September 7, 2026 • 31 mins
What if the most reliable path for a Caribbean author isn’t a viral post or a distant platform, but a seat at the library table and a place in the classroom? We sit down with Feline Keetano—author, librarian, and filmmaker—to map the practical steps that move a book from a local print run into the hands of real readers. From legal deposit to cataloging, from national systems that buy for multiple branches to library-hosted readings that convert attention into sales, Feline shares a grounded playbook for turning craft into income.
We dig into the realities of distribution across the Caribbean: why many self-published books sell better locally than to the diaspora, how offline relationships still beat algorithms, and why scouting brick-and-mortar bookstores remains essential. Feline explains how schools and curricula create predictable demand, and how authors can strengthen their proposals with discussion questions, teaching guides, and alignment to standards. Along the way, we unpack regional collaboration—Carefesta connections, rights organizations like CAROSA, and WhatsApp groups that keep authors, librarians, and small publishers in sync despite fragmented infrastructure.
Feline also opens up about sustaining a creative life across mediums. Her films preserve Garifuna language and memory, while her writing safeguards family stories and local history. We explore how readings, residencies, and community programs can diversify income, build audience trust, and inspire young writers to see authorship as a viable career. If you’re an independent author, librarian, or small publisher looking for real tactics—from bulk purchases and events to curricula and regional rights—this conversation offers a clear, repeatable path forward.
If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a writer who needs a boost, and leave a quick review to help more Caribbean stories find their readers.
Check out "Protection for the Inventive Mind" – available now on Amazon in print and Kindle formats.
The views and opinions expressed (by the host and guest(s)) in this podcast are strictly their own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the entities with which they may be affiliated. This podcast should in no way be construed as promoting or criticizing any particular government policy, institutional position, private interest or commercial entity. Any content provided is for informational and educational purposes only.
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Felene Cayetano (00:00):
Sometimes we have to think out of the box.
And if we cannot think out ofthe box, then we find someone
who is thinking out of the backbox or can and we ask them to to
use their unique set of skillsthat I already have.
Leticia Caminero (00:44):
On this episode, I had the opportunity
to talk with a character aboutlibraries, authors, and editors.
So let's start.
Felene Cayetano (00:58):
Greetings, my name is Feline Keetano.
I'm an author, librarian,filmmaker.
Sometimes I'm a photographer.
24-7-365.
I'm a mother of two teenagers.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Ah thank you.
Felene Cayetano (01:20):
It is a lot.
It is a lot.
And it is also something thatfrankly came into my life when
it when it comes to writing andcreativity.
I I used what I wanted to sayto them to create, to tell the
stories that I didn't see.
That's another thing.
Back to my intro.
(01:41):
I have been a librarian for thepast 18 years.
I've been an author, and well,authorship came in 2004, but
I've been a writer since I was10 years old.
I'm now in my 40s.
And filmmaking came just duringthe pandemic.
I became a filmmaker.
(02:03):
And it has been quite ajourney, how to balance all of
those things and to, you know,stay in the awareness of what's
going on with AI, you know, uhinfluencing both the film and
influencing the writing as well.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Wow, so it's it's a beautiful uh array of uh
professions and endeavors, whichI which I love because it's
very much uh the way that uh Iam myself.
Um I'm always uh trying to findthings to keep myself busy and
pursuing very various passionsat the same time.
So talking about um thelibrary, which is uh the place
(02:46):
that a lot of us love and is aplace of um finding ourselves
and and finding uh centeringourselves as well.
So from your seat in thenational library, um, what
concrete steps uh can publiclibraries take to put money in
the pockets of Caribbeanauthors, being you mean one
(03:06):
yourself?
Felene Cayetano (03:07):
Well, this is happening already, that Belizean
authors, Caribbean authors areable to go to their local
libraries, submit their legaldeposits, which they are
required to submit theirpublications, and from there
have a conversation with thelibrarian about which libraries
(03:29):
would be able to purchase theirbooks.
I when I first published mine,it was all of my books are
self-published.
The first one, I was able to goto Canada, was able to go to
Jamaica and find libraries, findbookstores, you know, and they
remembered me thereafter.
I when I joined the libraryprofession, the National
(03:52):
Librarian of Jamaica, you know,she saw me and she remembered
that, you know, 10 years priorto that, that I was submitting
my book to her library, right?
So the libraries then wouldpurchase on behalf of their
branch if you go to the nationallibrary system itself, or you
(04:15):
go to the main location, if it'sin a system where they call the
headquarters, main library,they would purchase on behalf of
all the other branches.
Or if your system is notconnected, then you have to go
one by one by one to eachlibrary and basically sell
yourself and your book and letthem know what it's about.
(04:37):
Now, the libraries, of course,also struggle with funding and
resources.
I am now wearing that hat aslibrary administrator and have
to say that libraries have tolobby more for funding to
purchase the work of localauthors and to be able to
(04:57):
provide that support.
Because we do see, I've had alot of feedback from different
authors.
When the library has been ableto publish for all, let's say,
four to eight libraries in thecountry in Belize, then those,
you know, if it is something,it's a big purchase for the
average author to get that muchof a sale at one time.
(05:22):
Then also, too, the librariesare able to host readings for
the work.
That too is something, as amatter of fact, we're
coordinating with a with anauthor right now who has
published a children's book.
She actually has two, onealready published, one in the
pipeline, and we're planning areading for her.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Oh, that's beautiful.
