Ruined by Books: A Blog on Literature, Creative Writing, and More

Cymbeline at Theatricum Botanicum

2009-09-16T19:31:00.001-07:00

I've been meaning to write about the performance of Shakespeare's Cymbeline I checked out at Theatricum Botanicum, the beautiful little grassroots outdoor theater nestled in the oak trees of Topanga Canyon. TB is like a mini mountain village, with homemade direction signs where the meandering paths cross and a homey little flower garden with stones around the flower beds and a bronze bust of Will Geer, founder of the theater group.

At the edge of the village is the main stage, its backdrop a hill with dirt paths and beautifully knarled oak trees leaning out as a canopy over the stage. This unique setting adds a realistic feel to outdoor scenes, and the actors use nature to their advantage; for instance, when Posthumus is banished, we don't just see him leave the stage; instead, we see him journeying down the paths in the distance. This unique setting adds a realistic feel to outdoor scenes--you can't get much more outdoor and rustic than this stage.

More about the performance soon. ...

-- Posted from my iPhone

Creative Writing Club: Call for Writers and Literature Lovers!

2009-03-31T20:47:00.001-07:00

Oh, the words, the words,
the achingly
beautiful
inadequate
words.

--Terry Hertzler

Allow me to introduce myself: my name is Michele Beller, and I am the new Student Editor for Cerro Coso’s online Creative Writing Club. I am very excited about having a community of fellow writers with whom I can share my love of writing and good literature. What a great opportunity! Here, we can support each other as we master our craft, bounce ideas off each other, and share resources. I look forward to some inspiration, some good reads, and I really look forward to some great discussions!

What better time than National Poetry Month (April) to shift the online Creative Writing Club into first gear and get ‘er running again? National Poetry Month is an annual celebration of the art of poetry, with the goal of increasing appreciation and support for poetry and poets. Let’s read some great poetry! Let’s write some even better poems! Let’s turn our friends and family on to the pleasures of verse! And let’s have some great fun in the process!

National Poetry Month was started by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, and has been gaining momentum every year since. Inspired by this celebration, we have many fun activities scheduled for April, like some great reads, and some fun writing exercises. Come join us! If you are already a member of Cerro Coso’s online Creative Writing Club, log on and jump in. You’ll see the site has received a spiffy tune-up and a new paint job. If you’re not a member, go here to request the enrollment key from the club’s faculty advisor, Gary Enns.

Lake Italy Sierra Nevada

2008-10-12T11:24:00.000-07:00

Here is a slideshow of my 2008 Lake Italy Sierra Nevada trip with my cousin, Mark. We hiked up the Bear Creek trail and then down a portion of the John Muir Trail. The trail then took us through talus fields, where we had to boulder up and over hills of large granite chunks. Lake Italy and Teddy Bear Lakes are above 11,000 feet.

Camp Shakespeare

2008-08-03T16:55:00.000-07:00

This may seem like an advertisement, like I'm being paid to say such glowing things. But I assure you I've got nothing at stake here. This is pure love!

I've just returned from a week-long, ultra-intensive and very fun week of Camp Shakespeare at the Tony Award winning Utah Shakespearean Festival, and words, words, words can hardly describe the experience. I feel like I've just woken up form a strange dream--a dream that an Elizabethan English playhouse had been magically transported to the red sandstone mountains of Southern Utah, that Shakespeare fans and students of all ages were now traveling to Utah in droves to see stellar performances of the bard's plays, that actors and audience members alike were partying after hours in cabarets, that world renowned scholars and directors and stage designers were drawn inexplicably to Cedar City to create some of the best Shakespearean theater in the world ...

(Slide show photos by Gary Enns, Gary Graupman, and Michael Flachmann)

If you have never been to the Utah Shakespearean Festival, then you are in for a shock. There is not much that seems regional about this regional theater. For forty-six years, Fred Adams and USF supporters have been building this festival into something spectacular. The festival grounds now boast three stages, indoor and outdoor lecture spaces, concessions, and a center with bookstore and gift shop. The USF produces nine--yes, nine--plays per year. Needless to say, Southern Utah is now a magnet for professional actors, directors, and other drama professionals. For its excellence, in 2000, The USF achieved international attention when it won a Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theater of the Year.

The Adams Memorial Theatre is the crown jewel at the USF. An open-air theater designed in the spirit of Shakespeare's Globe, it's the space of choice for traditional period productions of the plays of Shakespeare and his contemporaries. For musicals, contemporary plays, and non-traditional productions of Shakespeare, the USF utilizes the beautifully gilded indoor Randall L. Jones Theatre.

For anyone even remotely curious about the Shakespeare and the theater, Camp Shakespeare is a fantastic introduction. In five intense days, you see six plays (three of Shakespeare's and three by other playwrights and/or composers), attend seminars and classes and workshops on all things theater, and eat extremely well in SUU's beautiful and elegant Great Hall. Lodging and all meals are included. World renowned Shakespeare scholar and official festival dramaturg Michael Flachmann heads up the camp, wearing several hats--host, teacher, party coordinator, and general fun guy. And if you are a student, valuable university undergraduate and graduate credit is available through SUU and CSUB.

The 2008 Summer season that I just attended includes The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Othello, The Taming of the Shrew, Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac, Moliere's The School for Wives, and Bock, Harnick, and Stein's popular musical Fiddler on the Roof. The highlight for me was Rostand's play directed by David Ivers. The chemistry between leads Brian Vaughn and Melinda Pfunstein was first rate and brought great pathos to this melodramatic play.

For more information on Camp Shakespeare options (including Mini CS and CS for Seniors), visit Camp Shakespeare Online. Hopefully I'll see you in Utah for Summer 2009!

Cyrano DeBergerac at the USF

2008-07-30T22:58:00.000-07:00

Day 2 of Camp Shakespeare at the Utah Shakespearean Festival

This week flies by! The days are full of activities, one right after the other, and they’re so good I can’t get myself to skip any of them. These entries are just sketches to give you an idea of what goes on at Camp Shakespeare.

This day consisted of a great breakfast, literary seminars, an actor's panel, a set design workshop, a voice workshop, a massive lunch in the beautiful Great Room of SUU, a costume design seminar, a barbecue picnic in the mountains above Cedar City, and one fantastic play—Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand.

What a powerful play! Cyrano is a super human, lager than life Romantic hero with a tragic flaw—his inability to believe that the woman he loves could see past his physical deformity and love him for his soul.

