Alternative Narratives:
How Acts of Compassion Influenced a Heart-warming Documentary

By Kimberly N. Kottman

There are all kinds of literary narratives in the world. While these narratives traditionally are contained within novels and poems, today’s fast-paced society brings new forms of storytelling. These narratives not only tell stories, but also communicate the emotions, plights, and hopes of the creators. New forms of narrative are ignited and inspired by accounts and experiences of compassion every day. The Gentle Barn, a non-profit animal sanctuary, is an organization that has inspired one such narrative.

            The Gentle Barn rescues abused, and often, abandoned animals of all kinds. This organization specializes in caring for large animals such as cows and bulls, horses, and llamas. They also care for various species of fowl, including turkeys and peacocks, as well as other farm and domesticated animals. Both locations of The Gentle Barn, in California and Tennessee, have one mission: to teach kindness and compassion toward animals, the planet, and one another.

            The founder, Ellie Laks, began this organization in 1999, which greatly inspired her powerful, autobiographical novel, “My Gentle Barn”. Her book tells about the founding of the animal sanctuary, as well as her trials in life and how her special connection with animals helped to not only to heal them, but also to heal herself. Over the years, The Gentle Barn has saved hundreds of animals; among them, one bull in particular inspired the non-traditional narrative of a documentary, “The Dudley Story: A Gentle Barn Rescue”. Though just one of many rescues, the young bull, Dudley, inspired Laks and her co-founder, Jay Weiner, to create the touching documentary about Dudley’s rescue and recuperation at The Gentle Barn.

            With so many types of storytelling out there, it’s no wonder that we are able to channel our passions into so many different forms, expanding the narrative into new and creative avenues. Just as The Gentle Barn story is shared through different mediums, each unique chronicle can inspire others to share their own story, broadening the horizons of art and creativity. 

The following link is the 18-minute documentary “The Dudley Story: A Gentle Barn Rescue”

http://www.gentlebarn.org/the-dudley-story

If you are interested in purchasing “My Gentle Barn” by Ellie Laks, follow the link below. All proceeds go to the care of animals living at The Gentle Barn.

http://www.gentlebarn.org/my-gentle-barn.html

A Night of Poetry

By Kimberly N. Kottman

                The MFA Program 30^th Anniversary Poetry Reading went splendidly Thursday, November 5th, as we were joined by husband and wife, David St. John and Anna Journey, two highly accomplished and talented poets. On that evening at the ASU Tempe campus, we were extremely fortunate to have both poets read from their most current works.

            Anna Journey, introduced graciously by Anna Murdock, read for us several poems, many from her collection, “Vulgar Remedies”. Among those poems were “Confessions of a Firestarter”, “Saint Bruise”, and a piece specially dedicated to her husband, David, “Wedding Night: We Share an Heirloom Tomato on Our Hotel Balcony Overlooking the Ocean in Which Natalie Wood Drowned”. I find “Saint Bruise” to be particularly intriguing, as it describes the physical manifestation of guilt.

            With another eloquent introduction by Gary Garrison, David St. John read aloud for us his poetry, many of which are from his newest collection, “The Auroras”. “In The High Country”, “Without Mercy, the Rains Continued”, and “Hungry Ghost” are all pieces from this latest collection. I was especially touched by one of the poems St. John read from another collection, entitled “The One Who Should Write My Elegy is Dead”. This piece is dedicated to the late Larry Levis, a dear friend of St. John.

            I was highly fortunate to meet both writers after the reading event. Both Anna Journey and David St. John signed my copies of their books and are tremendously supportive of the MFA Program and encourage young writers. I know that I speak for the department when I say that we were truly honored by both writers' presence for that special evening and sharing in the passion for literature and poetry.

Heath Wilcock: An Honest Man of Creation

By Stacey Herrle

“Here’s clay, now create something out of it…” 

Picture this: an average Joe sitting in a coffee shop, scrolling around the twittersphere, when suddenly he gazes up at the world around him and BAM! A bicyclist is hit by a car, the hardest of hits. One would think lightning had just struck a palm tree. The young cyclist is left lying in the gray blanket of the street. Like a #freshpancake, the average Joe thinks. And in a matter of milliseconds the average Joe does the unthinkable . . . he looks down at the black pit in the mug, and he . . . takes another sip. No superhero rescue in our story today, but doesn’t that make it more interesting? Because the character did something you were not expecting? Because the main focus was not on the drama of a car accident, but more so on the ordinary guy drinking a cup of coffee?

When I sat down with current MFA student, Heath Wilcock, one of the first things I asked was how he attacks, and furthermore, conquers, writing an interesting piece of creative fiction. The above scenario is an example of what he presented to me. He told me that you do not always need a character with a dying relative, a terminal illness, or a witnessed murder, etc. You do not always need to have a character who faces extreme suffering, because suffering is not always on the surface. Heath told me strong themes in fiction like suffering can come in all forms, like more common events in one’s life. We talked about how he didn’t have a typical college experience; how having a child and family at the age of twenty-three shot him straight into adulthood, where it was necessary to worry about groceries and bills. These are the experiences that have strong themes sewn throughout and bleed honesty.

