE WE WERE WORKING SHE SAID -- I SAID, YOU KNOW, I SENT THIS BOOK TO LITTLE BELL CARIBBEAN.

SHE SAYS OH, WOW, MARIO POCAYO?

I SAY YES.

SHE SAYS, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT?

I KNOW HIM.

SHE MUST HAVE SAID SOMETHING TO HIM BECAUSE SHORTLY AFTER WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION I GOT AN E-MAIL.

AND IN THE E-MAIL HE SAID I´M SORRY THAT I TOOK SO LONG, I´D LOVE TO PUBLISH YOUR BOOK AND I´D LOVE THE BOOK TO BE IN THE GOVERNOR´S READING CHALLENGE FOR 2018.

>> AWESOME.

>> SO I WAS PUBLISHED, YOU KNOW.

>> SO DID YOU HAVE AN IDEA WHAT YOU WANTED THE IMAGES TO LOOK LIKE BEFORE YOU WORKED WITH DANICA?

>> I DID HAVE AN IDEA.

BUT YOU KNOW, IN DOING THE STORYBOARDS -- WE HAD TO DO THE STORYBOARD FIRST.

DANICA TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO ME, YOU KNOW, LET ME LISTEN TO THE STORY AND I HAVE TO USE MY CREATIVE JUDGMENT TO BRING THE STORY TO LIFE.

AND SHE WOULD SHOW ME EACH SCENE TO SEE IF I LIKED IT OR NOT, YOU KNOW.

BUT I THINK SHE DID A WONDERFUL JOB.

>> FOR A PERSON READING "THE VIENNA CAKE MYSTERY," WHICH IS AN EXCELLENT STORY FOR ANY AGE, I THINK.

>> YES.

>> WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO GET OUT OF THAT?

YOU SAID THAT FOLK TALES HAVE A MORAL.

WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO GET OUT OF THAT?

>> THIS STORY ACTUALLY HAS MORE THAN ONE MORAL.

FIRST OF ALL, THE FIRST THING IS THAT WE SHOULDN´T -- WE SHOULD LOOK OUT FOR OUR NEIGHBORS.

THAT´S ONE.

THE OTHER THING IS WE SHOULD HAVE INTEGRITY, DON´T TAKE THINGS THAT DON´T BELONG TO YOU.

SO IF YOU WANT SOMETHING, ASK.

AND LASTLY, YOU SHOULD FORGIVE.

IF PEOPLE WRONG YOU, FORGIVE.

BUT ONCE, YOU KNOW, YOU DO SOMETHING WRONG THERE SHOULD BE SOME RESTORATIVE JUSTICE.

YOU SHOULD TRY TO MAKE UP FOR THE WRONG THAT YOU DID.

SO THOSE ARE THE MORALS OF THE STORY, BASICALLY.

>> OKAY.

IT JUST KIND OF CAME OUT LIKE THAT.

I THINK THOSE ARE THE MORALS.

YEAH.

>> IS THE VIENNA CAKE MYSTERY YOUR FIRST BOOK?

>> IT´S MY FIRST BOOK.

BUT I´VE BEEN WRITING SINCE I WAS IN COLLEGE.

I WOULD SAY I´VE BEEN WRITING -- I BEGAN WITH POETRY AND I´VE WRITTEN POETRY FOR MOST OF MY LIFE.

SO I HAVE A LOT OF POEMS.

THEY´RE NOT PUBLISHED YET, BUT THAT´S ON MY BUCKET LIST TOO.

>> YOU HAVE A BODY OF WORK.

>> I HAVE A BODY OF WORK, I DO.

>> WHEN DID YOU START FIRST CALLING YOURSELF A WRITER?

>> WELL, HONESTLY, I´VE ALWAYS CALLED MYSELF A STUDENT OF WRITING.

>> OKAY.

>> I DON´T THINK I EVER SAID WRITER.

I´M AN AUTHOR NOW.

OKAY.

BUT BECAUSE I´M STILL LEARNING.

I MEAN, THERE´S GENRE THAT I DON´T KNOW HOW TO DO, THAT I DON´T KNOW HOW TO WRITE.

BUT I AM, YOU KNOW, GOING TO TRY TO WRITE A CHAPTER BOOK FOR ABOUT FOURTH GRADE.

SO I´M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.

