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by Diane

Returning to Princes Town, Trinidad: A Journey Through Time and Memory

Published: Wednesday, January 28, 2026 9:33:41 AM
In December 2025, I made a long-overdue decision to return to Trinidad, the island where I lived from 1975 to 1979, and the place my parents called home. My parents grew up as neighbours in St. James. Their life together was shaped by a shared history and a deep calling. Since the age of ten, my ...
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by Diane

Return to the Hummingbird Isle: A 46-Year Journey

Published: Sunday, January 25, 2026 8:58:16 AM
After nearly half a century, I had the privilege of returning to Trinidad for the 2025 Christmas and New Year season. Having lived there for four years as a child, I felt a growing pull to revisit my roots and see how the island had evolved. The spark for the trip came from a former neighbor in P...
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by Diane

Celebrate the Spirit of Notting Hill Carnival 2025 – A Tribute to Trinidadian Culture

Published: Friday, August 15, 2025 4:06:46 AM
The streets of West London are about to come alive again with the colour, rhythm and unstoppable energy of the Notting Hill Carnival 2025; Europes biggest street festival and one of the most vibrant celebrations of Caribbean culture outside the Caribbean itself. While it has been embraced by comm...
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by Diane

The Journey to Independence: How Trinidad Forged its Path to Freedom.

Published: Friday, July 11, 2025 9:19:22 AM
Trinidad's path to independence is a powerful and multifaceted tale that spans centuries of colonisation, struggle and eventual triumph. For many, August 31st 1962 marks the day when Trinidad oficially became a sovereign nation, severing the colonial ties to Britain. However, the journey to indepe...
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by Diane

Why did I name the book "Conquerabia"?

Published: Monday, May 5, 2025 8:42:20 AM
Im often asked why I named my debut novel Conquerabia The Struggle for Identity. My extensive research unearthed the fact that one of the earliest names of Port of Spain is Conqerabia, a name that is associated with the Amerindian settlement that predated the islands colonisation by Spain. Anoth...
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by Diane

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Real Buccaneers Behind the Myths

Published: Friday, May 2, 2025 9:31:01 AM
When we think of pirates today, its often through the lens of Hollywoodswashbuckling heroes with a moral compass and a flair for drama. But the truth about piracy in the Caribbean is far more complex and tangled, especially during the era chronicled in Conquerabia: The Struggle for Identity. The sea...
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by Diane

Is this a good book for book clubs?

Published: Thursday, May 1, 2025 1:50:13 AM
Absolutely. With rich characters, dramatic historical tension and timely themes, Conquerabia provides ample material for discussion. Questions around cultural legacy, truth in storytelling and moral complexity in colonial systems make it perfect for engaged reading groups.
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by Diane

Can this book be used in academic settings?

Published: Wednesday, April 30, 2025 8:07:01 AM
Yes, Conquerabia is a valuable resource for courses in: * Caribbean and Latin American history; * Postcolonial literature; * Black British and diaspora studies; * Women's and cultural identity narratives. Educators can use the novel to spark meaningful conversations around race, power and h...
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by Diane

Why is identity such a central theme in this book?

Published: Tuesday, April 29, 2025 11:44:49 AM
The novel tackles identity on multiple levels - national, cultural, personal and spiritual. As Trinidad undergoes radical transofrmation under foreign rule, its people grapple with belonging, resistance and reinvention. These themes remain deeply relevant today, especially among members of the Car...
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by Diane

Are there other novels like this set in Trinidad?

Published: Sunday, April 27, 2025 1:40:31 AM
Very few novels explore Trinidad's colonial history in such depth. Conqierabia stands out as a unique contribution to Caribbean literature. It offers readers a rare glimpse into the island's early colonial years - an era often overlooked in popular fiction.
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by Diane

How historically accurate is the novel?

Published: Friday, April 25, 2025 12:38:23 PM
Conquerabia is grounded in meticulous research. While it is a work of fiction, it incorporates real historical figures like Governor Thomas Picton and accurately reflects the political and social climate of 18th-century Trinidad. Diane M. Hinds brings authenticity to the narrative through a careful ...
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by Diane

Who should read this book?

Published: Thursday, April 24, 2025 12:32:47 PM
This novel is ideal for: * Readers of historical fiction with a strong sense of place and identity. * Students and educators of Caribbean Studies, Colonial History, and Postconolian Literature. * Fans of multi-generational and heritage-based storytelling. * Anyone seeking deeper insight into t...
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by Diane

What is Conquerabia: The Struggle for Identity about?

Published: Thursday, April 24, 2025 11:27:44 AM
"Conquerabia" is a powerful historical novel that explores Trinidad's turbulent pastfrom its "discovery" by Christopher Columbus in 1498 through its transition from Spanish to British rule. The story delves into themes of colonialism, cultural identity, and the looming abolition of slavery, bringing...
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by Diane

How Mail Was Handled in the Late 18th Century: The Pre-Royal Mail Stamp Era

Published: Monday, October 14, 2024 7:14:38 AM
When we think of sending mail today, its a simple process: write a letter, affix a stamp, and drop it in the nearest postbox. But in the late 18th century, long before the introduction of the iconic Royal Mail stamp we recognise today, the process of sending and receiving letters was far more compli...
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by Diane

The Packet Ship

Published: Saturday, October 12, 2024 6:46:23 AM
A packet ship in the late 18th century was a type of vessel that operated on a fixed schedule, primarily carrying mail, passengers, and sometimes cargo between specific ports. The term "packet" comes from the small packages or bundles of letters and documents, known as "packets," that these ships re...
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by Diane

What were your intentions or inspirations behind Conquerabia?

Published: Saturday, July 6, 2024 12:07:03 PM
Conquerabia is book 2 in the writing process. When I near completed book 1, I was advised that it could be two or three books and decided that I wanted to start with my protagonists' Great grand mother and show the strength of character through generations, inspired by my time on the island of Trin...
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by Diane

Which character did you find most challenging or rewarding to develop, and why?

Published: Saturday, July 6, 2024 12:04:49 PM
Another great question. I would say Mable and Adisa for different reasons. I liked writing about Mabel's strength under adversity and then about Adisa and her development as a character. I loved getting lost in my characters and imagining what it would be like about the late 18th Century.
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