Introduction

You’ll be happy to know that my second novel, To Catch a Traitor, includes most of the same characters as my first book, and it takes place on the island of Martinique.

The island is known for its breathtaking beauty, rum (spelled rhum), and its incredible culture, which blends Caribbean and French influences.

Truly, it’s an island with an amazing history.

BTW, don’t forget to get your copy of my first book, To Catch a Spy, at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

Let’s jump right in…

Martinique

The Bibliotheque Schoelcher is one of the most iconic buildings in the Caribbean.

It’s actually the public library for the capital city of Fort-de-France (FDF) on the island of Martinique, but it’s so much more than that.

The building is named after Victor Schoelcher, a French policitian in the mid-1800s who donated his private collection of 10,000 books to be the foundation of a library to be built in FDF.

Victor had two stipulations -- the library be managed by a dedicated librarian, and it had to be open to everyone.

The first librarian was a man Schoelcher insisted on: Jean-Baptiste-Thomas-Victor Cochinat, who, in addition to having so many hyphens, also had an education in law. He was very well-respected; in fact, he became the public prosecutor in FDF. After that, he moved to Paris and became secretary to Alexander Dumas, the famous author of The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Muskateers, and other fine novels. I love literary connections; they’re always worth mentioning!

*Mr. Cochinat, the first librarian and the man with 3 hyphens*

The second stipulation was equally as interesting -- the library had to be open to everyone, including slaves and former slaves.

You see, Schoelcher wasn’t just a politician. He was also a fervant abolitionist who worked to rid France and its colonies of slavery. Victor’s attitudes on the subject evolved over time. At first, he argued against total abolition. Later on, he wanted to humanize slavery, and eventually, he called for complete emancipation.

Now on to the actual building…the Bibliotheque Schoelcher blended Byzantine and Art Nouveau architectural styles, with both Arabic and Western touches.

The same architect designed the Saint-Louis Cathedral, also in FDF, although that building has been rebuilt, renovated, and adjusted more times than is worth mentioning. Still, you can see the similarities.

I love the history the Bibliotheque Schoelcher represents, and it will play a role in my 2nd book.

Let’s see if it works out.

Martinican Culture

Martinique is often referred to as ‘The Island of Flowers,’ and for good reason.

Its flowers and plant life are abundant and stunning. In fact, the island name of Martinique might be a ‘loanword’ of the Taino Indian phrase Madiana, which literally translates to ‘Island of Flowers.’ The Carib Indians called the island Ioünacaëra, which translates to ‘Island of Iguanas.’ I like the Taino reference better, so I’ll go with that.

On Martinique, you can find lots of different ornamental and exotic flowers. The hibiscus, anthurium, and bird of paradise are common. Personally, I like the bird of paradise flower; it actually looks like an angry, agitated bird. I think the plant is native to South Africa, but it really took to the Martinican climate.

And as I wrote in the May newsletter, the most common Martinican flower exported to the U.S. is the red ginger. Think about that; you may have held flowers from this incredible island without knowing it.

While researching the island, I saw countless pictures of the lush countryside, and make no mistake: Martinique truly is the Island of Flowers.

My World

I’ve been promoting my book as much as I can, and I’ve been having fun doing it.

I’ve read many articles that stated an author has to promote their book; it’s expected by the publisher and many others who know what they’re talking about.

Beyond this website and my X and Instagram accounts (both @johnrobieisback), I’ve been busy. But lately the live events have picked up, and I’m really enjoying them. I’ve done events in the community where we live, and I’ve met with book clubs and charities. Also, I’m actively doing book signings at bookstores.

In early November, I signed books up in Columbia, SC, at a very welcoming Barnes & Noble; I met so many nice people. And the community where we live has been wonderful to me. This coming week I’m a guest on a podcast, and I’m trying to coordinate a few more events.

Promotion is something I was concerned about, but turns out I really, really enjoy it.

It’s fun sharing your experiences about something you love with others.

Island of Flowers, a Public Library, and Book Promotion

Introduction

Martinique

Martinican Culture

My World

Your Newsletters are Interesting But…Part II

To Catch a Spy