AND THEN I HAVE ANOTHER BOOK THAT IS KIND OF LIKE "THE VIENNA CAKE MYSTERY" IN THE FACT THAT IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL FOR ALL AGES TO READ IT, BUT IT WILL FOCUS ON PRESERVING V.I.

LANGUAGE.

SO YOU HAVE WRITTEN POETRY, WHICH WE´RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IN A FEW MINUTES.

YOU´VE DONE A CHILDREN´S BOOK.

YOU´RE THINKING OF DOING A CHAPTER BOOK.

ARE THOSE BOOKS GOING TO BE IN THE SAME FICTION OR ARE YOU THINKING OF NON-FICTION?

WHAT OTHER GENRES?

SINCE YOU HAVE YOUR BUCKET LIST.

WHAT OTHER GENRES ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT?

>> I´M ALSO THINKING ABOUT -- I THINK IT´S LIKE -- IT´S LIKE FANTASY.

SO IT´S SET IN ST. CROIX BUT IT´S KIND OF FANTASY.

>> OKAY.

>> I HAVE A DRAFT.

SO THAT´S ANOTHER PROJECT THAT I´M THINKING ABOUT DOING.

>> AND WE HAVE SUCH A -- SO MANY STORIES THAT WE CAN TELL.

BUT YOU SAID YOU´VE BEEN WRITING POETRY FOR YEARS.

>> FOR YEARS.

>> WHERE DOES YOUR INSPIRATION COME FROM WITH YOUR POETRY?

>> WELL, OF COURSE, THE INSPIRATION WOULD OF COURSE BE FROM HOME.

THE BEAUTY, THE HISTORY, THE AWE OF ST. CROIX.

SO SOME OF THE POEMS WILL BE FOCUSED ON THAT.

AND THEN I THINK OTHER POEMS ARE FOCUSED ON THE EMOTIONS OF EVERYDAY LIFE EXPERIENCES, YOU KNOW.

HOW LIFE ROLLS OUT BUT HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THOSE THINGS.

>> WHICH AUTHORS HAVE INSPIRED YOU?

>> OKAY.

SO I´VE BEEN INSPIRED BY PEOPLE LIKE NIKKI GIOVANNI AND TASAKE SHANGE.

TANYA SANCHEZ.

I LOVE EARL LOVELESS, WHO IS A CARIBBEAN WRITER.

AND I THINK THAT I´M STILL READING ALL THE CARIBBEAN GREAT WRITERS, YOU KNOW.

BECAUSE I THINK I HAVE TO.

IF I WANT TO CALL MYSELF A CARIBBEAN WRITER.

IT´S FUNNY BECAUSE MY SON ASKED ME.

HE SAID SO DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A CARIBBEAN WRITER?

>> WELL, YOU ARE.

>> I DO BECAUSE I THINK THAT ALL OF MY POEMS AND ANYTHING THAT I WRITE WILL HAVE A BASIS HERE AT HOME.

>> FOR THE CARIBBEAN WRITERS, WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP WHAT WAS YOUR EXPOSURE TO CARIBBEAN WRITERS?

>> I DIDN´T HAVE EXPOSURE TO CARIBBEAN WRITERS PER SE, NOT FORMALLY.

BUT OF COURSE MY PARENTS WERE MY FIRST CULTURE BEARERS.

AND OF COURSE WE HAD LOTS OF STORIES FROM HOME.

AND THEN THE EXTENDED FAMILY THAT WE WOULD ALWAYS HEAR.

>> THE ORAL HISTORY.

>> YES.

SO THAT WAS REALLY OUR EXPOSURE.

FORMALLY WRITTEN, NO.

BUT ONCE I STARTED TEACHING AND I WAS TEACHING READING, I WOULD ALWAYS TRY TO FIND CARIBBEAN PLAYS, CARIBBEAN STORIES TO INFUSE INTO THE CURRICULUM.

>> AND THEY´RE OUT THERE.

>> YES, THEY ARE.

BUT YOU HAVE TO LOOK.

AND I REMEMBER GETTING QUITE A BIT OF MATERIAL FROM -- I THINK IT WAS CALLED CARIBBEAN McMILLAN.

THEY HAD A LOT OF STORIES -- WE DON´T GET THAT SERIES HERE.

