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Creative
writing faculty read for students, colleagues
By
Lauren Nelson
Online Forty-Niner
Staff Writer
At
the Annual Faculty Reading Thursday, Cal
State Long Beach creative writing faculty
showed their students and colleagues what
they think about when they are not critiquing
the works of young writers.
"[This
is] a chance to see what people that preach
to you actually do," professor Charles
Webb told the full faculty development center
on the library's fifth floor.
Each
personality differed just as much as the
material. Nervousness was sometimes apparent
through shaky voices, sips of water and
pauses used to provide extra tidbits of
information.
For
some students who are used to having work
critiqued in workshop classes, it was a
sense of relief to see the tables turned,
their instructors looking for audience approval.
"Hearing
their writing definitely puts a different
perspective on things," said Michael
Hyde, a student who attended the reading
as a favor to a friend. "It's so rare
that you get to see their work. I probably
would have never thought to attend, but
I'm glad I did."
After
each reading from Stephen Cooper, Elliot
Fried, Suzanne Greenberg, Charles Webb,
Ray Zepeda, and Gerald Locklin, the room
filled with long applauses in response to
refined technique and style, as well as
issues dealing with patriotism, self-consciousness,
love-making, the way things once were, places
and destinations, ass-kickings and politics,
to name a few.
"I
love seeing the depth of creativity in the
instructors," said Anita Parker, a
student at CSULB.
The
longest applause and loudest laughs came
after Locklin stood behind the podium singing
a "funny valentine" song. Unable
to tell if he was serious or just acting
during his hilariously intense solo, the
audience held their hands over their faces
in an attempt to hold back the laughs. Unsuccessful
in his attempt to get the audience to sing
along, only a few mumbles attempted to compete
with him.
Some
faculty members read from their published
books while others read new work written
on folded pieces of paper. Cooper read a
short story that was returned to him the
same day from "The Paris Review"
with a note that said "good story…send
more," but that they weren't going
to print it. He decided it's for his "readers
and listeners," and the audience listened
intensely.
Greenberg
stepped away from her hyped-up book, "Speed-Walk
and Other Stories" that was released
in October 2003 and read a new short story
growing up as a teenaged girl.
No
matter who was reading or what was being
read, everyone enjoyed the night. The readers
were brave and gave a taste of what affects
them, and the audience was receptive to
every word.
"I
love to read at Cal State Long Beach,"
Charles Webb said. "I think you're
about the best audience in the world."
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