Ashleigh Rolle Attend St. Mary's University

Hi, my name is Ashleigh Sean Rolle - a Bahamian writer, essayist, content creator, and community worker from Freeport, Grand Bahama.

I’ve always dreamed of becoming a novelist - to craft beautiful stories that represent the rich history and culture of The Bahamas. Despite having never been to college, I applied for the Creative Writing: First Novels MA at St. Mary’s University, Twickenham, London where I received an unconditional offer to attend their university in September 2023. While most creative writing Master's degrees encourage students to sample a variety of written forms, St. Mary’s creative writing degree focuses solely on the novel. This creative writing program is aimed at students who want the time, support and tools needed to complete their first draft manuscript – and the network and knowledge needed to take it further, toward an agent or publisher.

I am confident that by obtaining this degree, I will be able to complete my novel and land a major publication, and represent Bahamian contemporary literature in the current market. Thus far, my writings have been in renowned publications and spaces, this includes HuffPost, MindThis Magazine, Fodor’s Travel, Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, CNN, NAGB catalog, and popular Bahamian digital platform, 10th Year Seniors.

About The Novel

My novel with the working title, The Ancestor Training Academy, is a story that seeks to bring life to Caribbean Islanders’ traditions around the concept of death and the pressure we often place on our ancestors once they have passed on. The story follows G’Gee, a 12-year-old Bahamian girl who is learning to navigate the world after the passing of her grandmother. She is the youngest of her first cousins and is very quiet. Because of her shy and awkward nature, she often finds herself on the outskirts of family gatherings. Her grandmother, however, was the only one that would listen to the stories G’Gee wrote, together they discussed exciting school projects, her fears, her hopes and her dreams. In the wake of her grandmother's passing, G’Gee finds herself not just lost but hopeless. The story simultaneously follows Beryl a recently departed woman of the silent generation who is trying to navigate a new world, the afterlife. Beryl yearns to become an ancestor but learns that she can only do so after she meets the requisite amount of training.

The Ancestor Training Academy reinforces the importance of matriarchs and their impact on Bahamian society. The story walks its readers through how Caribbean communities have been built and shaped by the hands, heads and hearts of the silent generation's women elders. In doing so, the book also provides a catharsis that points to the process of how we experience the loss of a loved one as well as the many ways in which we should honour them as ancestral forces in our life.

Financial Assistance

Presently, I am focused on meeting the deadline of my seat deposit (£10,000) for May 31st, 2023. While I have also applied for local scholarships and grants, the committees will not decide until August. This is why I am kindly asking for your help! No matter the amount, any donation truly counts and helps me to reach one step closer to my dream.