Alexis Henley accepted into
Looking Glass Rock Writer's Conference
By Carmen Boone
Copy Editor
Alexis Henley, a junior at Brevard College
with a maj or in English and minor in Psychology,
was recently accepted into the Looking Glass
Writer’s Conference.
It is four days from May 9-12. There are
three different areas to apply for. One is for
fiction, another is for poetry and the third is
for nonfiction. All three areas have individual
workshops where people can have their own
work critiqued and take a look at what other
writers are doing. Each workshop will have
about 12 people.
Henley was accepted into the fiction section
where the writer leading her workshop will be
Wiley Cash. He is an North Carolina based
writer who focuses mainly on using place in
his works.
Using this experience, Henley hopes to
become a better editor of her own work, to see
her own mistakes, to identify her weaker points
and improve upon them. She also wants to see
others’ perspectives and get some feedback or
tips on how to make her writing better. Her
story that she will be workshopping takes place
in a small town and she wants to learn how to
“establish [this place] to make it feel like an
actual town” and “get a solid idea of how to
make it feel like it’s real.”
For the conference, there is a half scholarship
and a full scholarship. Henley received the full
scholarship to cover the entire cost of $475.
The scholarship is awarded based on a piece of
work submitted. All of the scholarship recipients
are required to do a public reading of their
work to showcase it. Everyone accepted to the
conference that wants to stay on campus will be
housed in Stanback Residence Hall.
What Henley most looks forward to is seeing
what other people write about. “I think just
really seeing what everyone writes about is like
the most fascinating thing to me and what I’m
looking forward to finding out,” Henley said.
“Writing to me is like part of you, and so what
do they [other writers] put on the page?”
Henley submitted a fiction piece that was
10 pages long. It is the same piece she will be
work shopping and eventually might turn into
her senior project next year. To the right is the
introduction and short description of it.
Third annual BCDPC pride fest
By Chloe McGee
staff Writer
Brevard College’s Diversity Pride Club, in
collaboration with the school’s Fine Arts Club,
held their third annual pride festival Sunday,
March 24 on the lawn in front of Dunham.
The festival was a chance for the community
to come together to break bread and appreciate
diversity.
The event featured live music played by three
Brevard College student-led groups. BC’s open
mic night house band kicked it off with Ryan
Burnette on drum set, Gryphen Blackwell on
bass guitar, Mathew Parrish on electric guitar
and Dal Davis on vocals and keyboard. The
second band to perform was Beat Juice, with
Jaylaan Prioleau on drums, Reed Windham on
bass and Dal Davis on vocals and keyboard.
Finishing off the concert was a Marina and the
Diamonds cover band called Jannie and the
Hearts featuring Arianna Ruiz on flute, Anne
Davies-Dent on keyboard, Ryan Burnette on
drum set, and Jannie Curtz on vocals.
Several companies and vendors were present,
spanning the lawn with booths, tents and tables
that displayed their products, informational
material and even voter registration. Rocky
Mountain Jewelry, the Rainbow Alliance,
PFLAG and Blue Ridge Pride all came to join
in on the festivities.
See 'Third annual' on page 2
Henley smiles for a selfie.
“Headline” by Alexis Henley
Emily stood on the tracks with eyes on the
incoming train.
The headlight shone through the thick, late
August air, growing brighter as it approached.
The horn sounded. The shrill squeal of brakes
reverberated in the trees sending birds bolting
into the sky. Sparks kissed the rails, but Emily
waited. Her blood pounded in sync with the
shake of the ground. She stayed a second
longer. Another second.
A tingling thrill rolled down her spine as the
light enveloped her sight. The palms of her
hands grew sweaty inside her pants pockets. If
she stayed she ’ d be on the front page of Anthem
Falls newspaper along with photo of the tracks.
Emily hopped off to the side onto the grassy
hill. The train roared by, sparks flying. The
wind ripped off her hood. Her hair writhed and
stuck to the sheen of sweat on her skin. Emily
watched the cars continue down the tracks.
Always going somewhere else from
somewhere else, she thought, making her
way down.
[Short Description]
A high school girl with a mental illness
goes to a concert at an abandoned bam with
her friend, experiences a dissociative episode,
and deals with the subsequent consequences
of that night.