So it's there's a lot ofsupport from what I'm getting uh
from your answer.
So libraries provide a networkin which authors can support
themselves and they can alsohave a platform for them to
showcase their work and findcollaborations.
Felene Cayetano (06:02):
That is correct.
That is correct.
There's a there are differentcatalogs.
You know, you can I don't wantto name any vendors specifically
when it comes to that, becauseif you start naming one, you
know, somebody will be left outand they'll be upset.
But you have your catalog atyour library, and there you just
(06:25):
type in Caribbean books, youtype in, you know, whatever the
countries and the book, andyou'd be able to find what is
listed there.
And as librarians, you know, wemay or may not share the
cataloging information whenthose books come in and we're
able to see.
And really, though, I would notsay that uh that there, I would
(06:48):
not say that there are too manylibrary books, I mean, too many
Caribbean books that arerejected, for example.
The issue is how do we get theCaribbean book here from an
independent author?
From what has happened as a,again, as a librarian, when I've
(07:10):
traveled, let's say, to Guyanaor to Trinidad, I personally
have to go on the ground andscout at the local bookstore or
speak with the communities ofauthors and say, hey, I'm I'm
just in town for a week.
You know, I want to purchasemaybe about five or six, you
know, tell them the budget, andthey would tell me, okay, this
book came out, that, that, that.
(07:30):
And that is how we acquire thebooks without because if it it
it has been the real challengehas been distribution.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
So there's a lot of footwork in this.
Yes, yeah.
So it requires you to really goin the ground and and check for
for whenever you can findauthors.
That's amazing work, actually.
Um, because um the thing aboutum well, publishing is of course
very uh very hardself-publishing as well.
Um I just publish the bookmyself, so I understand uh if I
(08:03):
can ever but then um is also uhthat has nothing to do with
writing or or with an author.
So it's it's great to know thatuh libraries can provide the
support for authors.
So moving to the to the nextquestion about the diaspora.
(08:25):
Many carriages books sell moreto diaspora than at home.
What playbook have you seenwork to turn diaspora pride into
predictable sales andlicensing?
And how can small publishersmeasure and repeat those
results?
Felene Cayetano (08:42):
Well, the Belizean experience is not that
diaspora sales are more.
It's actually the opposite,that local sales are more
because of what I just told you,the the distribution angle.
In Belize, the author, thelocal author, sometimes is not
(09:05):
able to go into Amazon or Barnesand naming names, right?
Into different online platformsto sell their work.
So they are and and many don'thave their work digitized to
place up and format in thatcertain way.
(09:25):
They use the local printer andthe printer publishes a certain
amount, and and that's what theygo by.
So unless they take it to theUS or to the UK or wherever
they're going, then they're ableto sell it on the ground.
Or unless they have a relativeand the relative takes a couple
of the books and that's how itgoes.
(09:47):
But for the most part, andspeaking personally as well, I
have found that the sales comewhenever I do a public reading.
So if I'm not out therereading, then my sales are kind
of they trickle in whenever theytrickle in.
But if I'm actively puttingmyself out there and sharing my
(10:10):
work and you know, uh puttingthe links here and there and
little snippets of my reading,then folks will hear it, see it,
and you know, will make apurchase.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Okay, so it's it's um it's a constant work.
So it's not like you launch thebook and then the sales come um
when they come, and you have toactually like work for them.
Felene Cayetano (10:31):
It's active, it's active, you know.
As we know, there's some sodacompanies hundreds of years old,
and they are still activelymarketing, you know, they have
the money.
Speaker 4 (10:42):
Yeah, of course.
Felene Cayetano (10:43):
Right, and they have a team.
So it's really for us tochampion our work wherever and
however we can.
The most successful really hasbeen through the school system,
the education system.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Okay, because the the audience is right there.
That's correct.
And people are more open aswell.
When you're a student, you'remore open to to new things, to
new uh new content.
It's it's a it's you have adifferent mindset when you're a
student as well.
Yeah, makes sense.
I love that.
So uh moving on to collectivebaggering in a region of small
(11:19):
markets.
Uh uh, I didn't tell you, butI'm from the Dominican Republic,
so I'm also Caribbean.
In a region of a small market,what concrete structures such as
Caribbean Authors Union orwhole digital distribution or a
regional rights agency will givewriters the baggering power
they often lack individually.
(11:39):
So is there power in number?
That will be the question.
Felene Cayetano (11:45):
Absolutely, absolutely.
One thing that one thing that Ihave to always reflect about, I
reflect on the Carefestaexperience when I first went to
Carefesta 2013.
And you know, now it's out it'salready 12 years later.
There we as Caribbean authorswere and publishers were able to
(12:10):
sit down and look at the verysame issue.
How can we come together acrosslanguages, across currencies,
across um the distance and solvesome of those issues that I'm
talking about when it comes todistribution, when it comes to
(12:32):
finding different markets andamongst ourselves.
Because the one thing that weall experienced or knew, we felt
something.
You know, we when we heard eachother's work and the resonance
of it was in our bones, it wasin our DNA.
And so we said, wow, if only, Imean, where where have you
been?
Right?
(12:52):
And so that connection, wewanted to keep it and extend it,
but on our own, we don't havethe networks and the systems
that are that are regional.
You know, perhaps here you havesome network of publishers,
here you have some networks ofauthors, um, here you have some
(13:13):
networks of printers.