IT´S LIKE FROM DOWN THE ISLAND.

BUT I USED IT.

AND SO MY STUDENTS WERE EXPOSED TO SOME CARIBBEAN WRITERS.

>> AND DID YOU THINK THAT WAS A POSITIVE THING FOR THAT EXPOSURE?

>> OH, IT WAS WONDERFUL.

BECAUSE THEY WERE SEEING THEMSELVES.

THE PICTURES, THE ILLUSTRATIONS.

YOU KNOW, JUST THE WAY THE LANGUAGE WAS FLOWING.

THEY COULD RELATE TO.

>> AND MAKE THAT CONNECTION.

>> I THINK SO.

>> YOU´VE BEEN WRITING POETRY SINCE YOU WERE IN SCHOOL?

>> WELL, I STARTED WRITING IN HIGH SCHOOL, I WOULD SAY.

IN HIGH SCHOOL I BELONGED TO THE CARIBBEAN -- THE CREATIVE WRITING CLUB AND DRAMA CLUB.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, WHEN I WAS IN THE DRAMA CLUB WE WROTE SOME PLAYS AND WE ACTUALLY PRODUCED AND PRESENTED THE PLAYS.

SO I STARTED WRITING IN HIGH SCHOOL AND I THINK I GOT MORE SERIOUS IN COLLEGE.

BUT I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT GETTING PUBLISHED.

IT WASN´T UNTIL I RETIRED THAT I SAID I MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE BOOK PUBLISHED.

>> SO WHEN YOU WERE WORKING, HOW WERE YOU BALANCING WORKING AND BEING CREATIVE?

AND EVEN THOUGH YOU´RE RETIRED I´M SURE YOU´RE AS BUSY AS EVER.

SO HOW DO YOU BALANCE LIFE WITH YOUR CREATIVITY?

>> YOU KNOW, IT´S FUNNY, BUT AS I SAID, I THINK THAT WRITING ABOUT THE EMOTIONS OF YOUR LIFE EXPERIENCE OR EVERYDAY LIFE.

AND SO SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE PEAKS AND YOU HAVE VALLEYS.

AND SOMETIMES WHEN YOU HAVE A VALLEY YOU JUST START TO WRITE.

BECAUSE YOU NEED TO BRING THAT EMOTION, THAT FEELING OUT.

AND SO THAT YOU CAN MOVE ON.

SO I THINK THAT AS LIFE HAPPENS WHEN WHATEVER EMOTION I HAD I´D WRITE A POEM ABOUT IT.

>> SO PRIOR TO THE VIENNA CAKE MYSTERY WHICH YOU SELF-PUBLISHED WERE YOU PUBLISHED ANYPLACE ELSE?

>> THIS WAS NOT SELF-PUBLISHED.

>> RIGHT.

BUT WERE YOU PUBLISHED ANYWHERE ELSE?

>> I WAS IN "CARIBBEAN WRITER" VOLUME 26.

>> FOR POETRY?

>> YES.

AND I DID WIN A PRIZE.

>> CONGRATS.

>> YES.

I WON THE MARGUERITE COBB McKAY PRIZE FOR VIRGIN ISLANDS WRITING.

AND IT WAS FOR ONE POEM.

IT´S CALLED BORN CRUZIAN.

>> YOU SHARED SOME OF YOUR OTHER POEMS WITH ME, AND I LOVE THEM.

I COULD RELATE TO THEM.

AND A FAVORITE WAS "A FATHER´S EXILE."

BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE WAS SO KIND OF SPARE.

VERY PRECISE BUT STILL CARRIED A WEALTH OF EMOTION.

SO I KNOW WE´RE GOING TO GET BACK TO "VIENNA CAKE MYSTERY."

BUT I´D LOVE FOR YOU TO SHARE ONE OF YOUR POEMS WITH US.

>> OKAY.

WHICH ONE WOULD YOU LIKE?

>> PICK A FAVORITE.

>> WELL, I THINK I´M GOING TO READ "ENIGMA" AND DEDICATE IT TO THE GOOD STOCK CRUZIAN MAN.

>> THE GOOD STOCK CRUZIAN MEN.

>> YES.

>> AND THAT WAS ALSO ONE OF MY FAVORITES, "ENIGMA."