So far for me and for many of the other campers, this play has been the highlight of the season. The performance is directed by David Ivers and uses the Anthony Burgess translation. It is a powerful story of selfless love and fidelity and courage of spirit. Burgess’ translation is wonderful in capturing the poetry and clarity of Edmond Rostand’s lines. This, the best of Rostand’s work, in many ways rivals some of Shakespeare’s best work—definitely a top tier play. Brian Vaughn played a wonderful Cyrano and brought the full weight of this sensitive, self-conscious lover to bear on stage. Vaughn deftly handled the longest death scene I’ve ever seen. A moving performance.

Utah Camp Shakespeare Day 1

2008-07-29T17:19:00.000-07:00

Day 1 of Camp Shakespeare at the Utah Shakespearean Festival

Take Shakespeare’s Southwark, London, transport it to overseas with some magic, and smack it down in the middle of the beautiful red clay mountains, pine trees and brilliant blue skies of Southern Utah, and you’ll understand what the Tony Award Winning Utah Shakespearean Festival is like. Well, of course I’m exaggerating, but not terribly. Through decades of hard work and sheer determination, the masterminds of this festival have managed to create a Shakespearean Mecca smack dab in the middle of small-town conservative Utah—a pretty incredible feat.

I’m at the USF this week (on the campus of Southern Utah University, taking part in what’s known as Camp Shakespeare—a series of classes, workshops, seminars, all designed to invite you into the world of the theater. Included in the package are front or near-front row seating to six stellar performances, seminars, workshops, and classes taught by actors, vocal coaches, scholars, directors, make-up and wig artists, costume designers, and more.

The jewel in the crown of the USF is the Adams Shakespearean Theatre, an outdoor venue modeled after the sixteenth century Tudor stage. Though it is not a replica in the strict sense as is Shakespeare’s Globe in London (Utah’s version uses modern materials and sports comfortable sports event type seats throughout, even in the pit, rather than the hard wood or nothing seating of the Globe reproduction), the essentials for a Shakespearean experience are there: the classic semi-circle, the raised, extended stage, exposure to the elements. And after the second hour of a play, the modern-sized ballpark seats are much appreciated.

Exposure to the elements is part of the outdoor Shakespeare experience, and last night, this hit home. During the second half of The Two Gentlemen of Verona, thunderheads rolled in (remnants of a hurricane from the south?), the sky opened up, and it started pouring. Those of us with seats in the pit ran for cover (this wasn’t just a London style drizzle, this was a Western U.S. downpour). The voice behind the curtain ordered the actors backstage, and we waited it out.

After about fifteen minutes, the actors managed another scene before the rains returned. Ultimately, they finished the play in the indoor rain stage about forty-five minutes late.

The Festival prides itself on performing the entire canon, which may be why Gents (this little-performed, little-respected early Shakespeare comedy) was chosen this year. Critic Harold Bloom who always prides himself on calling it like he sees it calls this the “weakest” of Shakespeare’s comedies and says that “everything is amiss” (13). But keep in mind that he is comparing this Shakespeare play to—other Shakespeare plays! How fair is that? Of course, if you compare Beatles albums to Beatles albums, you’re likely to find the least impressive of the lot. But is there really a weak Beatles album? Is there really a weak Shakespeare play? Some would say yes, but last night, the acting company brought out the best in this play.

Gents was performed masterfully, in traditional Elizabethan costumes and with little stage scenes—fitting for a Shakespearean open-air theater. The simplicity allows the play itself, the words themselves , to have center stage.

A little about the seminars before I have to go. Yesterday featured a make-up seminar taught by the make-up artists of the Festival; an acting workshop by Iago himself James Newcomb), a literary overview of Gents by Festival dramaturg Michael Flachmann, and lots more I don’t have time to go into now. The days are full here. I’ll check in later with another entry.

(Please excuse the quick grammar and spelling of a fast and loose blog. Thanks! I may edit and add pictures later.)

Research Assignment for 101

2008-04-22T13:22:00.000-07:00

RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT FOR 101

Complete the Making Arguments about Literature assignment I handed out in class. (You can also click to find it here.) This will provide you with some excellent tips for writing about literature.
Read student Alison Caldwell's sample literary essay (handed out in class) , and read my notes at the end for some practical advice.
Review the Plot Summary vs. Interpretive Writing resource and write a half page response to it for class.

I hope these resources and tips help you to shape your essay! Let's talk more about them in class.

Kenneth Branagh's Vision of Frankenstein

2008-04-03T12:23:00.000-07:00

Kenneth Branagh's 1994 adaptation of the novel Frankenstein - entitled Mary Shelley's Frankenstein - claims to be true to the original text. But is this the case?

Obviously, the movie takes liberties with the storyline on many levels. So how true to the vision of Shelley do you feel this movie is? Does it match the book on some levels but not others? Does it capture the mood and tone? The plot? The setting? The characterization? On what levels does it remain true to the artistic vision of Shelley?

As you answer, consider specific differences - such as Walton's reaching out to the monster in the end, the creation of the second monster, the use of Elizabeth for the second monster, the similar appearance of Victor and Walton, etc. Look for these and other differences and explain what the movie makers both gain and lose by making these changes.

Letters to Ebay Twisted and Hilarious

2007-12-20T17:46:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick review of a hilarious book I've been making my way through this Christmas break.

If you're looking for something weird, twisted, and hilarious to pass some down time, then pick up a copy of Art Farkas' (pen name of Central Valley eBay enthusiast and author Paul Meadors) Letters to eBay.

Amazon.com lists the book's key phrases as "happy bidding," "lint rollers," "deer jerky," and "depression glass" - fitting for this farcical, oftentimes obsessive, exploration of the virtual world of online consumerism.

Farkas' basis for the book is simple. According to his blog, he began "firing off crazy questions and seemingly far-fetched scenarios to eBay vendors concerning their items mixed in with a dose of TMI (too much information)." His crazy questions along with the oftentimes serious (and thus hilarious) replies from the vendors creates the core of this book.

Letters to eBay is one of those books that's just plain good to have around when there's a possibility of a few moments down time. The letters/answers are quick reads and can be taken in small doses. Farkas knows how to shape an incredibly ridiculous question with just enough detail and earnest tone to make it believable. And the unsuspecting vendors bite, responding here with good natured sincerity, there with exasperation. The questions - funny; the real-life responses - even funnier!

Keep this book around - it's worth a big laugh a day.