Myself, I am the president ofthe Belize Book Industry
Association, but I'm notnecessarily, and part of it is
due to time, linking up with theother industry associations or
publishers in another region orin the multiple CARICOM region
in order to do this in that way.
(13:33):
Similarly, there is anorganization called Carosa, and
Carosa is the umbrellaorganization for regional RROs
in the Caribbean.
So that entity seeks to havethe rights of Caribbean authors
(13:54):
in one place.
Again, here you have oneentity, that one is dealing with
the rights of authors andillustrators, etc.
But there are also anotherneed, you know, there's a need
in in for the publishers to becoordinated, a need to have the
(14:14):
authors, you know, regionallyconnected.
So doing that, and who is goingto do it?
You know, how are we going todo it?
Is it something that's going tobe sustained?
And how do we sustain it?
So, what I have been able to dois keep in touch with some of
(14:36):
these different groupsinformally through WhatsApp.
And through that, we shareknowledge, we share events.
You know, we're able to attendand support each other's events.
And again, it starts with apeople-to-people contact and
from there carry on and build onthe conversations that we've
had in the past.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
Okay, it's it's uh it's it's a constant work as
well.
So making sure that you youbuild the bridges and you keep
them, uh, the people areengaged, they're working
together, and it is it is notum, it doesn't sound like an
easy endurer, but I think it'squite fulfilling once you once
there's a materialized uh umsolution or or or a positive
(15:19):
outcome after the work.
Felene Cayetano (15:21):
Yes, you know what often happens is that we
have two or three champions, andthese champions they run and
they run, and you know, as weall know, the champions get
tired, right?
Of course, of course.
Yes, and that is what what wesaw, what I saw is uh is that
shift.
You know, we had some championsand they were in their let's
(15:43):
say 50s, 60s, and now they're intheir seven six, they're in
their 60s, 70s, right?
A decade uh or more later.
This is where they are rightnow.
So they're passing the baton orhave passed the baton, and that
needs to continue happeningmore at a younger age so that it
can sustain.
(16:04):
And you know, what I spokeabout earlier, the building upon
what has already been done cantake place.
And we're blessed to be livingin a time where the South-south
connections are easier than theywere before.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Yeah, for sure.
And and we we all stand in thein the um shoulders of giants,
right?
So this is something that umthat is beautiful that to pass
on and and and to continue doingthe work.
Announcer (16:33):
The law talk about intellectual property.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Talk about the property.
So looking on book launches arewhat pathways do you see for
Korean authors to buildlong-term?
Sustainable careers, forexample, through your
publishing, multimediaadaptations, original teaching,
and residency networks.
Felene Cayetano (16:58):
Well, those are exactly it.
I gave you all the answers.
You gave me the answers.
And uh what I spoke aboutearlier, what I spoke about
earlier was having to do withembedding themselves into the
curriculum, embedding themselvesinto the arenas where there are
(17:22):
there is a need to consultthose materials.
You know, so that the teachers,if you have a group of teachers
who are champions of your work,you know, there is a community
who can use your work and andshare your work with the
students.
And from there you have aconstant set of eyes on your
(17:43):
work.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
So having all the people around you, um, and does
it come to mind any successcases that you have uh witnessed
or you have uh seen out close?
Felene Cayetano (18:28):
Um I would say I would say yes and no.
You know, there's anindependent author here.
We have we have two we havemaybe two, three publishers, and
the everyone else is anindependent, right?
So one independent author wasnot able to get their work into
(18:54):
the system through thegovernment, but they were able
to find an alternative school,and in these alternative
schools, they have reallyincorporated their work into the
curriculum.
So he gets constant sales basedon that.
It's a nonfiction work aboutdelize.
Then on the other hand, hereyou have the publishers who are
(19:17):
organized and they are able tofulfill the quantity requirement
for from the ministry and alsoable to shift some of their
content, you know, to match withwhat the curriculum needs.
Because uh, one of the some ofthe things, of course, that the
ministry requires here, you haveyour book, but you also have to
have some questions about thebook, talk-provoking questions.
(19:40):
You know, you kind of have toput it in a way that matches
what it is that they want tobring forward.
And as an independent author,you're just thinking, let me
write this story or let me putsome, you know, of my work
together, collection of poetryor or something of that nature.
You're not thinking about howcan I put this in a way that
(20:01):
fits with the curriculum.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
So it's is there's on there's not one path.
So if you cannot do it on thedoing the public system,
education public system, you cango to the private one, you can
go to another one.
So you can you can try to findways of of of of getting your
work uh out and known.
That's correct.
That's correct.
So yeah, try everything untilsomething works.
Felene Cayetano (20:28):
That's really what it comes down to.
There are different differentsometimes we have to think out
of the box.
Yeah.
And if we cannot think out ofthe box, then we find someone
who is thinking out of the backbox or can, and we ask them to
use their unique set of skillson our behalf.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Yeah, completely.
I mean, yeah, that's true.
So um moving to the youth.
How do you um how do we createa generational pipeline where
Caribbean children and teens notonly read local stories but
also see authorship as a viablecareer?
(21:07):
And what has worked in schools,libraries, or community
programs that could be scaledup?
Felene Cayetano (21:16):
Wow, I love that question for so many
reasons.
For so many reasons.
I am very much into reflectingon my own process and journey
and thinking about the librarythat I went to.
And this is a the downtownlibrary in LA, where they, as a
(21:38):
teen, they had a teen section,and for the teens, they would
have these writing labs.
