Lorna A Fraser

Who am I, and why do I write? I write as an extension of my love for nature and the landscape which surrounded me as I grew up, and which still exists to a certain extent. I am also inspired to write because I think it is important to share those aspects of my national heritage which include a pledge to contribute our common heritage - the Old Worlds of Africa, Europe and the Mediterranean and to foster peace and harmony by portraying them as blended into the New World of western heritage and culture.

As a child, I liked to listen to my father's stories; of how his grandfather's generation came to the Island of Jamaica. they were Scottish/Irish(?) men who intermarried with local African, Taino and Maroon (maroon) women. And on my 9th birthday, my mother gave me a copy of the novel, "Lorna Doone" which she claimed was the history of my father's side of the family. Some were gentlemen and gentlewomen; others were rogues and vagabonds, and this led to issues of social pathology and security. These stories fired my imagination, to the extent that that they inspired the genesis of 'The Seven Hills of Kildare'. In this fictional place, set in the real hills of Jamaica, the descendants of the struggles between clans of unknown origins play out the never-ending drama of the peoples of the world. They are the ones who are constantly on the move, seeking to satisfy the deepest longings of the human soul.

My mother also regaled me with stories about her side of the family. This included one about 'Aunt Jane'. I thought she was a Maroon/Taino, because Ma said she came 'down from the hills' to visit at intervals. And so, the character of 'Janey' in "Letty's Pool" was born in my imagination. Those stories, told by my mother and her siblings, also inspired my collections of stories for children and young adults. These include "Dee and the River Mumma", "The Bitterwood Trees" and "Secret Thunder and Other Stories". These tales are all about overcoming, the challenges and conflicts of growing up, through building character and self-esteem. They also aim to enhance reading and comprehension skills in new and emerging readers/examination candidates, and to release or enhance their creative and/or writing skills.

I write to share the results of my own creative journey with others who might have similar interests, or at least similar questions to those which I asked or were asked of me then and now: 'Who am I? Who are we? Why are we here?' I was a year out of sixth form and a first job as an aspiring writer/editor, when I began my studies at the University of the West Indies' Mona campus. It was the decade of the seventies, intended to pursue an honors degree in English. However, social sciences and foreign languages offered so many additional possibilities for providing answers to those burning questions of the reasons for life and living, that I graduated with an honors degree in Spanish and English instead, and followed up with an Master's in Literatures in English, and a diploma in Language Arts Education. After my initiation into literature by "Lorna Doone", the opportunities offered by the study of educational Psychology and Motivation seemed to offer the best rationale for my aspirations as an author. They offered meaningful insights into the interaction between the child and the adult, the relationship between one's self-concept and how to survive in a society that has become indifferent to the needs of large numbers of its members. I discovered the value of Insight and the role of self motivation (self-help); and I found that I had a knack for passing pass these insights along to others .

My reason for writing is therefore creative as well as educational, motivational, and inspirational. That is, as a student of human nature (the Self, the Other and the Beyond), my primary aim so far has been to share with my readers, the understanding that you can turn negative life/educational experiences into positive ones by harnessing the power of the mind (insight). This is the reasoning behind the various editions of 'Turn Your negatives Into Positives and Your Positives Into Superlatives' which was originally a revision guide for persons of candidates repeating CSEC English language examinations. However, in later editions, I have included widened the content to reach a more generalized audience.

In summary: I aim to include my readers, young and old alike, in getting involved in thinking about answers to the questions for which no answers seemed to exist in the available literature at the time when I submitted the idea for my proposed Ph.D. thesis: "In a society that seems to provide no answers to the question: 'Who am I, why am I here, and how might Literature and reading assist me, the reader?" I try to do my part, by offering my readers a glimpse into a New World, one which exists beyond themselves. It is one in which a creative belief in a special relationship between people and their environment might lead to a happy and fulfilled life. It is in contrast to a fruitless search for a Nirvana which there is no evidence that anyone has ever found... .