2006 London and Paris

2007-08-12T06:41:00.001-07:00

I just put together a slideshow of our 2006 trip to London and Paris. Here is is.

High Sierra Trail 2007

2007-07-31T11:33:00.000-07:00

I recently took a solo backpacking trip of the High Sierra Trail, crossing the Sierras from West to East and finishing with a climb up Mt. Whitney. I encountered two very large black bears who seemed more afraid than I was, several mule deer, and numerous marmots. The lakes, mountains, and stars were gorgeous. One of my favorite activities when backpacking is sleeping out under the stars above 10,000 feet elevation; the light and smog pollution of the cities don't exist up there, and the nighttime sky bursts with points of light and the Milky Way.

Here's a little slide show of my travels.

Writing Resources

2007-07-31T11:25:00.000-07:00

Following is a list of useful links for academic writers. Feel free to use. Report any faulty links to me. Thanks!

MLA Style

MLA Documentation of Sources

Marking Source Titles Correctly

The Names of Individuals

Present Tense and Literary Study

Punctuating Parenthetical Citations

Punctuation with Quotation Marks

Sources to Avoid in Academic Writing

More Writing Resources

Romeo and Juliet at A Noise Within

2007-04-21T11:25:00.000-07:00

Sunday, March 25, my English 235 Shakespeare class and I took a big white van down south to Glendale to see Romeo and Juliet at A Noise Within. For many of my students, this was a first time experience with live Shakespeare (for some, live drama altogether), and so this was a particularly special event.

A Noise Within is located in an old converted Masonic Temple Building in downtown Glendale and is the only theater company in Southern California working in the repertory tradition. The company produces six plays annually and has won numerous awards including twenty-five (yes, twenty-five!) Los Angeles Drama Critics’ Circle awards. Not surprisingly, their production of Romeo and Juliet, lived up to their pedigree.

Please check back here in the near future for student reviews of the performance.

Frankenstein and Shakespeare

2006-12-20T17:20:00.000-08:00

It's Christmas Break, but I'm busy at the local cafe, newly issued laptop in front of me, composing thorough study guides for Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, which we will be using throughout the Spring '07 sememster in English 101.

Also, I'm at work preparing for a Shakespeare class for the KRV campus - the hard part is figuring out which great and wonderful plays to assign. The tendency would be to try to cover too much, so I'll try to resist that--six plays and some sonnets.

I am working on a Field Trip to A Noise Within down in LA. That company is performing Romeo and Juliet starting in March. The trip would be on a Sunday for an afternoon performance--a strange day, but really the only afternoon date that works.

The Dalloways Blog: Music News from the Central Valley's Premier California Dreampop Band: Silver Fox Vibe

2006-11-06T16:27:00.000-08:00

Here's a little something about my band's recent Bakersfield show at The Silver Fox. You can keep up with Dalloways news and happenings on The Dalloways Blog, so if you're curious, stop in from time to time. We'd love to see you at a show.

The Dalloways Blog: Music News from the Central Valley's Premier California Dreampop Band: Silver Fox Vibe

Metamorphoses Blog to Launch

2006-10-31T21:46:00.000-08:00

Metamorphoses will be launching its own blog. The journal is banking on Cerro Coso student, alumni, and faculty interest initially but may expand its contributors to include any interested CWC members if all goes well. The blog will feature news and reviews of all things cultural, artistic, and literary. Take a look at the Metamorphoses Blog. If you'd like to get involved, let me know your thoughts.

Met Web Designer Talks Shop

2006-10-16T13:39:00.000-07:00

Cori Ratliff, Met Online's nurturing best friend, just posted a great little blog entry describing her ideas behind the overall design. Take a look at the article on her digital design blog, Digital Captive, and take a look at her handywork at Metamorphoses Online.

Guest Poet Workshops with CWC

2006-09-30T21:11:00.000-07:00

ONLINE CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP WITH POET STERLING WARNER
October 29-November 11

Every poet and fiction writer--from beginner to published author--needs a good reader from time to time. That's why the Creative Writing Community and Metamorphoses are hosting their second creative writing workshop featuring guest poet and teacher Sterling Warner.

For over twelve years, Warner has served as chief editor of Leaf by Leaf, Evergreen Valley College's literary journal. His poetry has appeared in LBL, inside english, In the Grove, and other literary journals.

Warner's latest book of poetry, Without Wheels, is a collection of poems spannning the poet's career. The book was printed in 2005 by Valley book and journal publisher In the Grove. For a sample of the new collection, read the poem "Listening to Nakai," a zen-like ode to nature and to place.

In addition to his poetry, Warner boasts a college teaching career spanning over twenty-five years. He has authored several composition textbooks and readers, including Thresholds: Literature-Based Composition (1997), the multicultural reader Visions Across the Americas: Short Essays for Composition (2004) and Projections: Brief Readings on American Culture (2003). Warner is deeply commited to the discipline of teaching and is involved in statewide and national English teaching organizations. Currently, he serves as Immediate Past-President of the English Council of California Two Year Colleges, the Pacific Coast chapter of TYCA.

Warner will join the CWC for a two week stretch (October 29 to November 11) to workshop participants' poetry and fiction and to discuss his craft. All are welcome to join the CWC to participate in discussions and the workshop.

Discount on Without Wheels: As an added bonus, all CWC members will receive a twenty percent discount on the purchase of Without Wheels. Join the CWC to receive the special discount code before ordering.

Please feel free to click "comments" below to post a question or add to discussion. For more information about the workshop, email the CWC coordinator.

New Short Story Rough Draft

2006-09-29T18:16:00.000-07:00

I haven't written a short story in years, so I was surprised with myself when I sat down this morning an cranked out a handwritten first draft with a beginning, middle, and end!

Why haven't I written fiction in so long? Don't know. It's partially grad school burnout, the watcher at the gate, my inner gremlin. My creative outlet for a while now has been mostly through lyrics for songs. Songwriting was never my school focus, so I think I approach it with more freedom and humor. In other words, there's no pressure there. But fiction has been different.

So maybe this is the start of a healthier and looser attitude to the fiction. We'll see where this one goes.

Local Author and Culture Guru Supports Met

2006-09-23T19:02:00.000-07:00

Check out the latest coverage of Metamorphoses by our friend N. L. Belardes. He's a big fan and supporter of our literary journal. And if you haven't taken a look at the latest Met Online design, you're in for a big treat!

