December 17th 2011
Shama’s World Is...Writing
By Kendell “ Scady” Eugene

Business men and women, movie stars and singers, almost everyone who has been to our beautiful island can tell you that they are taken by the fresh air, beautiful beaches, sunshine and of course friendly people. They even say that they wish the vacation would never end and they could live here forever and funny enough some of them do! In this case we were fortunate enough to have the parents of this young and amazing writer choosing our island to move to and bring along their daughter. Although the move meant leaving her friends behind she was willing and eager to see and learn more about her mom’s island.

On Sat, 20 Aug 2011, 21:50:23, we received and email from Shama Genesis Nathan, indicating her interest in submitting short stories to us at the YO! Magazine. After a few corresponding emails between us, we received her first story and about four issues later, our proof reader who isn’t easily impressed by anything approached me saying, “this girl is gifted”. Ever so often we hear young people chastised, this revelation was a welcome change and prompted us to find out just who was this young lady sending us these amazing stories.

Shama Genesis Nathan, is a fourteen year old published poet from Maryland. She attends the International School, where she first heard of the YO! Magazine (after speaking with her Principal about an appropriate outlet for her short stories and poems). Her studies at school include Science, Mathematics, Geography, History and her favourite English.
She enjoys swimming, kickboxing and horseback riding among other hobbies.

Her first stint at writing started when she was only six years old after her mother bought her a diary. Little did she know that this would be the beginning of as our proof reader said “special.” Between the ages of six to fourteen, Shama has entered and won a poetry contest, been published in Teen Ink Magazine and asked to write for the editorial of that magazine with her submission titled “Life as a Tall Girl.” The modest writer isn’t at all conceited about her achievements, she remembers in her early writing stages it used to be just poems and then she graduated to the short stories category. Her writing she says is symbolic, and she does have to be at a table with a pen and pad, in front of the computer or on her favourite tablet Acer’s Iconia, she can be out with friends and something inspires, and she will write about it on her ipod Touch.

She has spearheaded a writer’s club at her school and also runs an online blog http://emptytheink.blogspot.com/ and facebook (emptytheink) group all in an effort to promote and develop writing skills in young people around the world. Her advice to anyone who wants to become a writer is that they must always believe in their writing.

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