Manuel Ramirez
A former York alumna has written and self-published her first book — eight years after graduating from the college.
Laquette R. Holmes is a wife, mother, educator, and published author. Holmes started writing when she was a child.
“My mother told me she would pop me in the mouth for my flip lip,” said Holmes. “So I learned to write my words instead of speaking them.”
Holmes started her career as a writer while attending York College as a creative writing major. She later graduated from Queens College, where she obtained a Master’s of the Arts degree in English Literature. Although Holmes studied literature as an academic, her book is about the trials and tribulations of love.
The title of the book, My Beginning, is the first book in a planned “Trinity” series.
“This book was born out of the question: who heals the physician?” said Holmes.
Holmes described her book as a contemporary romance novel that she hoped will open the minds and hearts of her readers.
“I feel like reading my book, people may be more open to finding love and the possibility of letting love in,” said Holmes.
More often than not romance novels are not considered a form of literature, but they certainly are one of the highest grossing genres.
“Romance novels are to literature what pornographic movies are to the film industry, they’re not considered art and the people writing them are not considered to be skilled writers,” said Holmes.
“I’ve spent six years between my B.A. and my M.A. learning the science of writing, studying scholarship and the canons,” said Holmes. “The idea that I write romance because I can’t write anything of substance, as defined by the normative opinion of literature, is simply wrong.”
Holmes emphasized that balance is the key to a healthy you. She stressed the fact that people often forget to take care of themselves, but should remember to “take care of the inside the way you do your outside,” she said.
“I believe there needs to be a balance between body, mind and soul,” said Holmes. “The world is so product-driven, everyone wants to produce something. The thing is, if you don’t refuel your soul, the thing that carries us through life, then you become stressed and bogged down by life.”
Having balance and being open to love are the two ingredients that Holmes makes sure to incorporate in her books. She believes that love is a basic need and should be something that we all aspire for or desire to have.
“I believe everyone needs love and although there is no tangible example of what love is, it has been proven that the lack of it contributes to the manifestation of problems,” said Holmes.
Holmes will make an appearance at York College’s Vendor’s Market on Wednesday April 30 in the Atrium from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“I believe my books provide a moment of escape for my readers,” said Holmes. “For just a few minutes they don’t have to worry about everything life is demanding of them. They can just relax, smile, laugh, and enjoy the story and the antics of my characters.”