Metamorphoses Online Gets a Facelift

2006-09-19T18:08:00.000-07:00

Great News! Metamorphoses Online is getting a complete redesign. Here is a snapshot preview of what's to come. Soon, the Met Online environmnent will match the stylishness of the journal itself.

I do hope that, if you are interested in writing or art, you will get involved in the CWC--the engine behind this fabulous journal of literature and art. For more information, please email.

Join the Creative Writing Community

2006-08-28T10:07:00.000-07:00

Join the Creative Writing Community by visiting the site and creating a profile for yourself.

Enjoy creative writing workshops, improve your writing, gain valuable experience as an editor/contributor of Metamorphoses, the Cerro Coso literary journal, and more.

Students and community members welcome!

Once you create your profile at the CWC, you will receive the CWC newsletter via email. Please check your spam folder from time to time just incase your email program routes the newsletter there.

Questions? Feel free to contact the friendly club advisor.

See you online!

Gary Enns

Kern River Valley and a New College Campus

2006-04-28T22:36:00.000-07:00

The KRV Cultural and Education Foundation is doing important work for the Kern River Valley area. The end goal of this non-profit organization is to build a new college site for the community--a much needed and worthwhile endeavor. Please visit their website and their accompanying KRV Cultural and Education Foundation Blog for more information and to voice your support.

You can help in this grassroots effort to build a full-fledged college campus for the community! Tell a friend. Be vocal. Speak up. Spread the word about the foundation and its community-based goals. Help the Kern River Valley area reach toward a brighter educational future.

Metamorphoses Lands August 2006

2006-04-27T22:12:00.000-07:00

Is our local art and literature worth supporting? (By local, I mean Eastern Sierra, desert regions, Kern Valley, and the Bakersfield areas of California.) Is there enough of it to build a quality, community centered literary and art journal? If so, for how long?

The editors of Metamorphoses: A Journal of Literature and Art have their own ideas on this subject and are forging ahead with an excellent 2006 issue, but I'd like to hear what the community and students have to say. Is Met a good idea? Does it have support?

Met 2006 is scheduled for release in late August and will be available at all Cerro Coso campuses, online through Metamorphoses Online, and at select local bookstores. We could use your help approaching and placing units in local bookstores. Ideas? Which bookstores in your area do you recommend?

Met 2006 features:

Poetry by
Kevin S. Howe, Melinda Carroll, Valyrie Ice, Joan Desmond, Angela Rose

Fiction by
N.L. Belardes, Melinda Carroll, Janet Thorning, Jennifer K. Ellis, Angela M. Bell

Art by
Joan Desmond, N. L. Belardes, R. D. Hermansen, J. Hermansen, Karen L. Mitchell

Essays and Other Non-Fiction by
Melinda Sue Hutchings, Melinda Carroll, Dan Tuttle

Contributing editors for 2006 included students Jennifer Afflerbaugh, Angela Rose, Karen McCormick, Rebecca Parker, and Joshua Simpkins; Cerro Coso alum Kevin S. Howe; and English faculty members Gary Enns and Chris Doyen. Layout was created by student designer Frank Boisvert. Layout consultant was media arts faculty member Suzanne Ama.

For more information, visit Met Online.

Metamorphoses Call for Writing and Art

2006-01-25T13:59:00.000-08:00

METAMORPHOSES 2006 CALL FOR WRITING AND ART

Metamorphoses, the literary and art journal of Cerro Coso, is accepting work from current and former students and community members. Short stories, poems, essays, paintings, photographs, and much more accepted at this California journal. For more information and to submit your work, visit the Metamorphoses Website. You can also print out the Met 2006 Call for Submissions pdf file and share with friends.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: MARCH 1!

Questions? Contact Gary Enns via email.

Ned's Conflicts in The Oxygen Man

2005-11-14T13:57:00.000-08:00

I'll be revisiting the subject of Steve Yarbrough's novel The Oxygen Man on this blog from time to time since my Introductory Composition class is reading and studying this novel. If you've read a good chunk of the book, then you should be able to respond to this on your own blog. Write a thorough response, making sure to draw upon specifics/quotes fromthe text in order to support your claims.

Who is Mack? What does he value? How does he treat people? Does he believe in social and racial equality? If not, what does he believe in? Write a thorough study of this character, and be sure to provide specific moments/quotes from the text in order to support your claims.
Once you've written about Mack, take a careful look at our central character, Ned. Specifically, what does it mean that he is Mack's "right hand and always will be" (13)? Is Ned the same as Mack? Does he value the same things? Does he believe in social/racial equality? If not, then why does he still "slog into the water" (12) whenever Mack drops his Rolex?

Once you've written your response, return here and post a quick note to let us all know. Then visit the blogs of your peers and respond and add to their ideas.

White Voters in Mississippi Allege Voter Discrimination

2005-11-14T11:23:00.000-08:00

Today, driving up the Kern Canyon to school, I heard an NPR Morning Edition story entitled "White Voters in Mississippi Allege Voter Discrimination." This story seems to fit loosely with a current literary conversation I am having with my Introductory Composition class regarding Steve Yarbrough's The Oxygen Man. So listen carefully to the live feed of this story, taking notes and jotting down the names of interviewers. Then write a personal response to the story considering the following outline to help frame your response:

Provide a brief overview of the story "White Voters in Mississippi Allege Voter Discrimination" for your readers. (Remember that your blog goes out to the world.) Be sure to mention the title of the piece, the journalist in charge of the piece, the date the piece first aired, the show on which it appeared, and the station (NPR). Be sure to clearly and briefly summarize the subject and the content of the story. Also create a direct link to it using your link button as I've done in this paragraph.
Then write a personal response to the story, focusing on its implications. Start with a narrow focus and then progressively widen your focus by looking at the following: a) What does the story imply about the current state of political/social affairs in Noxubee County? b) What does the fact of this political conflict imply about us and the current state of affairs in our society in general? c) Can you go even bigger? Does this story imply something about human nature? Push yourself to go big here! Get philosophical. Are we getting to a better place in regard to racial issue? Has our society progressed since the 60's? Do we still have far to go? Develop at least three topical paragraphs here.
Lastly, consider how the implications you've discussed connect in any way to the issues raised in The Oxygen Man. Of course, the story is focused on voting in the South, which is never addressed in Yarbrough's novel. However, how do the implications connect?

Once you're done, let us all know by posting a quick comment here. Then read and respond substantively (adding ideas or questions) to the blogs of others.

