Please Paint Me Caramel

A few years after the island of Mauritius gained independence from Great Britain, people and cultures collide and navigate life as Shakti, a little girl tries to make sense of the world and find her way. Testimonials Jackee Holder: Author, Coach, Trainer “Thank you dear one for sharing this powerful story with us. I really appreciated the way in which Shakti tells her story. I was totally engaged. The chapters were so readable. I found myself swooning as she shared her mystical experiences in the temple. Shakti has this way of going deep without saying a lot. I noticed this in her collection of autobiographical poems “I: A Woman Speaking Up”. This is a powerful testimony of overcoming life’s adversity. Shakti explores taboo subjects such as colourism with honesty and grace. This is a story of moving from turbulence to triumph. The shortness of the chapters kept me wanting to keep turning the page. Shakti’s voice encourages the reader to reclaim their lives and to frame a new empowered story.” Dr Janet Balabanovic: Counselling Psychologist “Shakti bears her soul in this intimate collection of childhood memories. Please Paint Me Caramel delivers a beautifully evocative account of a childhood of relative privilege in Mauritius, a childhood which is richly suffused with vibrant and colourful memories of religious festivals and cultural traditions. Disturbingly, this is uneasily juxtaposed alongside a powerful undercurrent of emotional abuse disguised as love and protection. Suffocating demands and expectations are justified to protect and safeguard the future of a young girl who was born “too dark”, “with bad blood” and “in the wrong month”. The crushing weight of her family’s fears is keenly felt as the little girl grapples with her perceived defects and secretly and repeatedly prays to be painted caramel to secure her place in the world as a marriageable woman in a society that dictates only one path to a good and worthwhile life. A poignant reminder of the devastating impact of parental and culturally-bound conditions of worth on individual self-acceptance.” Jane Yeadon, Author, Scotland “This is an important book written from the heart- breakingly honest viewpoint of a child bewildered and marked by tradition and her family's adherence to it. Care, compassion and humour are the colours Shakti brings to her pages. She has brought the characters, traditions, and the emotions of her Mauritian childhood brilliantly to life.

A few years after the island of Mauritius gained independence from Great Britain, people and cultures collide and navigate life as Shakti, a little girl tries to make sense of the world and find her way. Testimonials Jackee Holder: Author, Coach, Trainer "Thank you dear one for sharing this powerful story with us. I really appreciated the way in which Shakti tells her story. I was totally engaged. The chapters were so readable. I found myself swooning as she shared her mystical experiences in the temple. Shakti has this way of going deep without saying a lot. I noticed this in her collection of autobiographical poems "I: A Woman Speaking Up". This is a powerful testimony of overcoming life's adversity. Shakti explores taboo subjects such as colourism with honesty and grace. This is a story of moving from turbulence to triumph. The shortness of the chapters kept me wanting to keep turning the page. Shakti's voice encourages the reader to reclaim their lives and to frame a new empowered story." Dr Janet Balabanovic: Counselling Psychologist "Shakti bears her soul in this intimate collection of childhood memories. Please Paint Me Caramel delivers a beautifully evocative account of a childhood of relative privilege in Mauritius, a childhood which is richly suffused with vibrant and colourful memories of religious festivals and cultural traditions. Disturbingly, this is uneasily juxtaposed alongside a powerful undercurrent of emotional abuse disguised as love and protection. Suffocating demands and expectations are justified to protect and safeguard the future of a young girl who was born "too dark", "with bad blood" and "in the wrong month". The crushing weight of her family's fears is keenly felt as the little girl grapples with her perceived defects and secretly and repeatedly prays to be painted caramel to secure her place in the world as a marriageable woman in a society that dictates only one path to a good and worthwhile life. A poignant reminder of the devastating impact of parental and culturally-bound conditions of worth on individual self-acceptance." Jane Yeadon, Author, Scotland "This is an important book written from the heart- breakingly honest viewpoint of a child bewildered and marked by tradition and her family's adherence to it. Care, compassion and humour are the colours Shakti brings to her pages. She has brought the characters, traditions, and the emotions of her Mauritian childhood brilliantly to life.

Poetry is certainly a form of art that I appreciate. When I want to express myself, I write on paper, and then I read my words out loud. What I love most about poetry is that it has no boundaries, and I personally believe that freedom of expression is poetrys best friend. Poetry allows me to evolve in so many ways and challenges me to learn more and create art for the mind. Sometimes Im at a loss for words to write; at times it takes minutes, hours, days, and months for me to write a new piece. Just like any relationship, poetry requires patience, dedication, and understanding. Anyone can write a poem if they put their mind to it, but to write continuous poetry, you need the passion for it. Some may view my work as prose or spoken word; to me personally they all come from the same family, so if you are probably wondering what I write, I write poetry.

Art curator Jessamine Rhodes has left behind her gig at a prominent gallery in the city to open her own community art center in the small town of Rose Shore. She’s all set to host an extravagant opening watercolors class and has even booked a famous artist to teach it. Gabriella Everhart brings along her priceless painting Tranquil to showcase as the centerpiece of the event. The opening class is just wrapping up when suddenly Tranquil disappears before Jessamine’s eyes. Next, the lights of the art center flicker out and leave the crowd in complete darkness as a scream pierces the air. To her horror, Jessamine’s flashlight reveals that prestigious art collector Victor Carlisle has been murdered, and now her dreams are as shattered as the champagne glass found near the scene. Determined to save her now teetering reputation, Jessamine sets out to search for answers and the missing painting on her own. She has invested everything into her art center and is too anxious to step back and do nothing. Along the way, she teams up with a handsome paramedic who seems to have his own reasons for wanting justice for Victor’s tragedy.

Features selections from the sketchbooks of forty artists, illustrators, and designers that capture their travels around the world in drawings and paintings.

Sinead Christie was dedicated to the foster kids in her care. Was she surprised to be groped at a charity event trying to gain donations for her kids? Nope, because rich people felt that for their money, they could do whatever they wanted. But that was when she met the mysterious billionaire, Remington Durant, for the second time. With one act of kindness, Remy changed Sinead's life forever. He slipped a check with more zeros than she'd ever seen into her purse and made sure she and the kids were taken care of. Remy even showed up at their home with gifts for the kids and a heart to make a difference. From their first date, she found that he was more than just his money. As their connection deepened, Sinead found herself falling for the former soldier with a heart of gold. Raised with a platinum spoon in his mouth, Remy made sure he was exactly the opposite to what his father believed and how he was raised. He joined the military, served with men and women, and suffered loss along with them, and when he took over everything his father built, Remy set about to change it in every possible way. Danger threatened her and the children he grew to love. Remy realized that falling in love with Sinead was something unbreakable, and he would protect them at any cost. What was between them was more than just passion and desire - it was the healing balm on his soul. And when he loved, Remy loved with everything he had, and anyone in his way would face the full force of the soldier billionaire and his wrath.

Exciting News! Mr Fullerman announces that class 5F are going on an 'Activity Break'! Which should be fun. As long as I don't get stuck in a group with anyone who snores or worse still with . . . . . . Marcus Meldrew.