From there, not only did Ilearn a lot, but I also made a
couple of friends who are alsowriters.
You know, so here you have thisgroup of young nerds, you know.
Yes, I wear the title proudly,and here we are coming together,
(21:59):
writing whatever.
Some were writing comics, somewere writing poetry, some were
writing short stories, and youknow, we get to share our work
together.
On the ground, you havedifferent opportunities that the
libraries afford in terms ofcontests, you know, writing
(22:20):
contests.
And these encourage youngpeople to submit, to create, you
know, to say, hey, here is Alibrary full of books, you know,
from all over the world.
Here's our regional section.
You and your work can be inthis regional section.
If not now, when we compile allof the winning entries and put
(22:44):
them into a publication,sometime down the line, if you
continue to create, then youthink about writers.
As a writer, the more seasonedyou are, you definitely have an
obligation to return to thoseplaces, high schools, you know,
to primary schools, and to shareyour work and to say, hey, this
(23:07):
is what I've done, then you toocan also take this path.
What I see now more thananything else is an abundance of
young people expressingthemselves.
You know, whether it's theirown creativity that they paint,
that they write, that they sing,or whether it's someone else's
(23:30):
work that has inspired them,that they're able to convey.
You find a very encouraging setof parents.
Our generation, some wereencouraging.
My father would take me topoetry readings, you know, they
everything else, but they werelike, hmm, I don't know, you
know, when it comes to yourlivelihood, what are you going
(23:53):
to do though?
Can it feed you?
Right?
Can it feed you?
That's the thing.
And that's where these pathwaysthat we're talking about come
into play.
Is how do you have anenvironment that supports people
to just be writing?
(24:14):
And if they are not onlywriting, so to speak, then can
you have a set of people whohave careers that allow for them
the space to go to residences,you know, allow them the space
to share with young people andencourage them to do so to
(24:36):
write.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
So surround yourself with the right people.
I think that's key as well.
Um, like-minded people, um,people who are supported of your
work, that's also veryimportant in any kind of
profession that you're gonnahave.
It's very important to find theright allies.
Um, because there's um sadly,um, it's very easy to discard
(25:01):
people's ambition or or orpeople's uh goals.
And there's always gonna besomeone telling you, oh no, you
should be more realistic or youshouldn't be doing that.
So you're always gonna findthis kind of discourse around
you.
So my my humble advice issurround yourself with people
who believe in your work, whobelieve in you as a as a
(25:21):
profession, as an individual,and and and and and write on
that.
So and try to block the rest ofthe noise out.
Felene Cayetano (25:30):
Yes, absolutely.
Absolutely.
I I write from a place ofunderstanding of self,
understanding of circumstancesand situations.
It's you know a form of therapyfor me when it comes to my
poetry.
For my short stories, I write amessage, I write to kind of
preserve my upbringing and myheritage.
(25:53):
And when it comes to film, whenI write, it's to preserve the
language, you know, Garyfanalanguage.
It's to preserve theexperiences that kind of um I
see are shifting, you know, someof our heritage specifically.
(26:15):
And I think that from thestories, that's where the
learning comes into play.
That's where we find commonground with other people and
they're able to see, oh, this ishow life looks from that
perspective.
And if we don't have that, youknow, then we kind of lose a
(26:39):
certain period and perspective.
It is not only one culture whohas ideas and experiences and
creativity, it's all of us.
And if we're not speaking andsharing, then our there's no
footprint for us.
So we create the footprints ascreators and creatives.
And I definitely share thatmessage as much as we can.
(27:01):
We have a an annual book fair,and at the book fair, we seek to
bring local authors forward toshare their work and to do that
encouraging and to also hearfrom the students.
Okay, who here is a writer?
Who wants to be a writer?
And you know, most of themthese days are saying they want
to be an influencer, or thetraditional, you know, the boys
(27:23):
want to be firemen andpolicemen, and the girls are
saying nurse or teacher orlawyer, you know.
So those are the things that weare encountering.
But as many, when we start tohear three, four, five, and if
the number goes up, or peoplesay, Yes, I want to be a writer,
that to me is heartwarming.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
Oh, that's amazing.
That's amazing.
Uh, and I love that uh girlshave saying that they want to be
a lawyer.
Be lawyers, girls, we needmore.
Felene Cayetano (27:55):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
So, just two final questions, please tell us a bit
uh where we can find your workand and what is your
inspiration.
Um, you have touch a bit aboutit, but like uh a one-sense
inspiration to you to become anauthor that led you to become an
author.
Felene Cayetano (28:13):
Oh wow.
All right, pleasure.
So I am I always say I'm theeasiest person to find on the
internet.
My URL is my name, feline.com.
And from there it launches offto where you could find my
books, where you could find myfilms, or more so the films
(28:36):
aren't necessarily online, butwhere they you could see a
trailer and you know we canconnect about a screening.
My inspiration really and trulyis everyday life.
It is everyday life.
It is my my heart, my love, mythe nature, my experiences as a
(28:58):
mother, my experiences, peoplewatching.
I love people watching.
So I might see somebody andsay, wow, what is their
backstory?
And from there I then go on andon.
It's memories when I thinkabout my grandmother and her in
the kitchen, which is behind ourhouse, we had a, you know, the
(29:20):
outdoor kitchen, the fire hat,you know, what she was cooking,
what was bubbling in that firehat.
I think about preserving thepast when it comes to the
stories that my elders have toldme.