CWC Writers Read Podcast

2005-11-10T12:57:00.000-08:00

NEW CWC WRITERS READ PODCAST FEATURES WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS

As many of you already know, the Creative Writing Community is hosting its first Writing Workshop featuring guest author N. L. Belardes November 14-30. The CWC is open to students and community members of all ages.

As an added bonus of November's workshop, Belardes has agreed to host a CWC Writers Read series on his popular Buck City Podcast. The series will feature specially selected poems and prose from November's workshop. This is a fine way for a writer to get his or her work heard by a wider audience. For more information, visit the CWC Writers Read post of Belardes' popular blog.

I hope to see you in the CWC!

Steve Yarbrough's Oxygen Man

2005-11-09T12:17:00.000-08:00

In my Introductory Composition course, we are beginning a study of Steve Yarbrough's first novel The Oxygen Man, a Southern (slightly Southern Gothic) tale of lies, corruption, murder, and redemption.

The first few pages of a good novel tend to set the stage and tone of the entire piece; in these first few pages, it's the author's job to hook and intrigue readers so that they'll want to read on as well as to prepare readers for the kind of story that's to come.

So right now, read pages 1 and 2 of the book (in italics) and then stop and ponder the significance of these pages. (If you're not enrolled in this class but have read or are reading the novel, feel free to participate!) Primarily, answer one of the following in a comment here:

What kind of mood has Yarbrough established on these first pages? How does he do this?
Is the central character a haunted person? Haunted by whom? Can you hypothesize a bit on why he's being haunted?

Once you're done posting a comment here, read through the comments of your peers and respond and add to their ideas. Look back to the text to understand their comment better and then add your agreement or addition.

After you've finished commenting here, move on to your own blog and write a post about the significance of the title, The Oxygen Man. Think in poetic terms here, in particular about the connotations of the word oxygen. Disconnected from the book, what baggage or meaning or resonance does this word bring to mind? Once you've pondered the connotations of oxygen, reconnect it with the word man. Who would an oxygen man be, both in the literal sense AND the figurative sense? Based on your thoughts, would you say that the central character of the first two pages is an oxygen man?

N. L. Belardes Interview

2005-11-01T20:49:00.000-08:00

The driver smelled of a dusty farmland summer and his clothes were coated in a pale brown film. He looked up, amazed at the plum-colored sun, then nearly crashed into an old Studebaker that had just swerved as the wooden clown head of Woody's Toyland ripped from its downtown moorings . . . From Arvin to Bakersfield never before had the city been under such a storm of barbs and dust. Tumbleweed piled beneath freeway underpasses; it crowded fences and blocked entire streets. Cars and trucks could be seen driving down any road with round weeds dragging along the streets beneath them. Mountainous piles of dust dunes were covered in weeds that rolled and tumbled and got stuck in huge clutters. One crashed into the side of the van and shattered into a confetti storm of barbs as a dozen others sailed past and smashed into store windows. --Excerpt from the novel Lords: Part I by N. L. Belardes

N. L. Belardes is one local Bakersfield author who welcomes controversy. He doesn't just write about historic wind storms of the Central Valley; he pushes into darker areas of our community's psyche, writing about the political and social storms--and murders--of our past. Anyone willing to write a graphic novel based on the Lords of Bakersfield scandals of the '70's is sure to open up a few old, festering wounds some feel best left alone.

Belardes is the opposite of the cliche shut-in author. Rather, he seems everywhere at once: he promotes his latest book relentlessly; he blogs for the Bakersfield Californian about the music and art scenes; he coordinates the Central Valley Book Blog where he keeps up with the literary life of the community; he appears on local radio and television shows to talk about all things local. Belardes is a man deeply involved in the creative life of Bakersfield, his hometown.

With the official book release party for Lords: Part I coming up on Saturday, November 5 in Bakersfield and a stint as guest workshop author of the online Creative Writing Community scheduled for November 14-30, Belardes is ready to talk. I sat down with the author in his downtown 1940's era home on Tuesday, November 1, 2005. Belardes' computer screen glowed, his music blog idling in compose mode. A life size Dia de los Muertos papier-mache skeleton sat in the corner of the living room, unobtrusive, a silent witness to our conversation.

G: Tell us a little bit about the inspiration for your latest novel.

N. L: The inspiration for writing Lords: Part One at first was just the desire to create a work of fiction on a topic that would appeal to lots of folks. My regional experimental prose I thought had no mass appeal. I needed a fan base to work from. So when I stumbled upon the Lords of Bakersfield news stories in 2003 I instantly thought, "This is it!" And so I started writing. But then I had trouble drumming up interest and so slowed my pace. It wasn't until I met an agent that I had for a short while that I truly picked up speed and got the novel done. The agent was also a mentor and that made for a great process in writing, sharing, and editing. He since passed away, but I kept the drive alive to see the book to print.

G: Is stirring "controversy" a good or bad thing for an author/artist?

N. L: Stirring controversy isn't for everyone. In doing so you definitely leave yourself more open to be criticized. Of course, all writers are criticized, so you can never truly escape the opinions of others. I believe controversy gets the attention of lots of folks at a quicker pace. And you can't sell books without attention.

G: Do you think your writing has been influenced by anyone in particular?

N.L: Every writer has a muse, favorite authors, and important people in their life who help give the writer shape as a person, and hopefully, creatively as well. Strangely, every book I have written has had its own muse. My favorite authors range between literary and historical, and I have loved ones who help encourage me along the way.

G: Our readers are interested in the various modes of publishing. Can you explain a little bit about how you are publishing this latest novel?

N.L: Every author is a businessman. But in a business, you have to be careful in how you put your best foot forward. Let's face it, today's realm of publishing has gone through vast changes because of desktop publishing and the Internet. Noveltown is a literary press unique to the Southern Valley. With a grand vision to help grow a literary community in the Southern Valley, I believe Noveltown is the key to really changing the look and feel of literary arts from the Southern San Joaquin Valley...just take a look at how Lords is packaged compared to other books by local authors. With that said, I started Noveltown for several reasons. One, like John Grisham I wanted to self publish, make a little splash, then maybe hook up with a big publisher. But I didn't want to go through some entity like iUniverse, pay to get in print, and then only get 20% per book while still having to market my own works to sell them. I would literally have to sell 1000's of copies to even make any money!

