Barbara Ellington, Lifestyle Editor

The Roving with Lalah book cover. - Contributed

Later this month, The Gleaner's Robert Lalah will have his first book published, based on his popular weekly series Roving with Lalah. This is a singular honour for the 25-year-old journalist who cherished dreams of being a writer for as long as he can remember. The actual production, from getting the edited manuscript to the publishers to holding a printed hard-cover copy of the work in his hand, may have taken just under six months but the genesis of Ian Randle Publishers' Roving with Lalah goes back into the author's youth.

Robert Lalah, a graduate of the University of the West Indies where he majored in Literatures in English, always loved words and writing but his late father was even more determined to see it happen. Therefore, it is no surprise that the book is dedicated to Lalah's father who passed away last year. Both shared a special bond and dad is sure to be happy as he 'looks down' on his son - the author.

Wheels in motion

"I'm sorry he isn't here to see it become a reality. I always wanted to write a book but always imagined it happening in my 40s. My dad really wanted me to do a compilation of the Roving stories, so this is more for him than for myself," Lalah said with more than a tinge of sadness upon reflection about his late father who actually set the wheels in motion and first suggested that Lalah do a collection of the popular Gleaner series in book form. So determined was dad that he saved a copy of all the articles written for The Gleaner, including letters to the editor that his young son had written before even leaving prep school.

Then the elder Lalah compiled a special file of the Roving articles on his computer, adding to them each week. Lalah quips that he's sure his dad would have gone ahead and published the book if he had not done it first.

The second person to plant the idea of a book into Lalah's subconscious was The Gleaner's Editor-in-Chief Garfield Grandison. This is not something new to The Gleaner, but the editorial boss wanted to see the practice revived. However, Lalah is the first employee to write a book while still a member of the department. And he is, perhaps, the youngest. He began working at The Gleaner on June 1, 2004, and started the series on October 27, 2005.

Readers requests

More encouragement came with an avalanche of reader feedback through letters and emails. Readers weekly made many requests for a book of the interesting stories written in the author's inimitible style. Many readers (usually Jamaicans living abroad), often requested of Lalah that he visit their deep rural villages after reading about many of the often forgotten Jamaican places, weekly

"I knew I wanted to be an author from I was in prep school," admitted Lalah, as we sat down to chat late one evening after work. In his younger days, he often pictured himself as a Gleaner columnist with his photograph beside his work.

Perfectionist

The St Jago High School graduate would later follow in dad's footsteps and begin his relationship with the region's oldest newspaper by writing several letters to the editor. "My father was a perfectionist when it came to writing and I think I got some of those traits from him. He was a correspondent for The Gleaner in the '70s and later on made numerous contributions to the letters page," Lalah revealed.

Like his father before him, all of Lalah's letters were published and that gave him some encouragement. After St Jago High High School, he majored in Literatures in English at the University of the West Indies. Then in June 2004, he got a job at the North Street landmark as a part of the News Desk team and, in October 2005, the well-read series began.

On the road

There was no method to the selection of roving locales. "The photographer and I would drive out into the parishes, frequently into the hilly areas, very often we drove until we were lost. Then we would stop at a bar or a shop, strike up a conversation with the residents and some very interesting stories would evolve as we chatted," Lalah said when asked how he selected the places to rove.

On many occasions, Lalah asked the man on the street questions about the communities and when some of the men got a little tipsy, they let their lips loose on just about all the local goings-on.

To be continued next week.

Robert Lalah

Robert's father, Errol. - photo by Robert Lalah

The Roving with Lalah book is coming! Pre-order a copy today at www.ianrandlepublishers.com.

Robert Lalah will be appearing at the Word Power Book Fair at the Arsenal Emirates Stadium in London on October 10, 11 and 12 between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. each day.