CALABASH International Literary Festival 2009 will be ELECTRIFYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's finally available! The CALABASH line up of authors, performers and schedule - is finally available! And, am I impressed. Just when I thought it could not be bettered, the organisers just upped the ante and outdid even my wildest expectations. Last year, simply being able to see, hear and share a common space with Derek Walcott and Lorna Goodison - my poetic masters, revved me up enough passion and inspiration, I thought, to last me a lifetime...

.... until, I now realise that I can definitely make much more space for the likes of George Lamming and readings from E.R. Braithwaite's To Sir With Love. Oh CALABASH, you keep spoiling me with more, making me push that bar of expectation higher and higher.

Specifically, I am eager to hear Anthony Winkler's take on his Jamaica; the much crazed Junot Diaz (I am definitely going to be hitting up the pages of his book fast fast) and a free concert with Taurus Riley - for once I will become a midnight raver. I am also looking forward to hearing the lyrics of Beres Hammond dissected by Ibo Cooper, Wayne Armond, Steve Golding and Seretse Small. Step Aside Now, Beres' lyrics are now getting the literary interrogation the creative mastermind deserves after having us 'rocking away' for all these years. Electrifying! With so much creative passion transported to one place, I might even bite the bullet this year and grab that Open Mike.

After the deathblow from news that the CALABASH International Literary Festival was cancelled, many of us, like these fingers, passed on emails, begged and pleaded that we find those dollars to get the festival off the ground. We've been slowly coming back to life now that we have been told the festival is now back on. I for one, have been taking things a bit easier these days - it's not easy getting over a heart attack you know. But then ........ it's been excitement again since I got the news.

This CALABASH will definitely spike the punch of hard times. With its package so compact with creative energy, who is even thinking about that re------n? The experience being lined up is bound to jolt the barometer of economic confidence. Need I mention also that it's all for FREE. Come on people: Book that flight, book that room, save that bus fare and let's just start counting down - 21 DAYS to go!!!!!

What: CALABASH International Literary Festival 2009

When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday: May 22 - May 24, 2009
Where: Jake's Resort, Treasure Beach, JAMAICA

Check out the CALABASH official website http://www.calabashfestival.org/2009/ and make those plans final.

S.S. on cloud 9.