I already had a vision for a publishing company. So I started Noveltown as a way to fulfill more than one vision: more profits, helping other writers, and building a literary movement in the Southern Valley. Noveltown is great and is selling a promotional CD to raise funds with the local minor league hockey team, and has already branched into educational software and a video game that it is affiliated with. As a businessman I have more flexibility in dealing with and in building relationships with book stores, and I can create the illusion that Noveltown is much bigger than what it currently is. I love it. Because of Noveltown I am getting mentioned to thousands of hockey fans, and I am on radio and TV.

G: You are obviously a writer who feels strongly about his local community and being a part of the creative life there. You blog about local artists and musicians constantly and appear on local radio to support a "scene." What do the words "local" and "scene" mean to you, and how important are these in a writer's life?

N. L: "Local" means part of your immediate community, and "scene" means people who are part of a community or communities all getting together on a regular basis. As a writer, if you aren't willing to go out and meet people and network, then give up now, you'll never sell books. The idea that a writer can become well known by hiding in a tower is just laughable. I chose the music and arts scene in Bakersfield simply because I had a service to offer them, and because I thought if anyone would understand me as an artist it would be fellow artists. I think the best people who can support you are the folks in your own community. You can't make all of them happy, but you can build relationships starting with people in your own backyard. Embrace them, help them, make them believe in you in a way that is honest and courteous. Unless St. Martin's Press is knocking on your door, then you better get known somehow.

G: Our readers are most likely interested in the process of becoming a writer. So how did you become a writer? Was there a moment when it just clicked in your mind that you could actually do this--write and publish a book and reach a bigger audience than family and friends?

N. L: I like the story of Harrison Ford as a carpenter who thought of himself as an actor even when he wasn't acting. I have thought myself a writer for years and year1990's was back in the early 1990s that I decided upon a writing career and some years after that I truly realized I was an artist. I was working in a factory doing endless shift work and simply began to feel driven to create fiction. I believed in my talent and I still do. It takes believing that you can be good enough to do something great. You just have to realize your talents and mold them until you finally feel like, "Yes, I am ready to do this!" And then it's a matter of commitment, and not giving up, because the world around you can be unsupportive. Build your skills, build your repertoire, and increase your self-drive...

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Got a question or comment for N. L. Belardes? Post it here! Being the fierce blogger that he is, he's sure to answer and add to the dialog.

To meet the author in person, come to the official Lords: Part I book release party featuring local music artists Saturday, November 5 at Lengthwise Brewery in Bakersfield from two to five p.m.

And to discuss your own writing with the author, join the CWC and participate in the guest author workshop to be held November 14-30.

For more information, visit nlbelardes.com and noveltown.net.

Guest Authors on the CWC?

2005-10-26T16:59:00.000-07:00

"Possible Authors" to Meet and Read on the CWC

The Creative Writing Community is now discussing possibilities for guest authors to study and meet in our online "book club" style atmosphere. Here are some ideas for authors and/or editors who may be interested in joining us (no guarantees). Which are you interested in reading and meeting? If you're interested in good books and creative writing, we hope you'll visit soon, create a profile for youself, and join in the discussion.

Lee Herrick: Lee Herrick is editor-in-chief of a fantastic Fresno-based literary journal called In the Grove. He also happens to be a poet who has published in a variety of literary journals. In addition to the literary journal, In the Grove puts out a book series. He would be able to offer perspectives in the writing world AND the publishing world. In our book club, we might discuss the most recent edition of In the Grove and then discuss the pieces and the journal with Lee.

David Borofka: David Borofka is a fine novelist and short story writer who lives in the San Joaquin Valley. His books are listed on his college website, and some of the stories are readable directly online.

Sterling Warner: Sterling Warner is a poet with a brand new book of poems entitled Without Wheels published by none other than In the Grove. If we discuss Warner's book in our book club, we may be able to include in our discussions both Lee as publisher AND Sterling as poet.

Steve Yarbrough: Southern novelist in the gothic tradition of Faulkner. Very contemporary. Read an interview here, and see his Random House selections here.

Corrinne Clegg Hales: Corrinne Clegg Hales was Utah born and now teaches at Cal. State Fresno. She is a poet who has published several collections of poetry. Fine!

Liza Wieland: A poet and fiction writer of great talent. Grew up on the South, now teaches in California. Read her poem "Lie Near" published in Ploughshares, and read an overview of her novel Bombshell here.

N. L. Belardes: N. L. is a Bakersfield native coming out with a new novel entitled Lords of Bakersfield. The book release party is being scheduled for early November. He may even be joining us soon in conversation as he's very active in the local literary and music scenes. His music blogs are the stir of Bakersfield.

Work Worth Doing

2005-10-24T12:41:00.000-07:00

"Far and Away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." Theodore Roosevelt

I'd like to hear your thoughts on this quote. In one to three paragraphs,

Introduce the quote and author
On the surface, this quote may seem simple. But dig deep, explaining what you feel the quote means, paying close attention to the key words. Be sure to explain any metaphor included in the quote and define the terms "prize," "hard work," and "work worth doing" as you think Roosevelt is using them.
Do you agree with Roosevelt? Do you think this view of the world dead-on? Simplistic? Generous? Narrow minded? Is it a cliche we're better off without? Is it helpful to us? Argue your case, providing examples and reasons to support yourself.

CWC Website and Possible Guest Authors

2005-10-19T14:17:00.000-07:00

The CWC is currently developing a CWC moodle website for its initial meeting place. It's an open key website that's--yes--under construction, so there's no action yet. I'll keep you posted as soon as we know more.

Possible guest poet for the near future? Poet, scholar, and educator Sterling Warner, author of the collection Without Wheels recently published by In the Grove. I will let you know with a sufficient amount of time in advance so that you can pick up a copy from the publisher.

Possible guest editor and poet? We may be able to persuade Lee Herrick, poet and editor-in-chief of the literary journal In the Grove, to join us. Again, we will schedule this with plenty of time and get the word out when we know more; that way, you'll be able to pick up a copy of the latest journal issue.

And yes, I'm thinking of fiction writers as well. ;^)

New Creative Writing Community

2005-10-10T14:42:00.000-07:00

Dear Creative Writers,

Cerro Coso Community College is forging ahead with the creation of its own Creative Writing Community (CWC), a student-based club focusing on the literary arts. Are you a CC student interested in being a founding member from the ground up? Read on...

