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Rise Up, Sista
Two women. Two musical vibes. One song.
Set in the UK and Jamaica, Rise Up, Sista is a story about female friendship and the power of music to change individual lives and popular culture that spans over fifty years. Mercy Mae Williams, a Jamaican reggae artist, and Annabelle Sinclair, a British rocker, meet as young women in London in 1963. It’s a heady era—cultural revolution and fresh musical genres explode on both sides of the Atlantic.
Set in the UK and Jamaica, Rise Up, Sista is a story about female friendship and the power of music to change individual lives and popular culture that spans over fifty years. Mercy Mae Williams, a Jamaican reggae artist, and Annabelle Sinclair, a British rocker, meet as young women in London in 1963. It’s a heady era—cultural revolution and fresh musical genres explode on both sides of the Atlantic.
323 pages, Paperback
Published November 15, 2021
4 people want to read
About the author
Kristine Simelda
12 books7 followersKristine Simelda was born in the U.S. and writes from Dominica, the Nature Island of the Caribbean, where she has lived since 1994.
During this time, she created her own imprint, River Ridge Press, Dominica, which has published four books: three adult novels - A Face in the River, 2015; River of Fire, 2016; and Nobody Owns the Rainbow, 2017) - and a novella for young adults, Back to the River, 2019.
Having lived in the Caribbean region for so long, she is concerned with the big picture from a small island perspective. She believes good fiction should always have a moral purpose; it should reach out to the reader and create empathy for the alternate point of view. Accordingly, Kristine's literary themes cover cross-cultural misunderstandings, natural disaster and resilience, foreign exploitation, climate change, migration, and of course, romance.
Her short fiction has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies, including New Afrikan Journal of Culture, Politics, and Consciousness; Poui: Cave Hill Journal of Creative Writing; The Caribbean American Heritage Literary Magazine; Caribbean Women: New Voices, Emerging Perspectives; The Caribbean Writer, Issue 34 (September, 2020), Jewels of the Caribbean; Anomaly, Caribbean Folio, Issue 28; and Interviewing the Caribbean.
Kristine is the co-founder of Waitukubuli Writers, a group of aspiring poets and writers based in Dominica - https://www.facebook.com/pg/waitukubu...
Her website is www.kristinesimelda.com and you can visit her publishing imprint River Ridge Press, Dominica on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RiverRidgePr...
During this time, she created her own imprint, River Ridge Press, Dominica, which has published four books: three adult novels - A Face in the River, 2015; River of Fire, 2016; and Nobody Owns the Rainbow, 2017) - and a novella for young adults, Back to the River, 2019.
Having lived in the Caribbean region for so long, she is concerned with the big picture from a small island perspective. She believes good fiction should always have a moral purpose; it should reach out to the reader and create empathy for the alternate point of view. Accordingly, Kristine's literary themes cover cross-cultural misunderstandings, natural disaster and resilience, foreign exploitation, climate change, migration, and of course, romance.
Her short fiction has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies, including New Afrikan Journal of Culture, Politics, and Consciousness; Poui: Cave Hill Journal of Creative Writing; The Caribbean American Heritage Literary Magazine; Caribbean Women: New Voices, Emerging Perspectives; The Caribbean Writer, Issue 34 (September, 2020), Jewels of the Caribbean; Anomaly, Caribbean Folio, Issue 28; and Interviewing the Caribbean.
Kristine is the co-founder of Waitukubuli Writers, a group of aspiring poets and writers based in Dominica - https://www.facebook.com/pg/waitukubu...
Her website is www.kristinesimelda.com and you can visit her publishing imprint River Ridge Press, Dominica on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RiverRidgePr...
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 7, 2021
I was enthralled with the phenomenal journey through 50 years of British rock, as well as the fascinating evolution of reggae music in Jamaica. The plot twisted and turned on vastly different islands, through the interactions of intriguing characters. Constant conflicts kept me riveted to the pages until the exciting conclusion. The trials and tribulations of the two 'Sistas' are cleverly set against the backdrop of their countries, cultures, personal challenges, societal trends and the ever-changing music industry. I'll leave it to you to find out if their friendship endures over half a century.
January 1, 2022
Here's my thoughts on Your last book...
I was surprised really at the rawness of the hard drugs, smoking and the sex... the imagination is not very far away.
Of course, there's always more to life than punishment and reward. Well done Kristine. It's beautiful how music 🎶 draws people together. Coupled with the effects on endorphins, music seems to make us feel good and connect with others, perhaps particularly when we make music ourselves.
I appreciate how you introduced the history of Jamaica. I was enthralled with the phenomenal journey through 50 years of British rock, as well as the fascinating evolution of reggae music in Jamaica. They brought back so many memories of the hard rock cafe in Colihaut in the 80s. Like these ladies we had some mad fun. The rock did not grow on us but reggae is like medicine. The plot twisted and turned on vastly different islands, through its intriguing characters, depicting village life. Constant conflict kept me reading until the last chapter. The trials and tribulations of the two 'Sistas' are cleverly set against the backdrop of their countries, cultures, personal challenges, societal trends and the ever-changing music industry. I'll leave it to the readers to find out if this sisterly love endures, and survives against all odds.
I got so deeply immersed in the book that the spirit of the place also took over me. I looked up during one night of reading and I thought I saw a short man bending down looking at me from above. It turned out it was just my delirium and what I saw was my ceiling lights. I coughed, laughing like I was high on something. The book was really in its entirety and very well written and informative. A perfect example of showing and not telling and properly researched.
Overall, this book also offers some wonderful encouraging words for all sistahs. The author kept things organic and flowing.
I was surprised really at the rawness of the hard drugs, smoking and the sex... the imagination is not very far away.
Of course, there's always more to life than punishment and reward. Well done Kristine. It's beautiful how music 🎶 draws people together. Coupled with the effects on endorphins, music seems to make us feel good and connect with others, perhaps particularly when we make music ourselves.
I appreciate how you introduced the history of Jamaica. I was enthralled with the phenomenal journey through 50 years of British rock, as well as the fascinating evolution of reggae music in Jamaica. They brought back so many memories of the hard rock cafe in Colihaut in the 80s. Like these ladies we had some mad fun. The rock did not grow on us but reggae is like medicine. The plot twisted and turned on vastly different islands, through its intriguing characters, depicting village life. Constant conflict kept me reading until the last chapter. The trials and tribulations of the two 'Sistas' are cleverly set against the backdrop of their countries, cultures, personal challenges, societal trends and the ever-changing music industry. I'll leave it to the readers to find out if this sisterly love endures, and survives against all odds.
I got so deeply immersed in the book that the spirit of the place also took over me. I looked up during one night of reading and I thought I saw a short man bending down looking at me from above. It turned out it was just my delirium and what I saw was my ceiling lights. I coughed, laughing like I was high on something. The book was really in its entirety and very well written and informative. A perfect example of showing and not telling and properly researched.
Overall, this book also offers some wonderful encouraging words for all sistahs. The author kept things organic and flowing.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews