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T h e B a h a m a s W r i t e r - I s s u e # 4
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Release date: Tuesday, February 26, 2002

Welcome to the February 2002 issue of The Bahamas Writer. Please
feel free to forward it on to anyone you know who's interested in
writing.

You are invited to submit your articles, stories, poems, scripts
or writing tips for inclusion in upcoming issues. Although there
is no payment for submissions to The Bahamas Writer, this is an
excellent way to promote your writing worldwide. We can also
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================== CONTENTS ===========================

1. Congratulations to writer and fellow member Art Montague!
2. Writing Tip: "Laptop Heaven!"
3. Article: "The Bahamas - The Best of Both Worlds".
4. Submissions section completed.
5. Work in progress section updated.

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1. I would like to congratulate writer Art Montague, one of our
members, on the fantastic achievement of his "K.C." essay "Rainy
Day Rainbows" being one of only 100 chosen from 6,000 for
"Chicken Soup for the Grandparent's Soul", coming out March 15,
2002.

K.C. is Art's little granddaughter and you can read one of his
"K.C." stories, "Let's Read a Story, Grandpa!", in the November
2001 issue of The Bahamas Writer newsletter.

Art's web site is http://amontague.homestead.com You can email
him at arts-place@rogers.com

Art - you're an inspiration to all of us :-)

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Note: You may distribute this Newsletter. Feel free to post it
to your website or BBS if you like. However no part of this
Newsletter may be reproduced in whole, or in part, without
keeping the links within this newsletter active.

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2. Writing Tip: "Laptop Heaven!"

A laptop can be a godsend for a writer. It enables you to escape
to any part of your house to write and you can even take it with
you on vacations, to make notes for your travel article or to
work on a poem, script, story or novel.

I have a "lapdesk" for my laptop. I use it for writing while
"watching" television some evenings. I know, I can hear the
groans from many of you writers - "television!" However, it keeps
my hubby happy when I don't completely abandon him all the time
for my other love - writing!

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3. Article: "The Bahamas - The Best of Both Worlds"

You could say "the Bahamas has the best of both worlds"; the two
worlds being that we are a British Commonwealth country
("independent" since 1973) with all the benefits that come from
that strong and generous little nation, the United Kingdom - or
"Great Britain" as it is also known - and that we are within
close proximity of the United States, with that super superpower
also looking out for us.

Many of the traditions of the Bahamas are rooted in our British
background, but at the same time, we delight in modern American
customs.

Part of the charm of the Bahamas is in the old colonial buildings
scattered along Nassau's world famous Bay Street, in unexpected
pockets around New Providence and proudly prominent in some of
our Out Islands (also called the "Family Islands"). 

Our legal system is British and bewigged attorneys can often be
encountered outside the Parliamentary buildings between Rawson
Square and the old Nassau Public Library (once the country's
"jail").

Cricketers can still be seen on the weekends, their shirts and
long pants dazzling white in the bright sunlight, swinging long
bats across the rolling green below old Fort Charlotte, and
dipping politely to catch one of those small hard balls.

No one can deny our British influence and despite some Bahamians'
resistance to this part of their inheritance, they are more than
happy to step forward to receive knighthoods or awards from Her
Majesty Queen Elizabeth!

When a member of the Royal Family visits the Bahamas, we pull out
all the stops and thousands of Bahamians line the roadsides,
cheering and flashing cameras along with the tourists, who find
themselves unexpectedly in a part of Bahamian history.

I once stood with a Bahamian friend on the edge of a wide empty
Nassau highway, anticipating that Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of
Edinburgh might drive past on their way to Nassau International
Airport.

We weren't disappointed and I waved my little home made Union
Jack at the royals as they passed by.

I often wonder if my friend and I joined the Queen's mind store
of photographic memories - two lonely figures standing on a
deserted highway of the Bahamas, one waving a sad little British
flag, reminiscent of times gone by.

The day we learned that Princess Margaret, the Queen's sister,
had passed away, flags were flown at half mast, condolence books
were made available to the public at Government House and the
offices of the British High Commission and Rev. Ruby Ann Darling,
who met Princess Margaret many years ago, sang a special
rendition of her former tribute to the Princess - "Rule
Britannica".

In a similar manner, after the horrific September 11th terrorist
attacks in the U.S., Bahamians flocked to sign condolence books
for family and friends of the victims.

Recently U.S. war ships anchored in Nassau Harbour, as the U.S.
Secretary of State, General Colin Powell, flew in for the annual
meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Caribbean community, CARICOM.
It was said he left with a better appreciation of the economic
pressures that Caribbean leaders had to contend with, for their
support in the campaign against terrorism and for their continued
efforts in pursuing drug traffickers.

In a world of warring nations and super powers, the Bahamas is
happy to have the "good guys" on their side!

Author: Fay Knowles,
http://www.bahamaswriter.com

Copyright © 2002 Fay Knowles 

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4. Submissions section

The "Submissions" section is finally completed and on line! Go to
http://www.bahamaswriter.com/submissions.htm

Enjoy!

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5. Work in progress section

I've updated the Work in progress section, so you can see I am
working!

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I hope you've enjoyed this issue of The Bahamas Writer.
If you have any questions or comments relating to this
Newsletter or BahamasWriter.com please feel free to Email
them to me at:

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You may distribute this Newsletter. Feel free to post it to
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