AND AFTER THAT WE CAN HEAR A PIECE FROM "THE VIENNA CAKE MYSTERY."

>> THE TITLE OF THE POEM IS "ENIGMA" AND IT´S DEDICATED TO THE GOOD STOCK ISLAND MAN.

FACE BLACK.

MOUTH BLACK.

HANDS AND FEET BLACK.

BACK STRONG.

SPRAWLING.

HARD WORK WINGS.

BROW CREASED WITH LIFE WORRY LINES.

ON HIS TONGUE, MANGO SWEET WORDS PEPPERED WITH BITTERNESS.

HE TOOK LESS TOIL, SCRUBS THE BATHROOM, RAKES ALL THE LEAVES FROM UNDER THE BREADFRUIT TREE.

WITH THE SAME MOUTH HE SAYS, YOU ALREADY IT.

HOSTILITY.

A BLANKET HE USES TO COMFORT -- FOR COMFORT.

HOW FAR BACK DOES IT GO?

A BOY SMELLING HIS ONIONS, TASTING MAN THINGS, OR BACK TO THE DAYS OF SHACKLE HANDS AND FEET?

WHY ARE YOU WEARING THOSE BRACELETS?

ARE THEY STILL HOLDING YOUR MIND?

HE TAKES HER FOOT IN HIS HAND AND HE RUBS AWAY THE YEARS WHERE SHE´S WALKED.

AND AS HE RUBS HIS PAIN SEEPS OUT LIKE HOTBUSH TEA.

MAN LIKE HE KNOWS RESPONSIBILITY.

UP WHEN THE COCK CROWS, GONE WORK.

CARRIES A TIN OF LAST NIGHT´S FOOD TO KEEP HIM ALL DAY.

WITH THE SAME MOUTH HE SAYS YOU´RE FEEDING ME.

I´M ONLY ALLOWING YOU TO FEED ME.

INDIFFERENCE CUTS LIKE A DULL BUTCHER KNIFE.

LOVING A GOOD STOCK ISLAND MAN IS LIKE POURING BROWN SUGAR ON COD LIVER OIL.

>> WOW.

AND WHEN I READ THAT I HAVE TO THINK POURING BROWN SUGAR ON COD LIVER OIL, AND I KNEW THERE WAS A WHOLE STORY THERE, BUT CAN YOU JUST TELL US REALLY QUICKLY WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> WELL, JUST THINK ABOUT OUR VERY MANY FACETED ISLAND MEN.

THEY ARE SO SWEET BUT THEY CAN BE BITTER.

>> LIKE COD LIVER OIL.

>> THEY CAN BE A BITTER PILL TO SWALLOW.

BUT YOU PUT THAT BROWN SUGAR ON IT SO YOU CAN TAKE IT.

BUT IT´S THE -- IT´S THE ENIGMA OF OUR CARIBBEAN MEN.

THEY´RE WONDERFUL.

BUT YOU´VE GOT TO TAKE THE BITTER WITH THE SWEET.

>> AND IN YOUR POEM THERE´S THAT ELEMENT OF GENERATIONAL TRAUMA OR JUST THE TRAUMA OF OUR HISTORY THAT WE CARRY EVEN THOUGH WE DON´T KNOW WE´RE CARRYING IT.

>> RIGHT.

SO WHY ARE YOU BITTER LIKE THAT?

SO YOU ASK THE QUESTION.

WHETHER THEY CAN ANSWER OR NOT, MAYBE NOT.

>> RIGHT.

RIGHT.

>> SO THAT´S A SHIFT.

"ENIGMA" AND YOUR POETRY, THE TONE OF YOUR POETRY THAT YOU´VE WRITTEN IS SUCH A SHIFT FROM CHILDREN´S -- A CHILDREN´S STORY.

>> YES, IT IS.

>> BUT STILL A STORY TO TELL.

>> YES.

>> SO "THE VIENNA CAKE MYSTERY" IS -- WHY A MYSTERY?

>> WELL, THAT WAS NOT THE TITLE ORIGINALLY.

>> DID YOU SET OUT TO WRITE A MYSTERY?

>> NO.

BUT IT´S A MYSTERY BECAUSE SOMETHING HAPPENS AND WE DON´T KNOW WHO DID IT IN THE BEGINNING.

SO THERE´S A MYSTERY.

