Meet the Authors

Don’t miss the Reading Sessions with the visiting authors!

Ralph Cantave

Meet Ralph Cantave: a journalist from St. Maarten who shines a light on topics about local culture, government, young people, and everyday issues on the island. With a real understanding of Caribbean life, Cantave gives a voice to people who aren’t always heard and explains topics in a way that is accessible to everyone. He has also written children’s/young adult fiction and history-themed work, including ‘21 & Savage’ and ‘Give Me Back Me Kong’.

Time & date: 10 – 10:40 a.m., Saturday, September 26th
Location: USM Campus

Greta Rodney

Meet Greta Rodney: a class teacher and librarian, working in the field of early childhood education for over 15 years. She currently teaches English to preschool and primary students at the Happy School in La Savane, Grand case. She enjoys writing, studying topics on language development and exploring local history and cultural elements. She is one of the founding members of the association Les Pepites de Colombier, an association focused on promoting culture, education and communication skills.

Time & date: 10:40 – 11:20 a.m., Saturday, September 26th
Location: USM Campus

Liliana Erasmus

Meet Liliana Erasmus: a Dutch Caribbean writer who has lived in The Netherlands and is back in Aruba where she writes for children of all ages and young adults. Her newest publication ‘Zap! Zap! Zzziennng!’ has been turned into an immersive, multi-purpose audiobook. Her debut, the children’s poetry collection ‘Rima Rond di Aruba’ is a local bestseller, and the start of Liliana’s career as an author (and illustrator) of children’s stories, poems, songs, radio and short plays in Papiamento, Dutch and English.

Time & date: 11:20 a.m. – 12:00 p.m, Saturday, September 26th
Location: USM Campus

Marvin Hokstam

Meet Marvin Hokstam: A journalist, educator, and storyteller who has built his entire career around service to community. He started out in 1992 as a freelance journalist and went on to work for Surinamese, Caribbean, Dutch and international media. In 2026 he published his first novel, a thriller called ‘Het Punt’ that begins with the murder of a racist Amsterdam politician and unspools into a story spanning Ghana, Suriname, and the Netherlands, tackling colonial legacy, identity, and social polarization along the way.

Time & date: 10:40 – 11:20 a.m., Saturday, September 26th
Location: USM Campus

Joselyne Arnell

Meet Joselyne Arnell: an educator, author, and primary school Education Officer from Saint Martin who dedicated her career to fostering literacy and cultural pride in the Caribbean. Deeply inspired by her grandfather’s oral storytelling traditions, she writes vibrant children’s books—including ‘Ignacio and the Mysterious Egg’, and ‘New Moon for Quashiba’—that weave together local flora, fauna, and historical events to teach young readers about resilience, friendship, and cultural heritage.

Time & date: 12 – 12:40 p.m., Saturday, September 26th
Location: USM Campus

Rochelle Ward

Meet Rochelle Ward: a St. Martin poet, writer, educator, and cultural advocate. She is the author of the poetry collection ‘Tangle’, with work published in The Caribbean Writer, Karavan’s Hurricane Poems, and the St. Martin Climate Impact Atlas. Her writing explores Caribbean identity, memory, heritage, womanhood, and our relationship with place. Ward has performed and facilitated workshops throughout the Caribbean and she encourages young people to recognize that their own voices, experiences, and communities are worthy of literature.

Time & date: 12 – 12:20 p.m., Saturday, September 26th
Location: USM Campus

Ingrid Fyffe


Time & date: 12:40 – 1:20 p.m., Saturday, September 26th
Location: USM Campus

Rima Orie

Meet Rima Orie: A Dutch fantasy author who loves taking her readers on fantastic adventures to magical worlds. She weaves magic into history, folkore and more. Rima’s debut, ‘De Zwendelprins’, was nominated for the Hebban Debut Prize, the Beste Boek voor Jongeren and De Kleine Cervantes. ‘Within the Heart of Wicked Creatures’ is her second book which won the prize for the Beste Boek voor Jongeren. She was invited to write a story for the Dutch Book Week Gift for Young Adults: 3PAK 2023. Her most recent work is the second book of the Bloodmoon-duology: ‘Onze versplinterde zielen’.

Time & date: 1:20 – 2 p.m., Saturday, September 26th
Location: USM Campus

Angelique


Time & date: 2 – 3 p.m., Saturday, September 26th
Location: USM Campus