Basillia Barnaby-Cuff pens children’s book
‘The Adventures of Mannershill Valley’ teaches kids about manners
Published:Sunday | December 24, 2023 | 6:15 AMKrysta Anderson - Staff Reporter -
This beautiful Jill of all trades first rose to stardom for going viral on social media. With the roles of comedian and mistress of ceremonies under her career belt, Basillia Barnaby-Cuff , a full-time content creator and freelance television host embarked on an exciting entrepreneurial journey, creating history as the founder and director of gospel awards show, the Sterling Gospel Awards. Today, Barnaby-Cuff is now a proud author. The wife and mom has penned a children’s book, titled The Adventures of Mannershill Valley.
“The title, which plays on what the book is about, teaches children how to use their manners and be polite in a fun, adventurous and imaginative way. Writing this particular book was easy, as it flowed from my upbringing, as well as from my experience of being a mother of two young girls,” she tells The Sunday Gleaner.
Barnaby-Cuff has always wanted to become an author, but she wasn’t sure which area would win her over. That all changed when she was invited to participate in an original children’s story competition.
“This was actually the story I wrote. After the video of me reading it was published on social media, I started getting requests for the paperback version, which was non-existent at the time. It was then that I decided to develop the story I wrote initially, and turn it into a book. The entire process cemented my decision to continue doing children’s books,” she revealed.
Given the animated nature of the venture, Barnaby-Cuff enlisted South African illustrator Katie African to help in bringing this magical experience to colour. With a little over a year to fine-tune the manuscript, the book, which was published through Canada-based and Jamaican-owned publishing house Norwood Creative Hub Publishing, was officially released on Saturday, December 2.
The reviews and support so far, she says, have been amazing. “From my family and friends to former schoolmates and supporters in Jamaica and around the world, people have reached out to share their positive thoughts and show their love. Just days after being published, my book ranked number 29 in the world on Amazon’s bestsellers in children’s social skills. This is a big deal, and I’m so grateful to God for the support,” she says.
Speaking of support, the children’s book author made special mention of her loving husband, Brian, and her adorable daughters, Bree’Ah-Marie and Bella-Renée who continue to stand as her primary source of imagination, inspiration and motivation.
“My husband Brian was very supportive of my decision to pursue writing this book, especially during those long nights of going back and forth with my illustrator. He was also the co-editor of the book, along with my friend Esther Pinnock. My daughters are very excited! Especially because they are the main characters in the book — Bree and Bella. My illustrator worked very hard to ensure that the characters also look like my girls, and that’s definitely something they are over the moon about,” Barnaby-Cuff highlighted.
Juggling her roles daily is no easy task, but this shining star stays determined, prioritising what’s necessary at the time and incorporating time management into her routine. “God and my family come first, then everything else is carefully scheduled to ensure that nothing is left behind, and that my deadlines are met and commitments honoured. Having an efficient management team also helps in a huge way,” she added.
She advises those looking to pen their own children’s book to first find their focus, do the research, and source good editors to help them on their journey.
“During the process, take your time, pursue your passion, and know that it is okay to get weary, but don’t stop. Producing this book proved to be harder than I thought it would have been. But I decided to trust God, the process, and focus on ensuring my vision came to life the way I wanted it to, even if it took longer than I expected,” she shared.
Aimed at educating children by reinforcing the importance of being polite in an innovative, imaginative and festive way, the children’s book author hopes to use The Adventures of Mannershill Valley as a mechanism to positively nurture young minds. “Parenting is hard and every piece of good advice helps. This is just another way I can share, inspire, encourage and pledge to help to ‘play my part in advancing the welfare of the whole human race.’”