I am Bertille Allahar, nee David. I grew up in Trinidad, one of the two islands of the country Trinidad & Tobago, and during my childhood my favourite pastime was reading novels. Very often I became so engrossed in the material that I forgot it was mealtime and had to be summoned by my mother. English Literature was my favorite subject at school and I enjoyed expressing myself through writing. After leaving secondary school my ambition was to be a reporter but for financial security reasons I joined the public sector in a clerical position.
I gained scholarships to attend Southampton University (BSc Social Sciences), and Sussex University (MA Labour Studies) and returned toTrinidad where my employments were concentrated on planning and research activiites, providing me with opportunities to write though not in literary style.
Later in life I did a correspondence/on line course from London School of Journalism gaining a Diploma with distinction in Freelance and Feature Writing. I accepted opportunites to express my views on social issues through regular feature articles published in two daily newspapers for two years, followed by a two year stint on a radio station expressing my viewpoint weekly for a five minute period.
My views on social issues at that time are recorded in unpublished documents as follows:
Bertille Allahar. Morsels of Social Commentary. Viewpoints broadcast on Radio 104, 2000 - 2002. June 2002.
Bertille Allahar. Articles written for the Trinidad Guardian Newspapers, 1997 - 1998. June 2001.
Berttille Allahar. A Collection of Freelance Articles published by Newsday in 1996. August 1997.
Bertille Allahar. Stemming the Tide of Street Children in Trinidad and Tobago. August 1996.
I prefer to read novels which reflect the lifestyles of the many cultures in our fascinating world. Accordingly, I have read authors from the Caribbean, Africa, India, England, USA and South America.
I spent seven years writing my first novel Trini Melange, my goal being to produce a novel which would eternally outlive my transient existence. In June 2009 Author House published the novel.
EDITOR'S SYNOPSIS
Through the story of Lucy a woman born of rape, this narrative sensitively explores racism, poverty and oppression in a tumultous cosmopolitan society which, redolent of pretensions and human tragedy, searches for catharsis through annual carnival abandon.
Spanning 150 years from post-slavery to post colonial times, this shimmering yet gritty tale unfods against the background of declining old cocoa and sugar plantations and gushing new oil wells in the tropical Caribbean island of Trinidad.
A fascinating amalgam of history and heart-wrenching drama skilfully woven by author Bertille David-Allahar, this novel captures the odyssey of Lucy and other women of colour, through an intimate portraiture of awakening, endurance and coming of age in an island society still haunted by the shadows of slavery.
REVIEW OF TRINI MELANGE by DR. GLENVILLE ASHBY
A powerful commentary on race, class, religion, and feminist ideals
The novel is available on line through Author House, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Foyles. It may be puchased in T&T bookshops - The Readers Bookshop, St James; Paper Based at the Normandie; Horizons, Mucurapo Road; and Metropolitan Bookstores, Frederick St., POS.
Book suppliers may purchase the novel thorugh the channel supplier Jill Weimer i.e. jweimer@authorsolutions.com.
My other interests are singing, travel, fitness, nutrition, gardening, art and viewing sports (cricket, foofball, lawn tennis). My preferred movies are in the realm of drama, musicals, documentaries, and politics.
I live with my husband and have two children, each of whom has produced my two grandchildren.
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