And those stories, how can Iwrite them in a way that some
aspect of them is preserved?
How can I tell people about thesnake that my grandfather used
(29:43):
to keep at his farm withoutdisrupting the whole story?
You know, the story is notabout the snake, the story is
about the fact that there was atime when people could have
animals being in such fellowshipand brotherhood with an animal
that is dangerous.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
That's beautiful.
That's beautiful.
So thank you so much for yourtime, for your wisdom, and for
sharing your experience and alsoyour inspiration.
It has been quite pleasantspeaking with you.
And yes, um, we we hope that uhthis uh episode could inspire
our authors, especially in ourregion, the Caribbean, um, to
(30:27):
pursue this beautifulprofession.
Felene Cayetano (30:32):
Thank you, Leticia.
It has been a pleasure, and Iwill now be looking for your
book.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
Thank you.
It's available on the vendorthat you mentioned.
Announcer (30:46):
All right, well, I've got to be a good one.
Sometimes we have to think out of the box.
And if we cannot think out ofthe box, then we find someone
who is thinking out of the backbox or can and we ask them to to
use their unique set of skillsthat I already have.
Leticia Caminero (00:44):
On this episode, I had the opportunity
to talk with a character aboutlibraries, authors, and editors.
So let's start.
Felene Cayetano (00:58):
Greetings, my name is Feline Keetano.
I'm an author, librarian,filmmaker.
Sometimes I'm a photographer.
24-7-365.
I'm a mother of two teenagers.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Ah thank you.
Felene Cayetano (01:20):
It is a lot.
It is a lot.
And it is also something thatfrankly came into my life when
it when it comes to writing andcreativity.
I I used what I wanted to sayto them to create, to tell the
stories that I didn't see.
That's another thing.
Back to my intro.
(01:41):
I have been a librarian for thepast 18 years.
I've been an author, and well,authorship came in 2004, but
I've been a writer since I was10 years old.
I'm now in my 40s.
And filmmaking came just duringthe pandemic.
I became a filmmaker.
(02:03):
And it has been quite ajourney, how to balance all of
those things and to, you know,stay in the awareness of what's
going on with AI, you know, uhinfluencing both the film and
influencing the writing as well.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Wow, so it's it's a beautiful uh array of uh
professions and endeavors, whichI which I love because it's
very much uh the way that uh Iam myself.
Um I'm always uh trying to findthings to keep myself busy and
pursuing very various passionsat the same time.
So talking about um thelibrary, which is uh the place
(02:46):
that a lot of us love and is aplace of um finding ourselves
and and finding uh centeringourselves as well.
So from your seat in thenational library, um, what
concrete steps uh can publiclibraries take to put money in
the pockets of Caribbeanauthors, being you mean one
(03:06):
yourself?
Felene Cayetano (03:07):
Well, this is happening already, that Belizean
authors, Caribbean authors areable to go to their local
libraries, submit their legaldeposits, which they are
required to submit theirpublications, and from there
have a conversation with thelibrarian about which libraries
(03:29):
would be able to purchase theirbooks.
I when I first published mine,it was all of my books are
self-published.
The first one, I was able to goto Canada, was able to go to
Jamaica and find libraries, findbookstores, you know, and they
remembered me thereafter.
I when I joined the libraryprofession, the National
(03:52):
Librarian of Jamaica, you know,she saw me and she remembered
that, you know, 10 years priorto that, that I was submitting
my book to her library, right?
So the libraries then wouldpurchase on behalf of their
branch if you go to the nationallibrary system itself, or you
(04:15):
go to the main location, if it'sin a system where they call the
headquarters, main library,they would purchase on behalf of
all the other branches.
Or if your system is notconnected, then you have to go
one by one by one to eachlibrary and basically sell
yourself and your book and letthem know what it's about.
(04:37):
Now, the libraries, of course,also struggle with funding and
resources.
I am now wearing that hat aslibrary administrator and have
to say that libraries have tolobby more for funding to
purchase the work of localauthors and to be able to
(04:57):
provide that support.
Because we do see, I've had alot of feedback from different
authors.
When the library has been ableto publish for all, let's say,
four to eight libraries in thecountry in Belize, then those,
you know, if it is something,it's a big purchase for the
average author to get that muchof a sale at one time.
(05:22):
Then also, too, the librariesare able to host readings for
the work.
That too is something, as amatter of fact, we're
coordinating with a with anauthor right now who has
published a children's book.
She actually has two, onealready published, one in the
pipeline, and we're planning areading for her.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Oh, that's beautiful.
So it's there's a lot ofsupport from what I'm getting uh
from your answer.
So libraries provide a networkin which authors can support
themselves and they can alsohave a platform for them to
showcase their work and findcollaborations.
Felene Cayetano (06:02):
That is correct.
That is correct.
There's a there are differentcatalogs.
You know, you can I don't wantto name any vendors specifically
when it comes to that, becauseif you start naming one, you
know, somebody will be left outand they'll be upset.
But you have your catalog atyour library, and there you just
(06:25):
type in Caribbean books, youtype in, you know, whatever the
countries and the book, andyou'd be able to find what is
listed there.
And as librarians, you know, wemay or may not share the
cataloging information whenthose books come in and we're
able to see.
And really, though, I would notsay that uh that there, I would
(06:48):
not say that there are too manylibrary books, I mean, too many
Caribbean books that arerejected, for example.
The issue is how do we get theCaribbean book here from an
independent author?
