Norman has been writing short stories from an early age. In the 1980's he tried his hand at play-writing and acting for a theatre company, Ebony Arts, of which he was a founder member. His novel, Bad Friday, about a group of teenage friends who love basketball, was first published in 1982 by Trinity Arts, Birmingham. It was shortlisted for the Young Observer Fiction Prize in that year and was republished by New Beacon Books, London in 1985. Rasta Love... His latest work Rasta Love is featured in an anthology of short-stories by Birmingham Black and Asian writers called Whispers in the Walls, published by West Midlands based Tindal Street Press in 2001. A Love story...  | | Norman Samuda-Smith |
Rasta Love, written in Patois, is a love story based in Small Heath Birmingham. It's set in the mid 1970s, amidst the energy crisis, mass union strikes, redundancies and record unemployment. Within the black communities of England, a religious revival is happening, the Rasta musical uprising in Jamaica is influencing the first generation of black British-born youth to follow the teaching and glory of Rastafari... Listen to Norman recite an exert of his story Rasta Love  You will need Realplayer to listen to the audio. Downloading Realplayer...
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Alternatively,read an exert from Norman's short story 'Rasta Love' here. Talking Patois... If you need to brush up on you Patois, take a look at our words and phrases. | An interview with Norman Samuda-Smith |
We caught up with Norman for an interview. He talks about his achievement of becoming the first black British-born author, the influences of roots and culture reggae artists such as Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Burning Spear in his life. Also his Rastafarian faith and his thoughts on the future of black writers in the UK. Read Norman's full interview here. | 