SO IT´S SOMETHING TO BE SOLVED.

>> AND YOU SET IT UP THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANYONE.

IT MADE ME THINK OF THOSE GAMES OF CLUE WHERE IT COULD HAVE BEEN PROFESSOR SO AND SO IN THE LIBRARY.

>> IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANYONE.

AND IT WAS.

IT´S FUNNY BECAUSE WHEN I SUBMITTED IT TO THE PUBLISHER BASICALLY THE STORY WAS PRETTY GOOD.

AND YOU KNOW, THEY MAKE SUGGESTIONS.

AND SO THERE WAS A SUGGESTION AS TO HOW I COULD MAKE IT MORE MYSTERIOUS.

>> SO I´D LOVE FOR YOU TO SHARE A PASSAGE FROM "THE VIENNA CAKE MYSTERY" WITH OUR AUDIENCE.

>> OKAY.

AND I WILL.

THAT AFTERNOON MILTON MONGOOSE, BRO GOAT AND MISS HEN MET UNDER THE LARGE SHADY MANGO TREE.

WHILE THEY TALKED THE SUBJECT OF TILDA TURTLE´S CAKE CAME UP.

MISS HEN, DID YOU SEE THE VIENNA CAKE SITTING IN MISS TILDA WINDOW SILL MILTON MONGOOSE ASKED.

I WANT A PIECE OF THAT CAKE.

THIS REMINDS ME OF THE SKAK MY GRANNY USED TO MAKE MISS HEN CONFIDED.

I CAN´T STOP THINKING ABOUT THAT CAKE, MILTON MONGOOSE CONFESSED.

THEY ALL AGREES THEY WANTED A PIECE OF THE DELICIOUS-LOOKING VIENNA CAKE.

BRO GOAT SAID GOOD-BYE TO MISS HEN AND MILTON MONGOOSE.

HE WALKED TOWARD TILDA TURTLE´S FOR ANOTHER LOOK AT SPLENDID CAKE.

SUDDENLY HE GLIMPSED TILDA TURTLE WALKING TO THE HOUSE.

FEELING A LITTLE EMBARRASSED BRO GOAT DASHED BEHIND A BIG BUSH AND THEN RAN TO THE ROAD.

HE DIDN´T REALIZE HE HAD DROPPED HIS FAVORITE RED HANDKERCHIEF.

MILTON MONGOOSE AND MISS HEN LEFT THE HANDKERCHIEF ON THEIR WAY TO THE MARKET.

THEY TALKED ABOUT THE DELICIOUS-LOOKING VIENNA CAKE.

SUDDENLY MISS HEN SAID MILTON, YOU GO AHEAD FOR THE MARKET, I HAVE TO MAKE A STOP.

THEN SHE WAVED GOOD-BYE AND SHE HURRIED AWAY.

TILDA TURTLE WAS ABOUT TO CHECK ON THE CAKE WHEN SHE REMEMBERED SHE LEFT SOME CLOTHES DRYING ON THE CLOTHES LINE.

SO SHE WENT IN THE YARD TO GET HER LAUNDRY.

WHEN SHE RETURNED TO HER KITCHEN, THE CAKE WAS GONE.

AND I´LL STOP YOU RIGHT THERE.

>> SO "BOOKCASE" AUDIENCE, TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT YOU HAVE TO READ "THE VIENNA CAKE MYSTERY."

BUT WHAT I LOVED ABOUT THE VIENNA CAKE MYSTERY IS THAT WE UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE CLOTHES HANGING ON THE LINE AND YOU HAVE CHARACTERS THAT WE CAN RELATE TO.

YOU HAVE THE MONGOOSE.

YOU HAVE THE DOVE.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THE GOAT.

WHO ALL BRING THEIR OWN PERSONALITIES TO THIS STORY.

SO FOR OUR CREATORS IN THE AUDIENCE, PEOPLE WHO HAVE A STORY TO TELL AND NOT SURE WHERE TO START, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THE ASPIRING WRITERS OUT THERE?

>> WHAT I WOULD SAY IS FIRST OF ALL START READING IN THE GENRE THAT YOU THINK YOU WANT TO WRITE IN.

THAT´S ONE.

AND THE OTHER THING IS TO READ WIDELY.

READ DIFFERENT THINGS.