From what has happened as a,again, as a librarian, when I've
(07:10):
traveled, let's say, to Guyanaor to Trinidad, I personally
have to go on the ground andscout at the local bookstore or
speak with the communities ofauthors and say, hey, I'm I'm
just in town for a week.
You know, I want to purchasemaybe about five or six, you
know, tell them the budget, andthey would tell me, okay, this
book came out, that, that, that.
(07:30):
And that is how we acquire thebooks without because if it it
it has been the real challengehas been distribution.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
So there's a lot of footwork in this.
Yes, yeah.
So it requires you to really goin the ground and and check for
for whenever you can findauthors.
That's amazing work, actually.
Um, because um the thing aboutum well, publishing is of course
very uh very hardself-publishing as well.
Um I just publish the bookmyself, so I understand uh if I
(08:03):
can ever but then um is also uhthat has nothing to do with
writing or or with an author.
So it's it's great to know thatuh libraries can provide the
support for authors.
So moving to the to the nextquestion about the diaspora.
(08:25):
Many carriages books sell moreto diaspora than at home.
What playbook have you seenwork to turn diaspora pride into
predictable sales andlicensing?
And how can small publishersmeasure and repeat those
results?
Felene Cayetano (08:42):
Well, the Belizean experience is not that
diaspora sales are more.
It's actually the opposite,that local sales are more
because of what I just told you,the the distribution angle.
In Belize, the author, thelocal author, sometimes is not
(09:05):
able to go into Amazon or Barnesand naming names, right?
Into different online platformsto sell their work.
So they are and and many don'thave their work digitized to
place up and format in thatcertain way.
(09:25):
They use the local printer andthe printer publishes a certain
amount, and and that's what theygo by.
So unless they take it to theUS or to the UK or wherever
they're going, then they're ableto sell it on the ground.
Or unless they have a relativeand the relative takes a couple
of the books and that's how itgoes.
(09:47):
But for the most part, andspeaking personally as well, I
have found that the sales comewhenever I do a public reading.
So if I'm not out therereading, then my sales are kind
of they trickle in whenever theytrickle in.
But if I'm actively puttingmyself out there and sharing my
(10:10):
work and you know, uh puttingthe links here and there and
little snippets of my reading,then folks will hear it, see it,
and you know, will make apurchase.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Okay, so it's it's um it's a constant work.
So it's not like you launch thebook and then the sales come um
when they come, and you have toactually like work for them.
Felene Cayetano (10:31):
It's active, it's active, you know.
As we know, there's some sodacompanies hundreds of years old,
and they are still activelymarketing, you know, they have
the money.
Speaker 4 (10:42):
Yeah, of course.
Felene Cayetano (10:43):
Right, and they have a team.
So it's really for us tochampion our work wherever and
however we can.
The most successful really hasbeen through the school system,
the education system.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Okay, because the the audience is right there.
That's correct.
And people are more open aswell.
When you're a student, you'remore open to to new things, to
new uh new content.
It's it's a it's you have adifferent mindset when you're a
student as well.
Yeah, makes sense.
I love that.
So uh moving on to collectivebaggering in a region of small
(11:19):
markets.
Uh uh, I didn't tell you, butI'm from the Dominican Republic,
so I'm also Caribbean.
In a region of a small market,what concrete structures such as
Caribbean Authors Union orwhole digital distribution or a
regional rights agency will givewriters the baggering power
they often lack individually.
(11:39):
So is there power in number?
That will be the question.
Felene Cayetano (11:45):
Absolutely, absolutely.
One thing that one thing that Ihave to always reflect about, I
reflect on the Carefestaexperience when I first went to
Carefesta 2013.
And you know, now it's out it'salready 12 years later.
There we as Caribbean authorswere and publishers were able to
(12:10):
sit down and look at the verysame issue.
How can we come together acrosslanguages, across currencies,
across um the distance and solvesome of those issues that I'm
talking about when it comes todistribution, when it comes to
(12:32):
finding different markets andamongst ourselves.
Because the one thing that weall experienced or knew, we felt
something.
You know, we when we heard eachother's work and the resonance
of it was in our bones, it wasin our DNA.
And so we said, wow, if only, Imean, where where have you
been?
Right?
(12:52):
And so that connection, wewanted to keep it and extend it,
but on our own, we don't havethe networks and the systems
that are that are regional.
You know, perhaps here you havesome network of publishers,
here you have some networks ofauthors, um, here you have some
(13:13):
networks of printers.
Myself, I am the president ofthe Belize Book Industry
Association, but I'm notnecessarily, and part of it is
due to time, linking up with theother industry associations or
publishers in another region orin the multiple CARICOM region
in order to do this in that way.
(13:33):
Similarly, there is anorganization called Carosa, and
Carosa is the umbrellaorganization for regional RROs
in the Caribbean.
So that entity seeks to havethe rights of Caribbean authors
(13:54):
in one place.
Again, here you have oneentity, that one is dealing with
the rights of authors andillustrators, etc.
But there are also anotherneed, you know, there's a need
in in for the publishers to becoordinated, a need to have the
(14:14):
authors, you know, regionallyconnected.
So doing that, and who is goingto do it?
You know, how are we going todo it?
Is it something that's going tobe sustained?
And how do we sustain it?
So, what I have been able to dois keep in touch with some of
(14:36):
these different groupsinformally through WhatsApp.
And through that, we shareknowledge, we share events.
You know, we're able to attendand support each other's events.
