Scarlet Writes Newsletter: Caribbean Voices
From Memory's Selective Lens to Caribbean Literary Celebrations: June's Author Journey Through Bestseller Lists, Tender Submissions, and Community Building
CONTENTS
Author Musings | Flash Fiction | Writing Process | Book Reviews | Book Recommendations ❤️ LIKE · COMMENT · SHARE 🤲🏾Welcome back to another edition where memory, literature, and community converge in beautiful ways. This month feels particularly rich as we celebrate Read Caribbean month while diving deep into the stories that shape us, both the ones we remember and the ones we're still writing.
I've been reflecting on how memory colors our narratives, much like how my aunt's stern corrections taught me respect while her fierce advocacy at school taught me strength. Memory is indeed selective, highlighting the moments that matter most to our becoming.
June brings us an incredible lineup of indie Caribbean writers whose voices deserve your attention, especially during this dedicated month of Caribbean literary celebration. Supporting these creators means amplifying stories that might otherwise remain unheard, preserving cultural narratives that enrich our global literary landscape.
From bestseller celebrations to new submissions waiting in tender hope, this edition captures the full spectrum of a writer's journey—the victories, the vulnerabilities, and everything in between.
Memory
I remembered just now that my dearest aunt would reply, "Who's she? I'm not the cat's mother." She meant I was being rude by not acknowledging her properly—I needed to say "Auntie" before launching into whatever childish complaint I had. My aunt was always hard on me. As my godmother and my father's sister, she wasn't my grandmother's favorite, and I felt devilishly happy that I'd inherited my father's cherished position in the family hierarchy.
In many ways, I became a proxy for him in my aunt's life. She complained to Granny that I got away with everything, meaning everything she could never have done or said. My messy room, my "incessant lying" (which I now recognize as a precursor to my creative writing skills), my revealing teenage clothes—the list went on.
Yet I also deeply loved my aunt. I much preferred her presence at school meetings over my grandmother's. Unlike Granny, who would tell teachers, "You can beat Scarlet if she's not behaving! I'm not one of those parents who will threaten you," my aunt would arrive professionally dressed, ask clarifying questions, and make teachers squirm as they tried to explain how an A-student (ME) could (EVER) be truly disruptive (WHICH I WAS #Knowitall).
Speaking of A-student, I recently found an old report card and realized I was actually more of an A-B-C student. Memory is beautifully, selectively kind to us.
Indie Caribbean Writers
June is the month for the Read Caribbean challenge (more), a celebration created by Cindy, founder of BookOfCinz and digital content creator passionate about sharing Caribbean literature, travel, and culture with the world. I put out a call for indie Caribbean writers to be featured, and these talented creatives answered with their remarkable works.
Please visit the link above and click on the covers to access the links to support each of these independently published authors. Most of these titles are also available from Scribbles and Quills bookstore in Trinidad and Tobago.
Supporting indie writers, particularly those from the Caribbean, means preserving and amplifying voices that carry the essence of our islands—the rhythms, struggles, triumphs, and stories that mainstream publishing often overlooks. These writers serve as cultural custodians, preserving our narratives while creating new ones for future generations.
Updates from Scarlet Ibis James
REVIEWS
This month brought exceptional editorial reviews that absolutely enchanted me:
For Scarlet Birthright:
TikTok/Instagram Book Influencer @ReadwithKapz noted: "Each chapter was like snapshots in a darkroom bringing the story and characters progressively into focus." (Watch)
BookShelfie.com's Maria Ashford wrote: "Perhaps the book's greatest strength lies in James's imaginative use of shifting perspectives to create a panoply of voices that reveal the full emotional cost of Joromi's decision." (More)
For Scarlet Yearnings:
Amazon reviewer Calvin Pennick shared: "This book explores yearning from both the woman and the man's side. I appreciate that. What I got was a thought-provoking look back at my own yearning. It's a good book. Just be ready to explore your own yearnings." (Read)
BOOKS
Scarlet Birthright is temporarily in Kindle Unlimited with a free download until June 21: https://amzn.to/4lk9681
I woke up on Juneteenth to find Scarlet Birthright holding the #1 spot in Historical African Fiction, #11 in U.S. Historical Fiction, and #34 in Saga Fiction!
WRITING
I'm writing, submitting, and waiting with a tender, anxious heart—wish me luck:
Submitted a non-fiction piece about my writing process to Gramercy Review
The StreetLit publication inspired a piece about New York life that I've submitted
Participated in SureFiction's 72-hour workshop, transforming a story for my Center for Fiction fellowship application
Continuing to edit a piece I started in the Fellowship of the Griots and read in the Harvard Club Writers Group for the Brooklyn Short Fiction Story Contest deadline
May I Ask You
Go Back Card
About last month's poll on fiction discovery: most said BlueSky, though I get minimal engagement there. Facebook remains my most vibrant community, along with Instagram and TikTok. Find me across all platforms!
Flash Fiction Reflecting Reality: Border Crossing
This month, I reflect on immigration in the United States. I believe that every border crossed carries stories of hope, loss, and transformation—themes that pulse through Caribbean literature as our people have always been travelers, voluntary and otherwise.
“I Don’t Want To Go”—A Story of Fiction Reflecting Reality by Scarlet Ibis James
☝🏾Link to immigrant story from Scarlet’s Flash Fiction archives, now available to free subscribers.
The Other Side
Summer Hunting Season
Attacking and abducting the undocumented is an attack and abduction of all of our freedoms. Criminalizing anyone that even LOOKS like they may be undocumented in LA without legal grounds or due process sets the stage for arresting anybody deemed "criminal" for all sorts of reasons. Black folks know this to be true as it’s been our reality since we were brought here against our will and forced to call this country home despite its murderous foundation. —
A New Book of Stunning Poetry
“My Daddy Never Taught Me How to Write a Love Song” by Donnie Moreland Jr.
Featured Book of the Issue
This poetic exploration follows love through the eyes of a Black father as he raises his daughter. Moreland reflects on the men who taught him strength and survival, but struggled with expressing love. The collection becomes both reckoning and revelation—an introspective journey where father, son, and Black man intersect in defining love. Before answering what love is, he confronts what love is not, creating a tender meditation on legacy, healing, and learning to love with intention and clarity.
Subscribe/Share
Do you know someone who would appreciate these literary journeys? Share this newsletter! Your recommendations mean everything to independent writers and readers discovering new voices.
As we celebrate Caribbean voices this month, remember that every story shared, every book purchased, and every newsletter forwarded creates ripples in our literary ocean. We're building community one word at a time, honoring the memories that shape us while creating new ones for those who follow.
With love and literary wanderlust,
Scarlet
Indeed, I must include a shameless plug for my lineup of books. You can find them all at www.scarletibisjames.com.
👇🏾 Tell me something good 👇🏾
I enjoyed your newsletter. I like your Auntie. She's just like my father. Congrats on your Amazon ranking! That is huge & difficult to achieve. You goooooooooooo! 🎉🎉