Seniors Read Four Years Worth of Stories

by Amanda Paul
edited by Ashlee Medeiros

photo by google.com

On Tuesday May 4^th, the second annual Senior Reading for the English Department featured six Creative Writing majors and minors presenting their works they have accumulated over the last four years.

Teresa Lardo, Bryce Mainville, Sara Saldivar, Shane Sevier, Abbie Tumbleson and Katie Wilcock shared stories they have been working on in various classes. Their works included both poetry and fiction.

“I think I surveyed a broad variety of thought I have as a writer,” said Sevier. “It is a breath of topics I like to cover.”

Thirteen people squished into Petrocelli 315 to listen to stories of nature, an autistic boy who pretends he is in the middle of a Scooby Doo mystery, university life and a Dwarf fighting in a war against Goblins, all in a two hour span.

“It is a proud moment for the Creative Writing faculty. We have seen students develop over four years. The writers know what their peers think, it’s a good way to let other people know what they can do,” said Professor Donna Decker.

The reading used to be part of a larger spring time reading that combined all students in creative writing classes to read their works written during the semester. The decision was made last year to allow seniors to have their own night for reading.

“It gives seniors to show a final project and show some expertise,” said Professor Anne Shaw.

Each senior was given ten minutes to read a story of his or her choice, followed by a question and answer period. Seniors shared what inspired them, explanations, advice and got feedback from teachers and other students.

“The reading is to feature writing students. It is a chance for them to share their work with the community. They worked hard on their stories. Writing isn’t just dashing something on paper, it’s writing, revising, editing. It gives students the chance to show that,” Decker said.

The seniors offered advice to future Creative Writing students.

“Read everything, even if you don’t like it,” said Mainville. “It might help with craft. Newspapers, books, read anything written.”

Sevier said, “Read and write as much as you can.”

The underclassmen in creative classes will have a spring time reading on May 10^th at 7 p.m. in Pierce Hall.

For more information about the senior and spring time readings, contact Donna Decker at deckerd@franklinpierce.edu.

Photo by Amanda Paul

Photo by Amanda Paul