2001-02 Charles River Review

Margarita Cárdenas, The Barn
Margarita Cárdenas is a conference interpreter; she was born in Bogotá, Colombia. She owes her love of writing and literature to her mother, who plied her with books as a child, and to her father, who wrote and published all his life. "The Barn" began as a short descriptive exercise that turned into a story for Maxine Rodburg's Advanced Fiction.

Peter L. Carlson, This Corner of the Universe
A trip around the globe in 1998 developed Peter Carlson's love for fiction writing and Buddhist philosophy. Now, work as a computer contractor supports these passions and, he hopes, future travel as well. "This Corner of the Universe," written for Robin Lippincott's Introduction to Fiction, sprang from meditations on cyber affairs and the rationalizations, delusions, and emotional repercussions that might ensue from them. The main characters and the house they inhabit quickly pushed this theme into a supporting role.

Antonia Ellis, My Clara
After many years of research and many rewrites, Antonia Ellis was inspired to complete her screenplay, "My Clara," after taking two classes in advanced screenwriting, most recently with Debbie Danielpour Chapel. This nineteenth-century true story--based on the illustrious lives of Clara and Robert Schumann--couldn't be more different than the TV show she produces in New York, Sex and the City. Ms. Ellis is an ALM candidate in Literature and Creative Writing.

Mary Ellen Geer, Variations on Blue: Six Paintings
Mary Ellen Geer has recently completed her fourth poetry workshop, Janet Sylvester's Advanced Poetry, at the Extension School and hopes to take many more. Currently, Ms. Geer is an editor at the Harvard University Press. Many of her poems have been inspired by the visual arts, and "Variations on Blue: Six Paintings" is based in part on paintings by Gwen Frankfeldt, a Cambridge artist.

Jeremiah Hakundy, What's So Bad about Will and Grace: Tolerance Versus Equality and an Argument for the Future of the Gay Rights Movement
After failing his screen test for the roles of Will and Jack on the Emmy award-winning sitcom Will and Grace (the results: too gay/not gay enough), Jeremiah Hakundy decided to turn a critical eye toward gay depiction in the media during Jennifer Klein Morrison's Academic Writing and Critical Reading. The consequent essay, "What's So Bad about Will and Grace," serves to assuage any lingering bitterness held against NBC. Mr. Hakundy will graduate with an ALB from the Extension School, at long last, in 2003. He would like to express his thanks to his partner, Jim, for his continuing love and support, and to TA Brian Hinshaw for his insightful help with this piece.

Suzanne Koven, The House in the Middle
Suzanne Koven wrote "The House in the Middle" in David Gessner's Advanced Creative Nonfiction. Ms. Koven practices internal medicine in Boston and is an ALM candidate in Literature and Creative Writing.

Sean Casey Leclaire, Goat Mind
Sean Casey Leclaire is a life coach, poet, and yoga teacher. "Goat Mind" came to him while climbing the sheer bluffs in Big Sur, California. His first book of poems and stories, Hug an Angry Man and You Will See He Is Crying, will be released in February 2003 by Red Spiral Books.

Dean Lufkin, Swimming to Italy
Dean Lufkin is a real estate appraiser from Gloucester, Massachusetts. Mr. Lufkin wrote "Swimming to Italy" in Maxine Rodburg's Advanced Fiction in spring 2002. He wanted to write a story that combined basketball, good Italian food, and dreams, a few of his favorite things.

Anne McDonald, HAIKU
Anne McDonald lives and writes poetry in Quincy "with the delightful distraction of six children, their spouses, and ten grandchildren." The haiku collection, composed during her morning walks along Wollaston Beach, was written for Susan Carlisle's Introduction to Poetry. Ms. McDonald works at Harvard.

Jeanne Miner, Roots
Jeanne Miner wrote "Roots" in Susan Carlisle's Introduction to Poetry. A native of California, Ms. Miner is still drawn to the landscape there, which never ceases to nurture and amaze her. Like many westerners, she feels the land is central to her understanding of self, community, and spirituality. Ms. Miner currently works in the Harvard University Development Office.

