Editor, Michelle Neita celebrates with Cover Designer, Michelle Welsh with a photo op on the arrival of the advance copy of Jamaica's "Forgotten Prime Minister" - DONALD SANGSTER, authored by Hartley Neita and published by Lena Rose of Minna Press.

Ever wondered what happens at a bed and breakfast when guests are not in house? Or specifically, what happens at Neita's Nest? Can't tell you all the behind the scenes activities but I would like to share one project with which I am particularly pleased.

Some of you may know that I am a Freelance Editor. I have given editorial supervision, been copy editor and proofreader for several publications in recent years, projects with which I am pleased to have been associated: Hugh Shearer: A Voice for the People, The Search..., Champs 100..., The Story of Portmore..., and more recently, The Power and The Glory..., to name a few. Some were done before the birth of Neita's Nest, others were in the fledgling days, and some have been done more recently in between guests or late at night when everyone is in bed or out on the town. 

My most recent project was a one-year labour of love. On July 29, on the eve of the Jamaica50 Celebrations, we launched the biography of a former prime minister of Jamaica, Sir Donald Sangster which was written by my father. What made it special you might ask? It wasn't the largest of the books I had ever worked on. It wasn't the first book of national importance. Neither was it the first volume of history. It certainly wasn't my first biography. It wasn't even the first book on a head of government.  And it wasn't the first manuscript by my father. 

Yes, it is the biography of a prime minister of Jamaica, naturally of national and historic importance, and written by Hartley Neita. It even received the distinct honour of being selected by the Jamaica50 Secretariat to bear the insignia, Proudly Celebrating Jamaica50 insignia. Awesome!

What made this project even more awesome for me though, was that this was the first time that I was editing a book and the author was not around to sign off.  This time I could not put a question mark on a page and return it for clarification. I could not suggest alternate ways of rephrasing a statement and leave it to the author to decide. This time I could not call Daddy to question the content, compliment him on a phrase, comment on his style or to have a good laugh with him on the history recorded. 

The process was as much challenging as it was cathartic. The challenge is clear. The catharsis was in the daily reminders that he is here with me with his guiding hand. I only had to muse a while over the hand written notes and the newspaper clippings and eventually I would come to know the reason he kept them on file. So Daddy, now I know why you kept all those papers all over your office.

Kemar Robinson was our 100th guest here at Neita's Nest for 2012, Jamaica's 50th year of Independence. 

In keeping with our promise to celebrate in a special way with every 50th guest, Kemar, and his wife Allaceea received a copy of the bio,
Jamaica's "Forgotten Prime Minister" - DONALD SANGSTER,
written by my dad, Hartley Neita, and edited right here at Neita's Nest over the past year.

Allaceea and Kemar came to celebrate their 1st wedding anniversary and her birthday, and they ended up with memories to last even beyond their 50th years of wedded bliss.

We couldn't think of a more fitting gift for the occasion. And I don't think we can top that when our next 50th guest comes this year. We will save a copy for you! Cheers.

Neita's Nest was among a handful of bed and breakfasts invited to learn about The Caribbean Birding Trail;all because we have over 20 species of birds which love our natural habitat.


The kind invitation came from The Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (SCSCB) which is a nonprofit membership organization working to conserve the birds of the Caribbean and their habitats through research, education, conservation action and capacity building. 
Our partnership with CBT will benefit all of us. So, whether it is our National Bird, the Doctor Bird, or the the wild parakeets, the scarlet- headed woodpecker, or the winter birds which fly south as nest here,  come to Neita's Nest for the birdwatching, and stay with us for the early-morning bird songs.

We have much to celebrate in Jamaica this year and Neita's Nest is making it special for our Bed and Breakfast guests. 

In April, LeCia was our 50th guest for this Year. 

Our second 50th guest is about to arrive. Another reason to celebrate. We will tell you more when it happens. 

Neita's Nest had no bed and breakfast blogs in May and June, but we were busy nonetheless. And what do we have to show for it, you may ask? A book! Yes, but not just any book. We just published, Jamaica’s “Forgotten Prime Minister“- DONALD SANGSTER, and this biography, authored by Hartley Neita, was launched on July 29, the eve of Jamaica’s 50th anniversary of Independence.

Edited here at Neita’s Nest and published by Minna Press, this was a labour of love without the presence of Hartley to steer the publication.  For one year we groped in the dark. But Hartley, the beacon of light that he is, shone brightly in our hearts to encourage and guide the way. His still voice whispered words of support. His carefully filed notes and scribblings willed us to produce the book, and its launch, in a manner that would be befitting of the subject of this biography, and pleasing to Harts. 
Visit www.hartleyneitabooks.com for more.