By Charlene Davatos
Jeopardy Magazine, an on-campus publication which features literary and artistic work by the undergraduate body, hosted its spring creative writing faculty reading in the Reading Room of Wilson Library on April 17. The event featured part of Western’s creative writing professors, including Carol Guess, Elizabeth Colen, Christ Patton, Simon McGuire and Kami Westhoff.
“It’s a great opportunity to share work and hear what my colleagues are working on,” Colen said.
The professors read pieces from published works and works in progress, including poems, short stories, non-fiction and translations.
“The event also gives the community of students a chance to hear what their instructors are working on,” Colen said, who read a lyrical piece titled “The Moon’s Dark”.
Guess read both an excerpt from her book and a poem, Colen read from a nonfiction lyrical essay, Patton read from translations of Old English texts, Mcguire read from a collection of poems and Westhoff read from her book.
The faculty reading takes place twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring. About half the staff participates for each reading, according to Westhoff, the faculty advisor for Jeopardy Magazine.
Rosalie Lander, editor-in-chief of Jeopardy, explained that the reading was a way to share the creative writing program with students who might not know what they want to major in, or need inspiration within their major.
Third-year creative writing major, Shamas Hereth, said that the event allowed him to see what applicable skills he could get from his major.
“[The readers] weren’t all just writers. They were professors, translators, and they were really working on stuff,” Hereth said.
Hereth came to the event to meet and get to know the creative writing department and Jeopardy Magazine staff.
The topics of the reading ranged from conspiracy theories to Old English translations and love poems.
English majors weren’t the only students in attendance. Natalie Garling, a behavioral neuroscience student, came to the event to support of her friends on the Jeopardy staff.
“It’s always really interesting to hear the pieces of the faculty,” Garling said. “It’s a bit of inspiration because I enjoy hearing someone who’s passionate about their work, even if it’s not necessarily what I’m studying.”
Faculty came both in support of their colleagues and for Jeopardy Magazine.
“Jeopardy is such an important student publication, and I am so impressed with the editorial staff,” Guess said.
The pieces she chose to read were inspired by her fellow faculty members, Guess said.
“I think I was seriously influenced by a kind of surreal aesthetic. Kami and Elizabeth’s pieces were feminist and melancholy, and Simon and Chris read bureaucratic work, and so I read something along those lines,” Guess said.
Jeopardy Magazine also used the event to highlight the magazine’s 55th issue, which comes out May 29.
“[The reading] feels like a good way to leave behind a cool book,” Lander said.
Jeopardy Magazine plans on hosting a release party of the magazine at Boundary Bay Brewery May 29 at 6 p.m.