Readings scheduled at Wynne Home

By Holly Green
Staff Reporter

May 08, 2008 11:36 pm

— Several graduate students in the M.A. English program at Sam Houston State University are taking a bold step, reading excerpts of their personal fiction and poetry work in a casual setting open to the public.
Two readings are scheduled at the Wynne Home Arts Center on Monday and Tuesday at 6 p.m. at no charge.
The event was inspired by SHSU professor Scott Kaukonen’s Graduate Creative Writing Workshop in Fiction students that have been meeting at the Wynne Home for their classes all semester.
“The Wynne Home has made a space for us to have our workshop there during the semester,” Kaukonen said. “This is kind of a celebration of that and a way to say thank you to the Wynne Home. The home lends a sense of professionalism and seriousness to the workshop, and it’s an excellent space to work in.”
Featured student readers include Joshua Bowen, Melanie Sweeney, Dana Allen, Kimberly Ferguson, Julia Guthrie and David Sweenten.
Monday’s reading will feature two special guests invited by the SHSU English Department — Amanda Nowlin-O’Banion and Drew Lopenzina.
Nowlin-O’Banion, according to Kaukonen, is a writer of fiction and nonfiction. She is the winner of the Tex Emerging Writer Award, was nominated for Best New American Voices 2006 and has published fiction in The Dallas Morning News and “Conversely.”
Nowlin-O’Banion is finishing her first novel, “The Greenest Grass,” and teaching creative writing at Texas A&M University.
Kaukonen said Lopenzina is an assistant professor of English at SHSU with a focus in Early American and Native American literature. His current research includes a book-length project concerning the acquisition of European forms of literacy by Native Americans.
His short fiction and poetry has appeared in journals such as “The Massachusetts Review,” “Peregrine” and “Concrete Wolf,” and he is currently working on a poetry manuscript entitled Commisary.
“These readings are in celebration of creative work, both fiction and poetry,” Kaukonen said. “Amanda will be reading fiction, and Drew will be reading poetry.
“I have 11 students in my class, and although the workshop is focused on fiction, many of them see themselves primarily as poets, so students will be reading both.”
Kaukonen said the students are feeling a bit anxious.
“I think the students are a little nervous,” he said. “Some of them have had a couple of warm-ups during ‘open mic nights’ on campus but others do not have much experience reading their work aloud. Their work can be very personal, too, so that can be more nerve-racking to read in front of strangers versus your friends.”
Kaukonen said he is confident that the community will enjoy what they hear.
“I’m very pleased with the development of this class from the beginning to the end,” he said. “I don’t know if you’re familiar with workshops but it can sometimes be a painful process. Many times you’re having to sit there quietly while your peers are discussing your work.
“Several students really took a step forward with their work. They were all a joy to work with, committed and very hard working. All we are ever really looking for is quality improvement.”
Kaukonen said he is grateful to the Wynne Home.
“A special thanks goes to the Wynne Home Arts Center, the City of Huntsville and Linda Pease, cultural services director, for their gracious generosity in making the Wynne Home available for the workshop and these readings,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll get to have these kinds of events in the future.”
The Wynne Home is located at 1428 11th Street.