By Antoinette Bass
A pre-Valentine’s Book Launch was presented by The Montserrat Public Library in honour of author Catherine Dorsette’s newly released romance novel Fire on Montserrat. Catherine Dorsette is a Dominican Montserratian resident and she has written several books including Aunty Kate’s Short Stories and The Worth of a Man, but this the first romance novel she has written.
“The idea came from the public celebrating twenty years of volcanic activity and having written so many books before I was thinking why not capturing that in a book.” Catherine said explaining why she decided to focus the book about the volcanic crisis and how it affected the lives of people living here.
Librarian Sonja Smith in opening the launch ceremony commented on how the volcanic crisis changed the lives of many of us living on the island and while it began as a set of unfortunate circumstances we are now beginning to see the opportunities available to help promote Montserrat after she welcomed the public to the event.
Rudolph Dorsette, the author’s husband led in the opening prayer.
The reviewers for Fire on Montserrat collectively gave their responses on their experience reading the novel and all concluded it was a good read through and through and it captivated your attention from the very start. One of the reviewers Melissa O’Garro enthusiastically said: “I do not suffer books easily, if I’m reading and it bores me I skip. I never skipped a page and I finished this book in three days.”
One other reviewer in Ron Barzey was also very complimentary of the book recommending it to readers
Son, Ben Durand (known musically in Montserrat as Prince Romeo) sung a tribute in admiration of Fire on Montserrat.
Sarah Nathalia Durand to whom the book was dedicated introduced her mom Catherine.
Catherine speaking about book recalled some of the trials she faced when creating this novel and how she gained the knowledge of several places through the descriptions given to her by husband Rudolph Dorsette. 
She came to Montserrat in 2001 and by then two-thirds of the island was deemed uninhabitable by then, so she was unfamiliar with that side of the island. Mrs. Dorsette then shared some excerpts from the book to prompt her audience to purchase it.
An excerpt from Fire on Montserrat: A Caribbean Love Story. (pp 59-60)
“Ky, why do you have to go?” Spencer asked gruffly, forgetting about the volcano. They were sitting on the ground in their special place now, “you can stay with me. I will take care of you.”