CWC will feature a cool website portal to a host of features, including online discussions of contemporary literature and original student pieces (Yours? Yes, if you wish!), guest online lecturers, great links, and much more. In addition, as an active member, you will be able to participate in the creation and editing of the next edition of Metamorphoses, the literary and art journal of Cerro Coso.

SEND ME AN EMAIL

If you're a student interested in the literary arts, simply email me back and express your interest in membership! Don't worry; membership doesn't mean more work (though there are opportunities for gaining leadership experience as an officer). This club is about fun and enrichment and being part of a community of writers. In your email, list the following:

Your full name (The same one the college has on record!)
How many units you're currently taking
How you heard about the new club?
If you're interested in being a club officer (pres, v.p., secretary, treas., ASCC rep.)?

If you are an interested community member who is not a student, we do hope to open up discussions and resources to the community once the club is running, so keep checking back for more news.

Metamorphoses, the Literary Journal, Funded!

2005-10-07T18:17:00.000-07:00

I just got the news today: Metamorphoses is funded for this next year! This means an excellent publication for Cerro Coso and its community. More soon.

Cerro Coso Creative Writing Club Update

2005-10-05T13:44:00.000-07:00

Many students, faculty members, and community members have sent their support for starting a Cerro Coso Creative Writing Club and revitalizing Metamorphoses, the literary journal of the college. I've posted the comments at the bottom of that post.

The more support, the better. If you are a motivated student writer, supportive faculty member, or interested community member with an encouraging word, please send me a note via email, and I will add your comment to the blog.

Creative Writing Club at Cerro Coso Community College

2005-09-28T15:37:00.000-07:00

THE INTEREST IN STARTING A CLUB

Several students have expressed to me an interest in starting an Online Creative Writing Club at Cerro Coso Community College. The purpose of this club would be to gather together creative writers at Cerro Coso into one force or community, or support group--however you want to look at it. Online discussions could consist of workshopping each other's poems, stories, or essays, discussing contemporary literature of note, and organizing, planning, editing, and publishing a college literary journal.

WHY ONLINE?

Starting a club online ensures that all Cerro Coso students will be able to participate--even those on the other side of the globe! Our service area stretches from Mammoth and Bishop to Ridgecrest, from the South Kern desserts to the Kern River Valley and ultimately around the globe via our CC Online program. Why not start a club for all interested students--not just those at one campus.

Meetings could take place via a dedicated WebBoard meeting place. WebBoard conferencing would mean that members could participate wherever and whenever they can through the Internet. A physical time and place is rendered unimportant.

A REVIVED LITERARY JOURNAL

One of the greatest benefits to starting a club that I see is the revival of a quality college literary journal. If you've read my previous post on Metamorphoses, then you already know some of the history of Metamorphoses, the college journal whose funding was pulled a few years ago by the student development fund committee. If a creative writing club were started, that club would then be able to apply for even more funding for the revival and publication of this worthy tradition.

A college as rich and varied as Cerro Coso really deserves a quality literary journal that highlights the talent of students and community members. Club involvement in this project would ensure student participation.

ARE YOU INTERESTED?

If this sounds like a club you're interested in joining, then send me an email expressing your interest so that I can contact you. The only criteria are that you are a currently enrolled Cerro Coso student in good standing and that you have an interest in creative writing, contemporary literature, and/or the editing of a publication.

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COMMENTS FROM STUDENTS,

COLLEAGUES, AND COMMUNITY
(To add a comment, simply send email. Thanks!)

Karen O’Connor said…
Hi Gary, This is Karen O’Connor, a colleague here at CC. I think your idea is awesome. I love to write so I am all for promoting your club. I also teach business communications online so I regularly run into students who also like to write.
Thu Oct 6

Inge Olsen said…
I think it is an excellent idea and I know a lot of students expressed to me how much they would like to have a club like this one.
Thu Oct 6

Caroline Bobo said…
This sounds great Gary; perhaps you could work deadlines around dead-times—in other words what about something for winter, spring, or summer break to keep the ‘ol creative energy going? Another idea is to include CCCC alumni.
Thu Oct 6

Brandy Landrigan said…
I am interested in the journal. so keep me on the list.
Thu Oct 6

Tim Gerarden said…
A creative writing club sounds like a terrific idea. There is a lot of untapped talent just waiting to come out here at Cerro Coso. I totally support the notion.
Thu Oct 6

Magan Weid said…
Like most others, my time is limited. Still, if you can't find time to do something creative and share with others, what's the point of all the running around? I'm very interested in this group. Please keep updated.
Thu Oct 6

Angela Looper said…
I would be very interested in joining a creative writing club. I have many poems and short stories that could really use some good feedback. Let me know if this gets off the ground. Thank you,
Tue Oct 4

Ed Smith said…
I'm interested in being a part of the creative writing club in whatever capacity might be needed. My time is somewhat limited, but I'm willing.
Mon Oct 3

Ric Soard said…
Professor Enns, I am interested in the Creative Writing Club that you mentioned in your blog. I have spent a lot of time considering this because my available time is so limited, but I don't think this is an opportunity that I wish to pass up.
Fri Sep 30

Noel Dunne said…
My name is Noel Dunne and I am really interested in an online creativewriting club. Does it really exist yet, or is it just an idea?? I wouldlove to support the club and I would appreciate some additional information. Thanks!
Fri Sep 30

Matildakay said...
What a great creative writer's/writing blog! This type of blog/service has been missing from our community. Thanks for including me...
Fri Sep 30, 10:51:05 AM

Christine Swiridoff said…
Creative writing opportunities are lacking at many of the campuses, so anything that can pull interested students together and fill the gap is wonderful.
Thu Sep 29

Monica Whitney said...
Wow, This sounds like fun! I think I will have to try and make time to do this. :)
Thu Sep 29, 06:33:02 PM

Ruby Lee said...
I would love to do this project... only, I don't go to school in Cerro Coso...
Thu Sep 29, 03:00:28 PM

Cindy Brough said…
Hey Gary, This club sounds awesome!!! How do I go about becoming a member??
Thu Sep 29

Chris Doyen said...
I like the idea of an informal, relaxed forum to post work and get some feeback, and of course read others' work. It won't have the demands of a class--students can post whenever they'd like, check back at any time, offer critique any time they feel so inclined. It has the potential to be a really fun, creative endeavor. I also like the idea of communicating more with people from all of Cerro Coso's instructional sites. Sounds very exciting. Chris Doyen
Thu Sep 29, 11:34:53 AM

n.l. said...
Creative Writing students should be all over such a project and want to see their words in print...
Thu Sep 29, 10:27:00 AM

