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Interview with Leonie Althea, Author of “How Rice Met Peas”
By: Monica Vera
In this interview, I get the privilege of getting to know Leonie Althea, Jamaican American author of “How Rice Met Peas,” an interactive children’s book.
This book is a fun story that celebrates Jamaican culture but is inclusive enough for anyone to enjoy. The illustrations do a great job of keeping the reader engaged and able to follow the story.
Leonie Althea was born in Spanish Town and went to St. Jago High School in Jamaica. Her imagination was sparked by viewing Jamaican programs like Lime Tree Lane, and this allowed her to tap into her creativity and write poetry from a young age.
She also has a degree from William Paterson University.
Here is some more information about Leonie’s fabulous children’s book and her writing process that has allowed her to be successful.
What was your inspiration for writing “How Rice Met Peas?”
The inspiration for writing my book came from my Jamaican culture. One day I was watching a program about Jamaican heritage and I got inspired.
A few days later, the story of How Rice Met Peas came to me in one piece and I was able to sketch out the characters in one sitting.
I was basically hit with a flash of inspiration and I’m proud to say that this story was the product of that.
Can you tell me a bit about your writing process regarding this project?
Well, as I mentioned before, the story came out at once. While I did rewrite words here and there, the whole process was already formed so I didn’t have to worry about words coming to me.
Usually, things come to me in motion. Rarely do I sit down and write, it is just a matter of inspiration that seems to hit while I’m preoccupied doing something else.
Fascinating! What is the primary message you try to get across in your book?
The messages that I want readers to get out of this children’s book are those of friendship, love, kindness, and acceptance.
These two characters, Rice and Peas, form an origin story of how these two foods met and became a traditional Jamaican dish. They were surprised to see each other at first and didn’t understand one another, but despite this, they learned how to accept one another’s differences.
Because it is a children’s story, it’s a fun adventure as Rice and Peas go through the community playing, dancing and inspiring everyone to be nice to each other.
Why did you choose “Rice” and “Peas” as your main characters?
This was easy for me to choose because I grew up in Jamaica and I cooked rice and peas all the time. It wasn’t a stretch. The origin wasn’t in my head though for a story, but as I mentioned, one day, it just happened.
Because rice and peas are a staple in Jamaican culture, no one else has really used it as a fantasy tale the way that I did.
Who is the audience? What ages?
I would say the story is mostly for kids ages 6 to 10 based on the reading level. That’s typically the age range for those who would have the vocabulary and comprehension to understand.
But I know of parents and grandparents who have gotten joy from the book, too, and I hope that everyone can enjoy it.
What Jamaican themes are represented in your book?
A big element of Jamaican culture represented in the book is reggae. There’s a line in “Rice and Peas” where it references “jumping and jiving to the sweet reggae.”
I believe that this has helped make it more relatable and marketable to others. It conjures up good thoughts of what Jamaican culture is and definitely supports the idea of fun and togetherness.
Has your book been received better by American audiences, Jamaican audiences, or both?
For now, both. A lot of people that supported it originally were Jamaican since that was my primary circle, but later on, as it was introduced to mainstream society, it was embraced by both Americans and Jamaicans.
How do you interact with your readers or prospective readers?
That’s one of the things I need to do more of and that I’m definitely looking forward to doing. I haven’t done a formal reading yet with kids of the proper age range. That’s the next stage in my journey as an author.
How do you measure success regarding “How Rice Met Peas?”
Well of course, one could say success can be measured in sales, but for me, the feedback and reviews are a huge part.
I want to know how my story has touched each individual, what it meant to them, and how they connected with the story. I think those elements are all crucial when trying to define what success for a book means.
Do you have any other projects you’re working on right now?
Yes, I am! It’s another children’s book intended to be a sequel. In this book, Rice and Peas are traveling through the countryside, since in the first book they had a lot of fun in the city.
I am unsure when I will be complete with this project.
What advice do you have for other individuals interested in writing children’s books?
My advice is rather technical, especially if I’m addressing authors who want to self-publish. My advice would be to envision the size of the book you want, know if you want pictures or not and know if you want to self-publish or not.
And I want to communicate that a lot of work comes with it if you are going to self-publish. If you don’t have the patience for this, you might be better off going the traditional publishing route. That’s something I wish I would have known.
To learn more about Leonie, you can connect with her at facebook.com/LeonieAlthea.
If you’re interested in reading her book, it’s available on Amazon here.
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