By Tajeram Mohabir

KEISHA McCammon and Subraj Singh both count it a huge personal achievement to be named among those shortlisted for the Guyana Prize for Literature.

For the two young writers, being nominated is a morale-boosting victory, and whether or not they win, it has given them encouragement to continue writing and have their works published.

Both McCammon and Singh have been shortlisted in the Best Book of Fiction category for the Guyana Prize.
The announcement of winners in all the categories of the prestigious prize will be disclosed at a grand award ceremony slated for November 29.

McCammon’s book is entitled “Dancehall Lyrics: Top of the Charts”. According to the Prize Committee, the book is a fast-moving contemporary work of fiction which centres around a much-acclaimed Dancehall singer, Aaron Mills (known as AM). The committee says the book casts interesting light on the Dancehall music scene in Guyana.

Singh’s “Rebelle and Other Stories” has been described as a first collection of wonderfully written short stories, rich with the flavour, culture and folklore of coastal Guyana.

The Sealed Deal
Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle, McCammon, a former journalist who now works as a producer at the Guyana Learning Channel, said her work was born after five years in the making.
The pleasant young lady related that she had submitted her work with an open mind, and was thrilled when she learnt of her nomination in the Best First Book of Fiction category of the prize.

“I feel great! I am extremely happy. This is a great encouragement for me, a young writer, and young writers in general,” McCammon told this publication.

She got her inspiration to write her novel while watching Jamaican Dancehall artiste Konshens perform at a concert in New Amsterdam, Berbice in 2010. That performance, the young writer said, “sealed the deal”, and she began writing the very next day.
McCammon finished the script in 2013, but had to do some fine-turning. She managed to get all done in time for submission for the Guyana Prize.

The focus of the book is not only on Dancehall Music, as it also, in some detail, shows the power of the media.
The young writer related that the writers’ workshop was of much help, and she thanked Ruel Johnson, who has twice won the prize, for his help and encouragement.

McCammon says she intends to make writing a career, but writers in Guyana face many challenges when it comes to getting their works published by reputable publishing houses. She said that, with a strong support system for writers, this problem could be circumvented.

But being nominated, the young lady said, is a great encouragement for her to continue writing and putting forward her works for publication.

A Crave for Change
Singh, who graduated on Saturday from the University of Guyana (UG) with distinction in Literature, also credited Johnson, several other writers, and his lecturer for their guidance and support. He had initially started UG as a Biology major, but switched to Literature after the first year.

“Creating a change in people and society is something I really want to do. I found that writing provides that avenue, and I chose to do something that is more in line with what I want to do in contributing to the process of change,” the young man told the Guyana Chronicle.

“Rebelle and Other Stories” consists of nine innovatively crafted short stories on social and political issues that are very close to the writer.
Being among the shortlisted for the prize, he said, is a huge “shot in the arm,” as it will aid in the growth and development of his career as a writer.

“I feel proud and honoured to be shortlisted,” Singh told the Guyana Chronicle.

The other writer shortlisted in the Best Book of Fiction category is Reuben Latchmansingh. His work is named “A Dip at the Sangam2”, which is a work of historical fiction about the abduction of the protagonist Raja from his Indian home, his transportation to the cane fields of Guyana, his experiences and success in Guyana, and his eventual return to India.