Français
Writers Julia Malye and Eric Chacour were guests of the Saint-B'Art association as part of the Festival Écritures des Amériques on November 27 and 28. The two authors were more than happy to take part in the events that awaited them during their stay. Starting with a lunch at the restaurant of the event's partner hotel, Le Manapany. A time to relax and talk about literature, their careers and life on Saint-Barthélemy. But the main event was scheduled for the evening of Wednesday 27th, at the Musée du Patrimoine du Brigantin in Gustavia.
Julia Malye (author of the novel La Lousiane, her fourth book) and Eric Chacour (winner of the Prix Fémina des lycéens 2023 for his novel Ce que je sais de toi) shared their literary experiences, writing methods, anecdotes and thoughts. Eric Chacour explains, "There are several factors involved in the success of a literary encounter. The venue, the talent of the moderator, the passion of the organizers... Suffice it to say that this evening at Le Brigantin was very auspicious. There was something quite magical about the evening. Julia Malye and I felt it on stage, and I hope the audience felt it too. "Clearly, this feeling was shared by the audience. One young woman who attended the event said of Eric Chacour: "Very pleasant to listen to and, I hope, just as pleasant to read. Fifteen years of writing inform his book. Atypical, original, not at all destined. He's beautiful, calm, and his prose in the second person singular appeals to me. "
Julia Malye recalls the "very warm" welcome given to the authors, adding: "I spent an unforgettable literary evening at Le Brigantin. "A meeting that preceded another, the following day, with pupils from the Mireille Choisy secondary school.
The privilege of meeting
"The exchanges with the students were fascinating, and we were able to discuss my novel as well as the creative process and the writer's craft", the author enthuses. Eric Chacour is equally enthusiastic. "It's a privilege to meet readers at a time when their literary tastes are being formed," he assures us. For two hours, we talked about books, but also about the writer's craft. I was touched that some of them waited for me at the end of the course to read the texts they had written during the writing exercise. I know how much courage it takes to overcome shyness and open up to a text in which you've put a part of yourself; I don't know if I would have had it at their age. I don't know if I would have had it at their age".
For the volunteers of the Saint-B'Art association and its cultural hydra, made up of Corinne Hennequin and Christian Hardelay, this new contribution to the Festival Écritures des Amériques, which takes place in the Guadeloupe archipelago and the Northern Isles, was once again a success. If only for the pleasure felt by the visiting authors, and the satisfaction of the readers who were able to meet them.