Chris Doyen said…
Pulling students together would definitely be a great benefit of the club, which could act as a bridge between the disparate instructional sites. And since it isn't a class, the more informal, relaxed environment could be very inviting for students. I just posted the note below on my three online classes, and will hand it out to my onsite classes. Fabulous idea!
Thu Sep 29

Advertising and it's Appeals

2005-09-28T14:23:00.000-07:00

My Introductory Composition class is writing a paper focusing on the appeals advertisers rely upon to sell their products. If you're a student in this course, I'd like to hear some about this project and your plans for it on your own blog. So, in a post, share with the world the following:

An overview of the assignment, including some information about Jib Fowles' article, "Advertising's Fifteen Basic Appeals"
The magazine you're focusing on, and why you chose it
Some of your findings so far.
Any conclusions you're coming to regarding advertising practices in the states. What does the advertising in this country say about "us"? What do advertisers believe our priorities/values to be? Are they right?
Provide a link and a brief summary of a website about "stereotypes in advertising" or "manipulative advertising". You should have no problem finding a quality site in google or yahoo.

In addition, once you've posted, visit the blogs of your peers and comment on their projects! Visitors are always a good thing.

If you're a visitor to this blog, you can read the student blogs on this topic by clicking the links to the right.

New Blog Community of English Students

2005-09-21T14:55:00.000-07:00

Blogs are fun, plain and simple. Your blog is a place where you can post ideas to share with friends and with the rest of the world. You get to design it as you see fit, add links to things that interest you, include a picture of yourself along with profile information, and contact others who share the same interests. Your blog is uniquely you.

In addition to being fun, they're a great way for you to express your ideas and thoughts for others to read.

Those are the reasons why I decided to start a blog community with my Cerro Coso English students. To date, only my English 70 Introductory Composition class at the Kern River Valley Campus are listed here to the right, but by the semester's end, I hope to include students from my World Literature II and Critical Thinking Through Literature classes. This blog community will be about all things English and more. Subjects may include good books, bad books, movies, cultural commentary, and a wealth of other subjects. This is a free and open community, however, and no blog has to be only about a stated subject.

Blogging is a fun way to express ideas about the subjects important to you. It's also a great place for continued dialog. In-class converstation is great, and there's no replacing it, but conversations in blogs are casual, living, breathing, and growing; they are archived; they last.

If you're an English student at Cerro Coso, I'd love to here from you. If you've got a blog started, send me the link, and we can swap.

English 70 students, you've just started your blog and have done a little writing in it. You've visited the blogs of your fellow students. What do you think of the blogging experience so far? Please comment directly to this post. If you have any blog-related questions, ask those too! I'll be happy to help in any way I can.

See you in class!

How Advertisers Try to Manipulate Us

2005-09-21T12:15:00.000-07:00

To my English 70 students, welcome to my blog! Hopefully soon you'll have a blog of your own to post your ideas and comments to share.

My blog is a place where I think outloud about all things academic. Sometimes I'll comment on the college, sometimes on my classes. Still other times I'll post a specific assignment for you to respond to on your own beautiful blog.

Once you've created your blog and figured out how to post, I'd like you to try the following to help you prepare for your next essay.

1. Pre-Reading Blog Assignment: Before you read Jib Fowles' essay, "Advertising's Fifteen Basic Appeals" (114-123), think about a few advertisements you remember seeing recently--ones that you vividly recall. It doesn't matter whether or not you're interested in the products. What matters is that you remember how they were advertised. Because you remember it vividly, it must have made an appeal to you on some level. After each one, try to explain what you think it is about the advertisement that caused you to remember it. Then go ahead and study Fowles' essay, taking notes as appropriate.

2. Post-Reading Assignment: Once you're done reading Fowles' essay, post a follow-up blog in which you 1.) summarize the piece (being sure to state Fowes' main purpose and point and explain how he shows that point, and 2.) explain the value of this new information to us as consumers. Can Fowles' way of looking at advertising benefit us as consumers? How? Why?

The English Program's Student Resources Page

2005-09-20T17:21:00.000-07:00

The Cerro Coso English Department has put together a fantastic student resources page. Visit CCCC English Program: Resources and peruse the links appropriate to your class!

If you have found a site that has been particularly helpful to you, please feel free to share it in a comment to this blog post. I'll see about getting it added to the list.

Cerro Coso's LRC: Why Don't Students Know About It?

2005-09-19T12:40:00.000-07:00

Every semester I lead student through a lesson on how to use Cerro Coso's Online Learning Resource Center, and every semester I get shock and surprise from experienced final year students who have never heard of this great resource! Here are some typical responses. I just received these this semester in a discussion WebBoard for World Literature II:

"I just got my associates degree and I haven't used [the LRC] and don't recall being told about [it] previously. It does seem like it would be very useful, too bad this is my last semester so I wont really get to utilize it. "

"I guess I should not feel too bad either! I have over 60 units and I, also have never been informed of the site. It is nice that we have an instructor that shares this information with us!"

Awe! That last statement makes me feel good. Many times, the burden of exploration does ultimately rest with the student. It takes an active and interested student to dig in and uncover the wealth of resources available to them. But instructors can definitely help them along the way! If students and teachers are not discussing and utilizing this valuable resource, then something fantastic goes to waste.

Metamorphoses Revived?! Hopefully!

2005-09-16T17:32:00.000-07:00

Metamorphoses is the Cerro Coso literary journal that used to be produced annually until, in 2003, a stroke of a Student Funding pen cut all funding.

That was then, but this is now. Hopefully, this year's ASCC will see Metamorphoses as the STUDENT'S journal and more. I recently requested funding in order to resurrect this historic publication. If the student board decides to fund the journal in its entirety, the college will be able to produce a quality publication and distribute it to the community throughout its regions.

Metamorphoses will take a slightly different focus, using as a model the smaller online publication The Kern Valley Review. Met will include not only student pieces but pieces by community members throughout the geographic regions we serve, from Eastern Sierra, to Indian Wells Valley, from South Kern to Kern River Valley.

This is a chance for the college not only to provide a quality journal to its students but to reach out to the community, to give back to the community, and to increase it's visibility.

If you are a student or faculty member interested in literature, art, and publishing, then talk to your ASCC representatives today and encourage them to begin funding Metamorphoses once more.