The Day the Masquerade Came: Short stories

By S.D. Brown

The Day the Masquerade Came is a short story collection that emphasizes a spectrum of issues that arose before and after Jamaica gained independence from Great Britain in 1962. The island endured over two hundred years of chattel slavery, which depleted its wealth and placed it disproportionately in the hands of the plantocracy. Following the abolition of slavery in 1838, Jamaica faced an identity crisis and the challenge of integrating a large, uneducated black population. The transition was difficult, as the white, Chinese, and mixed-race populations had to make room for the black masses to ascend to the middle class and share power, a concept many struggled to accept. In a society marked by social status, race, and colorism, the idea of equality among different racial groups was particularly challenging, as they had not associated with each other before independence.

This collection of short stories delves into the issues that arose from European colonialism, as seen through the lives of the
characters you will encounter.

S. D. Brown is a postcolonial writer born in Kingston, Jamaica. She holds a B.A. from The New School for Social Research and an M.S. from Adelphi University. Her work has appeared in Anthurium, Sargasso, Two Thirds North, The Journal of Postcolonial Writing, Adelaide Literary Magazine, The Lemonwood Quarterly, and The Caribbean Writer. She is the author of The Roar of the River: Slave Stories Inspired by Thomas Thistlewood Diaries, 1750-1786 (2025) and the collection of short stories Let me Hold Your Hand (2026). She is a member of The International Women's Writing Guild. Her story, "Planter's Punch," was recently shortlisted for the 9th Adelaide Literary Prize. More information can be found at: postcolonialauthorsdbrown.com.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0GQXJH1PM
• ISBN13: 9798250460583
• Release Date: March 2026
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 390 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 9.0"