“Come Listen to Mi Stories” with Horane Smith -Tom Redcam Library, Kingston on August 17th 2006

An evening dedicated to the reading of Jamaican stories popularized by award-winning Jamaican-Canadian author, Horane Smith, will be staged at Tom Redcam Library’s reading room, in Kingston, on August 17, beginning at 5:30. p.m.

“Come Listen to Mi Stories,” the title of the evening’s presentation, begins in 17th century Jamaica, retracing some of the journeys of the pirates of Port Royal, through to the legendary and poignant tale of the slaves who jumped to their deaths at Lover’s Leap in St. Elizabeth, and will end in twentieth century with the story of Reggae Silver – dubbed “the greatest reggae story ever told.”

Smith is the author of the internationally acclaimed novel Lover’s Leap: Based on the Jamaican Legend, Port Royal, Reggae Silver, and Dawn at Lover’s Leap, his new sequel to Lover’s Leap, which will be launched at the reading. Dawn at Lover’s Leap will also be launched in Toronto, on September 24, at Word on the Street – Canada’s biggest literary festival. He has also authored two other American and Canadian-themed novels The Lynching Stream, about lynchings in the United States, and Underground to Freedom, a story of the Underground Railroad, when thousands of American slaves sought freedom in Canada, in the 19th century.

Smith, who has done several readings at libraries, schools, bookstores, universities and other public events in North America, says it’s time to introduce Jamaica to his six published novels.

“The aim of this reading is twofold. It’s an attempt to try to get Jamaicans, especially students, reading more and I believe it’s an opportune time to introduce my countrymen to my publish works, which have been getting attention outside our shores,” he said.

“My titles: Lover’s Leap, Port Royal, Reggae Silver cut to the core of Jamaican identity and I believe it’s time we begin to show more interests in these subjects that have captured world attention.”

Smith, the first author to receive a BURLA Award for outstanding contribution to African-Canadian and Caribbean Literature, has also been recognized by the Jamaican Diaspora Foundation Canada, for his contribution to Jamaican literature.

He has been described by one of Canada’s leading newspapers, the Ottawa Citizen, as “no ordinary novelist.” Described as “prolific,” and “growing from strength to strength,” he was also seen by the late British best-selling author John Prebble as “one of our best emerging writers.”

Smith was born at Yardley Chase, St. Elizabeth, the same district in which Lover’s Leap, the south coast tourist attraction is situated, and the subject of his first and sixth novels.

Contact: Horane Smith [email protected]