Guyanese author celebrates sale of first 500 copies of latest book

THIRTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD Linden born Leon Labastide is head over heels after he has sold 500 copies of his latest book. While to many, this may not seem as much reason to celebrate, for Leon, who had to overcome multiple hurdles and setbacks, this is a very important accomplishment. The book ‘Pink Cover, Things That Are Important’ was released in October 2016 and within a matter of months over 500 copies were sold out.

Describing how this measure of accomplishment felt for the young author, he said, “I am speechless and at a loss for words. I am full of joy but at the same time, at a loss for words on the accomplishment of achieving 500 copies sold of something that I have written.
For Leon, this is the pinnacle of his career and a motivation to keep pushing. Looking back on his life, the many anecdotes of his journey to success can be described as a winding road with many bumps, dangerous turns and potholes.

Leon came from humble beginnings, where he grew up in the community of Wisroc, Linden, before migrating to the United States when he was nine years old. It was in High School that his teacher realised he possessed the skill to write. “I started writing from the age of 15- just writing my thoughts down then I started to take classes to get my skills going, writing workshops, college courses and slowly I started writing poetry and my books came right after,” he shared.

Though only in his twenties, Leon authored three books prior to ‘Pink Cover’ ; ‘Breath of Life Poetry’, ‘Here Comes the Dreamers: the Journey’, and ‘Transparency’. These publications were completed within the span of five years but Pink Cover hit the nail on the head with the overwhelming patronage it received. It served as a testimony for not giving up though success seemed so far away. “I say all of that to say this, you can take your negatives and turn them into positives. Take your downs and turn them ‘upside up’; I know it sounds weird, but it’s true and it’s doable. ‘Upside up’.”

“What I have noticed is that people love to associate fruits or food groups with life situations. For example, if life gives you lemons, you simply make lemonade. I guess in retrospect, when life gives you a situation, deal with it the best way you know how to because running away is not an option,” he said.

The book focused on the many struggles faced by mankind and how they are often overlooked by those who may not be experiencing the same struggles. Leon’s aim was to highlight the fact that all of humanity’s struggles are important and we should all play a role and lend a hand in the elimination of global issues. “We have billions of people in this world and each day they are struggling with something, so the book says that everything is important, from cancer, to God, to love, to relationships, to poverty, to racism, to bigotry, to hatred, to your nationality, to domestic violence, suicide- everything is important, it doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, everyone is struggling with something,” he said.

The book also urges persons to stop protecting the monsters of the world and that it is time to be transparent. “People are drowning, why can’t we help them?” Is the question he poses. Leon added that this is a thought that sums up what the book aims to advocate.

Labastide has mesmerised hundreds of audiences during his career with his inspirational prose, insightful short stories, and authentic life experiences. Many have experienced his natural talent for storytelling at poetry events, church services, college campuses, motivational conferences, and book tours in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Curaçao and in his homeland Guyana.

Despite migrating to the United States 24 years ago, Labastide continues to pay homage to his homeland in his writing. The book has an entire chapter on Guyana with written expressions of his love and patriotism to his country. Last year, Labastide launched his three books at the National Library in Georgetown and the Linden Library, while on tour in Guyana. The event was also used as a means of giving back to his homeland.

He is anticipating the commencement of creative writing workshops with young Lindeners. The aim is to sift out young talent in Linden and to encourage them to pursue that talent since he believes there is a plethora of hidden talent waiting for the window of opportunity to flourish. Labastide expressed appreciation to all those who would have played a role in the completion of ‘Pink Cover’ and the overwhelming support it received.