Bursting with humour "ROGUES" reveals

surprising truths about heritage

colonialism and the Black experience

Two Weeks to Judgement Day

Two weeks to pay the Magistrate

"Got to find the money, man. Flip, flap, slide, and slap. Moving forward, never back. Ain’t no rhyme in the jailhouse block. No such thing as jailhouse rock. Got to keep the music live. Ain’t going to no jailhouse dive.”

Meet Ace, a charming rogue who has a special relationship with the law. His antics will amuse you. He has been a mover, worked in top nightclubs, but is taking time out to live by his wits, skirting the law.

Pompasettin

Pompasettin All Style & No Substance Leads To A Fall

He assumed his fancy attire gave him priority, but he was not expecting the tongue-lashing he got in this true story of island social etiquette. Knowing your place and getting called out, in no uncertain tone, when you don’t is a hard lesson to lear.

Chalky Mount Caper

One dark night, after leaving Old Trees Pub , Rex had the brilliant idea to put some construction cones with flashing lights on top of Chalky Mount.

You'll never guess what happens next!

Woolly Hewitt

The airways were ripe with gossip. Simon Cowell and his family visited Barbados, and Woolly was prepared to hijack the occasion.

Read how he piggy-backed on the star to gain international acclaim as a world-famous folk artist.

True Story of Outrageous Rogues, Heroes, and History of Barbados

Rain Man

That was Anthony’s way of acknowledging me as I came to the beach. Anthony is a beach vendor, artisan, singer, and man with heart. Tourists look at Anthony and only see his folded stall of three planks, red velvet cloth, and beaded necklaces. They don’t see his spirit and character. Anthony—like Ace, the passionate fruit vendor, and Keith, the coconut man—is part of Barbados’ vibrant local patchwork that escapes a typical tourist’s experience.

The book starts with stories of everyday folk—the beach vendors, the coconut men, and the island's everyday characters. Next are anecdotes of significant personalities, places, events, and history — each written with a unique perspective that looks behind the obvious. Using DNA analysis, the stories dig deep to establish roots and explore Barbados' rich and little-known African heritage.

The saga builds toward a conclusion that reveals a surprising reality about Bajan identity and culture.

About Rogues in Paradise

Chalky Mount @kaddesh1

“You ordered the rain, man? I see it coming just when you arrive.”

Rogues, Heroes & Legends

Knights, Dames and Matriarchs:

Special Places:

A Twist of History:

Reviews

Barbados-Born Sam Lord - An Ingenious Pirate

Hear it from the Lord himself. In this fantasy tale, Sam Lord tells you all you want to know about his ruthless charm and defiance of the law. He is credited as the most creative pirate of his time. Some say his treasures still lie buried in tunnels below Sam Lord’s Castle.

A Lovely 5-Star Book Review Must Read

A gripping, charming, utterly unputdownable paean to Barbados, this book brims with wit, elegance, and subtle humour. - Savyasachee Jha, Readsy

I have to start out with some effusive praise of the writing. I've read several boring slice-of-life vignettes and travelogues, but this piece of writing was anything but. I can't quite place the style, but I was able to get a hint of Roald Dahl's writing in Boy and the first few chapters of Going Solo in the rhetorical flourishes applied to the characters; and a bit of Ruskin Bond's flow in the poems and rhythms applied left, right and centre. Each character jumps off the page, their images as vivid as the pictures painted by Woolly Hewitt or Darla Trotman.

I loved how you instantly catapult us into the rhythm of Barbados with Ace, and that carries through – great imagery/scene-setting. The stories throughout are fantastic, and you have a real skill for injecting us into the heart of a scene, making us able to visualize and feel like we too are experiencing it. And of course now I really want to visit, so well done in that respect too!

Donna Hillyer - Editor/Publisher

The book’s anecdotes and histories are made compelling not only through this storytelling craftsmanship, but also through your narrative perspective; Rogues in Paradise has a playful, celebratory tone that makes the charms of its subject matter irresistable.

FriesenPress - Editor/Publisher

More than 25 cruise lines call on Barbados, and its 80-plus beaches lure one million visitors annually. Yet Barbados has a rich and diverse heritage that often goes unseen. While there are books on Barbados, its history was written by the white colonialists who enslaved its people; this book changes that perspective with a vivid portrait of Barbados told through first-person accounts of Bajan Rogues, Heroes ordinary folk and legends.

Why Rogues in Paradise

ROGUES IN PARADISE explores the dynamics of these characters and more. It unravels history, heritage and character to tell the saga of a tiny island that was the wealthiest of all British colonies in the new world. It continues to have influence way beyond its borders.

In a time of racial tension and persistent discrimination and misunderstanding, ROGUES gives hope with the example of the resilient people of Barbados—where decedents of the slaves are masters of their own multicultural nation that welcomes an inspires all.

Set against a buzzing backdrop of iconic rum shops, historic chattel houses, and bustling open-air markets, these tales explore the island’s character and uncovers a remarkable people. Legends like Rachael Pringle rose out of slavery to become a successful businesswomen in the then-British colony. Heroes like Bussa, born a free man in Africa, and brought to Barbados as a slave, led a revolutionary revolt against the colonial plantation owners. Ground-Breakers like Mia Mottley, Barbados’ media-savvy Prime Minister, ranked as a top influencers by Time magazine. Trend-Setters like Rihanna, a pop star who engineered a cosmetic and fashion brand and became the youngest self-made female billionaire.

Ian R. Clayton is a seasoned traveler, writer, and tourism professional. He was born in Trinidad and has worked and lived in Europe, North America, South America, Asia, and the Caribbean. His Caribbean roots include work in Barbados and schooling in Trinidad, Jamaica, and Guyana. He received secondary education in Ireland, studied hospitality and catering in the UK, and graduated, with honours, in business and finance at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. Later, he attended postgraduate studies in computer science at both Concordia and McGill University.

Clayton has been featured in the New York Times and in many publications and media in Canada. He was awarded the Atlantic Canada 1 Million Dollar Grant for Innovation. Clayton has over twenty years of experience in tourism, building leading travel technology and digital media applications for hotels and tourism operators. In 1995, Clayton founded the Barbados Tourism Encyclopaedia (Barbados.org) and a network of successful travel sites, reaching approximately one million unique visitors annually (1,000,000).

Clayton is also a blogger, photographer, and videographer. He is the Bestselling author of Website, and books on Digital Media and How to Build Your Business Online. He writes about travel, people, and places for fun and has published many articles on travel and technology.

About the Author

The Setting and Cast

Every Day People

More People

The Black Experience

White Jellyfish | Post-Emancipation | Post Colonials

The Visitor

Settlers | Inspiring Communities Far Away | Sand, Sea Sky and Windhunters | The Cosmic Barbadian

Conclusion

The anecdotal stories and deep dives into history, heritage and DNA-genealogy analysis of roots and culture, combine to create a powerful saga of a unique people. The conclusion ties all together with reference to the past and a view to the future.

A thoughtful, funny, and provocative story of the people of Barbados. Readers will find themselves in an evolving world that explores and explains surprising truths about its history, heritage, and culture

Calum Glenny - The Avid Traveller

From Eagerly Opening the Book for the first time I was unable to put it down.