The newest Vincentian novel, Plastered in Pretty by N.C. Marks, was launched here at the Botanical Gardens on Wednesday, by House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP).
Plastered in Pretty is “Naked truth. It is very contemporary,” said journalist Dexter Rose, a guest speaker at the book launch of about 100 guests.
There was also an “outburst of applause” from the author and the audience when it was disclosed that the dystopian Caribbean tale was selected as a new “SPD Recommends” book in the USA, said Lasana Sekou, HNP’s projects director (https://bit.ly/2roQfQc).
The Small Press Distribution (SPD) selects the competitive “recommends” list of new titles monthly. Based in California, SPD is a leading USA distributor of books by indie presses such as HNP, which is based in St. Martin.
Plastered in Pretty, with its Alice in Wonderland syndrome, is set in a Caribbean paradise. It is “A must read glimpse of the obsession” with being ‘liked’ and ‘pretty,’ in the digital age, said Oral Gibbes, producer/host of the long-running TV talkshow Speaking of Everything.
Cindy Peters, from Clark Atlanta University’s Department of Political Science, puts it like this: “Personal tragedy, body shaming, love triangles, sexual harassment intersect with challenges young adults face from materialism, globalization and unkind political systems. A cleverly written short novel.”
Plastered in Pretty by N.C. Marks is available at spdbooks.org (https://bit.ly/2KeZmLL); Gaymes Book Centre, St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Van Dorp, St. Martin; The Best of Books, Antigua; and Amazon. N.C. Marks is a University of London alumna and teaches geography at St. Vincent Girls’ High School.