And again, it starts with apeople-to-people contact and
from there carry on and build onthe conversations that we've
had in the past.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
Okay, it's it's uh it's it's a constant work as
well.
So making sure that you youbuild the bridges and you keep
them, uh, the people areengaged, they're working
together, and it is it is notum, it doesn't sound like an
easy endurer, but I think it'squite fulfilling once you once
there's a materialized uh umsolution or or or a positive
(15:19):
outcome after the work.
Felene Cayetano (15:21):
Yes, you know what often happens is that we
have two or three champions, andthese champions they run and
they run, and you know, as weall know, the champions get
tired, right?
Of course, of course.
Yes, and that is what what wesaw, what I saw is uh is that
shift.
You know, we had some championsand they were in their let's
(15:43):
say 50s, 60s, and now they're intheir seven six, they're in
their 60s, 70s, right?
A decade uh or more later.
This is where they are rightnow.
So they're passing the baton orhave passed the baton, and that
needs to continue happeningmore at a younger age so that it
can sustain.
(16:04):
And you know, what I spokeabout earlier, the building upon
what has already been done cantake place.
And we're blessed to be livingin a time where the South-south
connections are easier than theywere before.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Yeah, for sure.
And and we we all stand in thein the um shoulders of giants,
right?
So this is something that umthat is beautiful that to pass
on and and and to continue doingthe work.
Announcer (16:33):
The law talk about intellectual property.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Talk about the property.
So looking on book launches arewhat pathways do you see for
Korean authors to buildlong-term?
Sustainable careers, forexample, through your
publishing, multimediaadaptations, original teaching,
and residency networks.
Felene Cayetano (16:58):
Well, those are exactly it.
I gave you all the answers.
You gave me the answers.
And uh what I spoke aboutearlier, what I spoke about
earlier was having to do withembedding themselves into the
curriculum, embedding themselvesinto the arenas where there are
(17:22):
there is a need to consultthose materials.
You know, so that the teachers,if you have a group of teachers
who are champions of your work,you know, there is a community
who can use your work and andshare your work with the
students.
And from there you have aconstant set of eyes on your
(17:43):
work.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
So having all the people around you, um, and does
it come to mind any successcases that you have uh witnessed
or you have uh seen out close?
Felene Cayetano (18:28):
Um I would say I would say yes and no.
You know, there's anindependent author here.
We have we have two we havemaybe two, three publishers, and
the everyone else is anindependent, right?
So one independent author wasnot able to get their work into
(18:54):
the system through thegovernment, but they were able
to find an alternative school,and in these alternative
schools, they have reallyincorporated their work into the
curriculum.
So he gets constant sales basedon that.
It's a nonfiction work aboutdelize.
Then on the other hand, hereyou have the publishers who are
(19:17):
organized and they are able tofulfill the quantity requirement
for from the ministry and alsoable to shift some of their
content, you know, to match withwhat the curriculum needs.
Because uh, one of the some ofthe things, of course, that the
ministry requires here, you haveyour book, but you also have to
have some questions about thebook, talk-provoking questions.
(19:40):
You know, you kind of have toput it in a way that matches
what it is that they want tobring forward.
And as an independent author,you're just thinking, let me
write this story or let me putsome, you know, of my work
together, collection of poetryor or something of that nature.
You're not thinking about howcan I put this in a way that
(20:01):
fits with the curriculum.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
So it's is there's on there's not one path.
So if you cannot do it on thedoing the public system,
education public system, you cango to the private one, you can
go to another one.
So you can you can try to findways of of of of getting your
work uh out and known.
That's correct.
That's correct.
So yeah, try everything untilsomething works.
Felene Cayetano (20:28):
That's really what it comes down to.
There are different differentsometimes we have to think out
of the box.
Yeah.
And if we cannot think out ofthe box, then we find someone
who is thinking out of the backbox or can, and we ask them to
use their unique set of skillson our behalf.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Yeah, completely.
I mean, yeah, that's true.
So um moving to the youth.
How do you um how do we createa generational pipeline where
Caribbean children and teens notonly read local stories but
also see authorship as a viablecareer?
(21:07):
And what has worked in schools,libraries, or community
programs that could be scaledup?
Felene Cayetano (21:16):
Wow, I love that question for so many
reasons.
For so many reasons.
I am very much into reflectingon my own process and journey
and thinking about the librarythat I went to.
And this is a the downtownlibrary in LA, where they, as a
(21:38):
teen, they had a teen section,and for the teens, they would
have these writing labs.
From there, not only did Ilearn a lot, but I also made a
couple of friends who are alsowriters.
You know, so here you have thisgroup of young nerds, you know.
Yes, I wear the title proudly,and here we are coming together,
(21:59):
writing whatever.
Some were writing comics, somewere writing poetry, some were
writing short stories, and youknow, we get to share our work
together.
On the ground, you havedifferent opportunities that the
libraries afford in terms ofcontests, you know, writing
(22:20):
contests.
And these encourage youngpeople to submit, to create, you
know, to say, hey, here is Alibrary full of books, you know,
from all over the world.
Here's our regional section.
You and your work can be inthis regional section.
If not now, when we compile allof the winning entries and put
(22:44):
them into a publication,sometime down the line, if you
continue to create, then youthink about writers.
As a writer, the more seasonedyou are, you definitely have an
obligation to return to thoseplaces, high schools, you know,
to primary schools, and to shareyour work and to say, hey, this
(23:07):
is what I've done, then you toocan also take this path.
