Fault Line Reading Series is returning

Students Jason Brown and Derick Varn will read their works at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept.18 at the Cellar coffee house.

The reading is part of GC&SU’s student-sponsored Fault Line Reading Series.

Varn is editor of The Peacock’s Feet, a collection of literary and art works published annually by GC&SU. He is a junior, majoring in English and minoring in creative writing.

“Derick is a talented writer with a killer work ethic. His writing undergoes endless revision, and he’s still never satisfied,” said Brandy Bell, coordinator of the series. “He’s either very humble or a perfectionist. Probably both. Derick’s poetry is often very intellectual, pulling from philosophy and literature, but it’s rarely pretentious, which is the trap that so many young writers fall into.”

“Derick’s poetry can be intelligent without giving the impression of ‘Check out how smart I am,’” said Bell. “This shows his growing maturity as a writer. I always have fun reading Derick’s work.”

Jason Brown is a senior Theatre major who has taken creative writing classes.

“Jason Brown has been one of the most promising artists I have worked with in both writing and theatre. His contribution to the literary scene on the GC&SU campus has always been both promising and quirky,” said Varn. “Our styles are very different. He often favors the satiric. I lean towards the surreal, but we have worked together since I first entered the Creative Writing Program, and he has been a strong influence on my work.”

Varn has read for the Fault Line Series before.

“The Fault Line readings have been wonderful, because they have allowed the university’s writers, myself included, to read some works in genres that their peers may not be aware they write in,” said Varn. “The diversity of the creative writing on this campus has always shown through in the Fault Line readings.”

This reading will be Brown’s first reading in the Fault Line Series. He was in the theatre production of Karen Page’s play “Speaking Nazi.”

“When reading Jason’s writing, one is immediately struck by his offbeat sense of humor. He can take a subject so sad and pitiful, and make it hilarious,” said Bell. “Many try this, but few can pull it off as well as he can. I know for a fact that he can make the death of a veal calf tremendously funny, while never forgetting the sadness of it. You’ve got to admire a person who can see the humor in things like that.”

“Jason seems to really appreciate literature, which can be rare in college students. I think he has the ability to excel in writing if he chooses to,” said Bell. “His story about Sammy the veal calf is probably one of my favorites that I’ve read from any student since I’ve been here, and I’ve read a lot of stories.”

Brown and Varn are excited about reading their works on Tuesday.

“This year’s series should be very interesting and very good–a lot of the readers this semester are into script writing, and some are even influenced by performance art,” said Varn. “I even thought about having a reading without saying a word, but it seemed too much of a gimmick.”

“I want to talk about something that will make the audience smile,” said Brown. “I want them to leave the coffee house smiling, either with me or at me, and I will totally whore myself out just to see them smile. ”

If you have any questions, contact Brandy Bell at 414-1172 or Kellie Wells at 445-3178.

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