It’s our jobs as writers to be honest and tell these stories, because they are what matter. Heath teaches his students in his beginning fiction workshop class that “you already are interesting as you are, so just be.”

Even though we come from different sides of the tracks—Heath as an improv comedian and fiction writer and me as an emotional poet—we were able to connect on that foundation of honesty and the reason why we write, our passion for the art. For his comedic, fictional writing, Heath thrives on honest reaction and states that if you create honest reactions in characters, it will come off as naturally funny. He went on to relate this to his improv act and how he and his fellow actors just “go with it,” and feed off each other’s honest reactions, which ends up being hilarious because of its rawness. When handed a new act or prop at the theatre, or even a new idea for a fiction piece, Heath sees as someone saying, “Here’s clay, now create something out of it.” He talked to me about the “game” of fiction, comedy, and poetry, and how you must work backwards and from all angles to make the right creative pieces fit. An image of a puzzle immediately popped into my head, and it made me smile and shout, “Like a PUZZLE!” For my emotional poetry pieces, I thrive on my own honest reaction as well, and I shared with Heath how I focus mostly on my personal experiences because that always guarantees an honest reaction for my writing; it is something you can feel on the page. It is pure creation, and I think that is what Heath hit on most for me. I could tell his passion thrives on creation. Heath may have a myriad of beautiful gems that “fell into his lap,” like publications and being a part of the graduate Creative Writing Program at ASU, but as he quoted Steve Martin, those are just “by-products” of his career. He truly does it for the honesty and creation. We discussed how some people just get writing, and it’s what helps us through things; we help each other, and we make it better; the farther you go in a workshop, the more you change, learn, and grow. Heath’s creative journey has changed and flourished to the nth degree—from his proudest/funniest moment of not knowing what an MFA program was and still getting the offer to join one, to working on his first novel one-on-one with Matt Bell. 

Fiction and improv are very close to Heath’s heart, and the two go hand-in-hand. He told me he could never just do stand-up comedy; he likes the impact of a story. “Telling a story is enriching, something that stains, and leaves a mark,” he said. Heath believes there will always be creative writing and the need for more of it. We need creative writing to empathize with the world around us; it should be looked at as a powerful force in humanities.

From a little kid that would not get picked for dodgeball to an insanely talented comedic short story writer, soon-to-be novelist, and strong father, I believe Heath has had such an admirable journey in creative writing, and he is able to enlighten young writers like me who hold the same dreams and passions. What Heath taught me most? Life is about creation. To be a great writer, you have to be passionate, you have to write for you. “You can’t give a shit about what anyone else thinks,” Heath added, pointing a finger and giving a solid smirk. It's all about honesty. It’s simple, he said, "Just have fun. You're already interesting and different as you are now. You can't force it or be something you're not."

Write the Story You’re Terrified to Tell: Tara Ison on Ball and Creating Compelling Short Fiction

By Kelly deVos

Tara Ison’s Ball is a hard-to-forget, Kirkus-starred collection of eleven short stories that has been called “exquisite and harrowing” by Dylan Landis. The stories, named after common, everyday things, tackle taboo topics in often cringe-worthy ways. From the world of the dominatrix to a young woman who deals with a breakup in a harrowing fashion, Ison isn’t afraid to take her readers to dark places.

MAROONED sat down with Ison to talk about Ball and her short fiction process.

Marooned: How did this collection develop?

Ison: Almost all of the stories had been previously published. Each one is very different from the others, but there are some common themes, especially psychosexual dysfunction, throughout the collection.

Marooned: The stories in Ball are fearless and sometimes very dark. Were they difficult to write?

Ison: Most of us have dark impulses that we deal with in one way or another. I think I’m as messed up as anybody, but I work through the dark stuff in my fiction. I like pushing my characters toward actions that are beyond the pale. Giving characters the freedom to do something really terrible or dark can be a cathartic experience.

Marooned: In Ball, you do a lot of interesting things with language, for example the repeated use of terms from the dog ad in “Ball” (“inside her belly where she’d been fxd”) or the use of Let’s Get Knitting as a verb in “The Knitting Story,” but you don’t sacrifice clarity. How did you develop these styles?

Ison: I wanted to create a type of linguistic texture that felt real. These were natural, organic elements that reflect how the characters would experience the world.

Marooned: Many of the stories move very seamlessly through time. “Fish” is a good example of this as the narrator is going back and forth from present day to a series of childhood experiences. What’s your approach to handling the “clock” in your fiction?

Ison: There’s a tension that exists between the present narrative and the backstory. The writer is manipulating the reader just enough so that he or she is complicit yet knowledgeable. The question is always, how little backstory can you get away with? Knowing how to dole out backstory in a way that builds, not disrupts, the narrative can be difficult and is often something I refine during revisions.