What I see now more thananything else is an abundance of
young people expressingthemselves.
You know, whether it's theirown creativity that they paint,
that they write, that they sing,or whether it's someone else's
(23:30):
work that has inspired them,that they're able to convey.
You find a very encouraging setof parents.
Our generation, some wereencouraging.
My father would take me topoetry readings, you know, they
everything else, but they werelike, hmm, I don't know, you
know, when it comes to yourlivelihood, what are you going
(23:53):
to do though?
Can it feed you?
Right?
Can it feed you?
That's the thing.
And that's where these pathwaysthat we're talking about come
into play.
Is how do you have anenvironment that supports people
to just be writing?
(24:14):
And if they are not onlywriting, so to speak, then can
you have a set of people whohave careers that allow for them
the space to go to residences,you know, allow them the space
to share with young people andencourage them to do so to
(24:36):
write.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
So surround yourself with the right people.
I think that's key as well.
Um, like-minded people, um,people who are supported of your
work, that's also veryimportant in any kind of
profession that you're gonnahave.
It's very important to find theright allies.
Um, because there's um sadly,um, it's very easy to discard
(25:01):
people's ambition or or orpeople's uh goals.
And there's always gonna besomeone telling you, oh no, you
should be more realistic or youshouldn't be doing that.
So you're always gonna findthis kind of discourse around
you.
So my my humble advice issurround yourself with people
who believe in your work, whobelieve in you as a as a
(25:21):
profession, as an individual,and and and and and write on
that.
So and try to block the rest ofthe noise out.
Felene Cayetano (25:30):
Yes, absolutely.
Absolutely.
I I write from a place ofunderstanding of self,
understanding of circumstancesand situations.
It's you know a form of therapyfor me when it comes to my
poetry.
For my short stories, I write amessage, I write to kind of
preserve my upbringing and myheritage.
(25:53):
And when it comes to film, whenI write, it's to preserve the
language, you know, Garyfanalanguage.
It's to preserve theexperiences that kind of um I
see are shifting, you know, someof our heritage specifically.
(26:15):
And I think that from thestories, that's where the
learning comes into play.
That's where we find commonground with other people and
they're able to see, oh, this ishow life looks from that
perspective.
And if we don't have that, youknow, then we kind of lose a
(26:39):
certain period and perspective.
It is not only one culture whohas ideas and experiences and
creativity, it's all of us.
And if we're not speaking andsharing, then our there's no
footprint for us.
So we create the footprints ascreators and creatives.
And I definitely share thatmessage as much as we can.
(27:01):
We have a an annual book fair,and at the book fair, we seek to
bring local authors forward toshare their work and to do that
encouraging and to also hearfrom the students.
Okay, who here is a writer?
Who wants to be a writer?
And you know, most of themthese days are saying they want
to be an influencer, or thetraditional, you know, the boys
(27:23):
want to be firemen andpolicemen, and the girls are
saying nurse or teacher orlawyer, you know.
So those are the things that weare encountering.
But as many, when we start tohear three, four, five, and if
the number goes up, or peoplesay, Yes, I want to be a writer,
that to me is heartwarming.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
Oh, that's amazing.
That's amazing.
Uh, and I love that uh girlshave saying that they want to be
a lawyer.
Be lawyers, girls, we needmore.
Felene Cayetano (27:55):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
So, just two final questions, please tell us a bit
uh where we can find your workand and what is your
inspiration.
Um, you have touch a bit aboutit, but like uh a one-sense
inspiration to you to become anauthor that led you to become an
author.
Felene Cayetano (28:13):
Oh wow.
All right, pleasure.
So I am I always say I'm theeasiest person to find on the
internet.
My URL is my name, feline.com.
And from there it launches offto where you could find my
books, where you could find myfilms, or more so the films
(28:36):
aren't necessarily online, butwhere they you could see a
trailer and you know we canconnect about a screening.
My inspiration really and trulyis everyday life.
It is everyday life.
It is my my heart, my love, mythe nature, my experiences as a
(28:58):
mother, my experiences, peoplewatching.
I love people watching.
So I might see somebody andsay, wow, what is their
backstory?
And from there I then go on andon.
It's memories when I thinkabout my grandmother and her in
the kitchen, which is behind ourhouse, we had a, you know, the
(29:20):
outdoor kitchen, the fire hat,you know, what she was cooking,
what was bubbling in that firehat.
I think about preserving thepast when it comes to the
stories that my elders have toldme.
And those stories, how can Iwrite them in a way that some
aspect of them is preserved?
How can I tell people about thesnake that my grandfather used
(29:43):
to keep at his farm withoutdisrupting the whole story?
You know, the story is notabout the snake, the story is
about the fact that there was atime when people could have
animals being in such fellowshipand brotherhood with an animal
that is dangerous.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
That's beautiful.
That's beautiful.
So thank you so much for yourtime, for your wisdom, and for
sharing your experience and alsoyour inspiration.
It has been quite pleasantspeaking with you.
And yes, um, we we hope that uhthis uh episode could inspire
our authors, especially in ourregion, the Caribbean, um, to
(30:27):
pursue this beautifulprofession.
Felene Cayetano (30:32):
Thank you, Leticia.
It has been a pleasure, and Iwill now be looking for your
book.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
Thank you.
It's available on the vendorthat you mentioned.
Announcer (30:46):
All right, well, I've got to be a good one.
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