YOU KNOW, JUST THE WAY YOU SAW ME DO THAT POEM AND IT WAS NOTHING LIKE THIS.

>> RIGHT.

>> SO READ WIDELY.

YOU DON´T KNOW WHAT YOU MIGHT BE GOOD AT.

>> AND SO -- AND THE OTHER THING IS JUST GET STARTED.

YOU KNOW.

AND -- >> BUT HOW DO YOU START?

JUST WRITE IT DOWN?

>> YOU JUST -- WHAT I WOULD ALWAYS DO IS HAVE A PIECE OF PAPER AND A PEN BY MY BED.

BECAUSE SOMETIMES A POEM WILL COME TO ME WHOLLY.

A WHOLE POEM WILL COME TO ME.

>> ARE YOU A PEN AND PAPER PERSON?

ARE YOU A SIT DOWN AT THE COMPUTER?

>> I USE IT ALL NOW.

PEN AND PAPER, LAPTOP.

AND NOW I´VE STARTED TO DICTATE ON MY PHONE.

>> THAT´S AMAZING.

>> THAT´S GOOD, YES.

AND I WOULD ALSO SAY TO BEGINNING WRITERS, AND I SEE THIS WHEN YOU SEE STUDENTS´ WRITING.

THEY´RE ALWAYS VERY DAUNTED BY REWRITES.

SO DON´T LET THAT DISCOURAGE YOU.

YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE TO BE READY.

THE THING ABOUT RELEASING YOUR WORK IS IS IT GOOD ENOUGH?

BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO KEEP -- IT HAS TO KEEP EVOLVING UNTIL IT´S AT A POINT WHERE YOU FEEL THAT YOU CAN SHARE IT WITH THE WORLD.

>> SO WHAT IS NEXT IN THE EVOLUTION OF CHARLENE THE WRITER?

>> WELL, I HAVE -- AS I SAID, I´D LIKE TO DO A CHAPTER BOOK FOR GRADE 4, ABOUT GRADE 4 I´D LIKE TO DO THIS -- IT´S LIKE THIS FANTASY BUT IT´S SET IN ST. CROIX.

AND THEN THE OTHER BOOK WHICH I DON´T KNOW IF I´M GOING TO CALL IT A CHILDREN´S BOOK BECAUSE THIS IS A CHILDREN´S BOOK BUT ANYBODY COULD READ IT.

THE OTHER PROJECT IS BASICALLY TO PRESERVE VIRGIN ISLANDS LANGUAGE.

SO THOSE ARE THE THREE PROJECTS I´M WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.

>> AND THAT IN ITSELF, PRESERVING LANGUAGE, IS A PRETTY DAUNTING TASK.

>> IT IS.

BUT WE HAVE TO DO IT BECAUSE AS I´M DOING THIS RESEARCH I FIND THAT -- AND I ASK FEMALE DO YOU KNOW THIS WORD?

THEY DON´T KNOW.

>> RIGHT.

>> IF GROWN PEOPLE DON´T KNOW, IMAGINE OUR KIDS.

>> AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THE INFLUENCES IN OUR LANGUAGE.

>> I HEARD A VERY INTERESTING WORD WHERE A WOMAN JUMPED IN FRONT OF THIS FRIEND OF MINE IN LINE.

AND HE CALLED HER A -- HE SAID BULL HALF WOMAN.

>> WHAT?

YOUR NEXT BOOK IS GOING TO NEED TO HAVE AN APPENDIX.

A DICTIONARY.

>> WELL, THIS BOOK ACTUALLY HAS A GLOSSARY, AND IT ALSO HAS A RECIPE.

>> WONDERFUL.

>> AND THE HISTORY OF THE VIENNA CAKE.

>> WELL, IT´S BEEN SO MUCH -- SO GREAT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE VIENNA CAKE MYSTERY AND THE COLLECTED WORKS OF CHARLENE ABRAMSON JOSEPH.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ANY OF THE BOOKS FEATURED ON THIS PROGRAM VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.WTJX.ORG.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR LOCAL AUTH ORDS.

AND WE´LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK WHEN WE TAKE ANOTHER BOOK FROM "THE BOOKCASE."

♫♫ ♫♫ >> Announcer: THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PROGRAM ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF WTJX, ITS BOARD, STAFF, OR UNDERWRITERS.