Marooned: Ball deals with a lot of taboo subjects? Are there any topics you would consider taboo as a writer?

Ison: There must be. But my default response is to say that there are no taboo subjects. There are ways of expressing taboo subjects that aren’t illuminating. I try to take a tough subject and crack it open to reveal something new or of value.

Marooned: What does your writing process look like? Does it change when you write short versus long fiction.

Ison: My process is avoidance. [Laughs] Two things really get me going. A deadline or an idea that won’t go away, that won’t leave me alone. Short fiction does feel different than long fiction. Short fiction centers on a singular image or experience or emotion. The focus is really narrow. A short story is a bit like a one night stand. I’m also continually revising when writing short fiction. When I write, I typically reread through my progress, revising as I go. I also read aloud multiple times. Sometimes your eye loves your work, but your ear is a sharper critic.

Marooned: Is there a certain type of scene that's harder for you to write than others?

Ison: There’s that old saying, one of the hardest things to do is to move a character from one side of the room to the other.

Marooned: Are you doing anything to celebrate the release of Ball?

Ison: I have some events planned for after the first of the year. I’ll be doing a reading in L.A. and an event locally at the Changing Hands bookstore.

Marooned: What are you working on now? What is your next project?

Ison: Something completely different! A novel set in World War II-era France.

Ball will be available on November 10^th from Soft Skull Press.

Marooned will have details about the Changing Hands reading as they become available.

Tara Ison’s Tips for Students Writing Short Fiction

-       Write the story you’re terrified to tell.

-       Don’t be afraid to play. Find your voice by experimenting with form and language.

-       Use writing prompts to help get you started.

-       Choose a subject that doesn’t interest you. Sometimes this can let a writer focus on the technical aspects of short fiction.

-       Revise. Revise. Revise. Most great short fiction is created during the revision process.

2016 MAROONED Cover Photo Contest

Win cash in The MAROONED Cover Photo Contest. The MAROONED team is currently seeking submissions for the cover of the 2016 edition. We're looking for innovative, interesting photography that best expresses our RE- theme. We want images that evoke redos, rebirths, reimaginings, revivals and more. The contest winner will receive a $100 cash prize and have their image featured on the cover of the MAROONED 2016 edition!

See our Submissions Page for details on how and where to submit.

Rafaella Safariam on Marooned Fall 2015

Review by Rafaella Safarian

Do you love to read? Support your fellow creative thinkers and pick up a copy of the Marooned Fall 2015 issue! From short stories and poetry to photography and media art, here is a glimpse of what you’ll find in this one of a kind edition:

The Fall 2015 issue of Marooned features a short story called “Mantodea” written by the English Department’s newest assistant professor in fiction, Matt Bell. What drew my attention to this piece was the detail centering on the mouth: lips, eating, drinking, lipstick, which is carried through as a theme for the story. The narrator gradually reveals why the mouth is important: it is the slow and painful way by which he tries to commit suicide.

The journal not only includes short stories, but also photography submitted by students. The photograph taken by Bryeanna Kelley entitled, “Hidden Eating Habits of a Teenage Girl” really resonated with me because, well, I am female and was a teenager not too long ago. The photo gives viewers a glimpse into the world of this teenage girl through her eyes: they capture the fear of being caught gorging on barbeque. Society’s standards make women feel ashamed if their “hidden eating habits” are exposed. Even now that we’re well into the 21^st century, women are held to the same standard as men intellectually, as with job prospects, but there is still a gender divide when it comes to the dos and don’ts of the public eye.

This issue also includes a captivating piece titled, “We Were Upper Class” by Ricky Reener. It is innovatively presented in an outline-like format that could also be read as piece of experimental short fiction. It gives the feel that it’s the preface of an essay yet to be written. The narrator is recollecting his life as a young man and goes through the realization that it was privileged compared to others he knew. I encourage you to read it!

Currently, Marooned is progressing along a new vision for it’s successive editions by encompassing a theme, which will unify all the creative works. To emphasize the journal’s revival, we encourage all submissions to incorporate the theme of RE—rebirth, re-envision, restore, reclaim, etc.

Marooned is also looking for compositions that challenge the definition of literature, what we call “alternative narratives” (which include video games, film, music, etc.). We will be writing a blog series in the near future that explores the evolution of narrative and the meaning of “literature”.

The Fall 2015 issue is now currently available for purchase in the G. Homer Durham Language and Literature Building room 172C for $5 (cash only). You will also be able to purchase the issue at various locations around campus, which will be announced soon. Back issues are on sale as well if you’re interested in seeing Marooned’s progression throughout its years in print.   

We encourage those of you who are considering submitting to Marooned to purchase the recent issue and past issues. You will not only support the journal’s endeavors, but also examine the type of content that we seek, though ultimately we support the various interpretations that go along with each theme.

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”

-Benjamin Franklin

Happy Writing, everyone!