Kevin Sullivan, Sometimes Always
Kevin Sullivan works in publishing and wrote "Sometimes Always" for Wayne Wilson's Intermediate Fiction. He is quick to point out that although his story's title was inspired by the title of a song by the band Jesus and Mary Chain, their title has a comma. The story itself captures a young romance in a cubicled modern world, a genre Mr. Sullivan hopes to exploit for sizeable cash advances someday. His ultimate lifetime goal is to top E!'s list of "The 25 Sexiest Literary Figures."

Bruce Twickler, My 1,637 Years of Plenary Indulgence
Bruce Twickler assails that scourge of humanity, the tuna-noodle casserole, in "My 1,637 Years of Plenary Indulgence" for Elizabeth Benedict's Creative Nonfiction. His previous works include the Internet romance, "The Right Link," published in the Fall 2000 Charles River Review; "Logic Synthesis with Decomposition Maps," published in Electronic Design; and "A Modest Proposal for Democracy," in which he suggests replacing the legislative branch of the federal government with the Nielsen Ratings.

Delilah Webb, Autumn Aching Spring
Delilah Webb lived "Autumn Aching Spring" in 1988 and was inspired to write about it in Janet Sylvester's Introduction to Creative Writing. Ms. Webb has a flair for melodrama, finds overwhelming nostalgia in everyday things, and enjoys persuading others to tell their sad childhood stories. She hopes to pursue a career in adolescent psychology.

Stacey Williams, widowhood
Stacey Williams has been writing poetry since high school and is interested in writing both poetry and fiction. She wrote "widowhood" in Susan Carlisle's Introduction to Poetry, the first poetry course she has taken. Ms. Williams is pursuing a degree through the Harvard Extension School and works at the Harvard Medical School. Born and raised in Boston, Ms. Williams currently lives in the South End with her two children.

Alina Wojnar, The Carriage of a Gentleman
Alina Wojnar wrote "The Carriage of a Gentleman" in Janet Sylvester's Introduction to Creative Writing. Her grandfather had died the previous winter, so writing about him gave her a chance to sit down and reflect on who he had been and the effect he had on her life. Ms. Wojnar has a degree from Middlebury College and is currently working in finance. Introduction to Creative Writing was her first course at the Extension School.

Johanna Woll, Rue de Médicis
Johanna Woll worked as a translator in Paris, where she observed the scene described in "Rue de Médicis," the name of a street bordering the Luxembourg Gardens. Literary translation demands not only fluency in a foreign language, but also mastery of one's native tongue. Christina Thompson's Principles of Editing reinforced Ms. Woll's love of words and language and encouraged her to focus again on her own creative writing. Ms. Woll holds a BA in the history of art from Yale University and has translated three art books.



	THE HARVARD EXTENSION SCHOOL WRITING PROGRAM PREVIOUS \| CONTENTS \| NEXT Contributors Margarita Cárdenas, The Barn Margarita Cárdenas is a conference interpreter; she was born in Bogotá, Colombia. She owes her love of writing and literature to her mother, who plied her with books as a child, and to her father, who wrote and published all his life. "The Barn" began as a short descriptive exercise that turned into a story for Maxine Rodburg's Advanced Fiction. Peter L. Carlson, This Corner of the Universe A trip around the globe in 1998 developed Peter Carlson's love for fiction writing and Buddhist philosophy. Now, work as a computer contractor supports these passions and, he hopes, future travel as well. "This Corner of the Universe," written for Robin Lippincott's Introduction to Fiction, sprang from meditations on cyber affairs and the rationalizations, delusions, and emotional repercussions that might ensue from them. The main characters and the house they inhabit quickly pushed this theme into a supporting role. Antonia Ellis, My Clara After many years of research and many rewrites, Antonia Ellis was inspired to complete her screenplay, "My Clara," after taking two classes in advanced screenwriting, most recently with Debbie Danielpour Chapel. This nineteenth-century true story--based on the illustrious lives of Clara and Robert Schumann--couldn't be more different than the TV show she produces in New York, Sex and the City. Ms. Ellis is an ALM candidate in Literature and Creative Writing. Mary Ellen Geer, Variations on Blue: Six Paintings Mary Ellen Geer has recently completed her fourth poetry workshop, Janet Sylvester's Advanced Poetry, at the Extension School and hopes to take many more. Currently, Ms. Geer is an editor at the Harvard University Press. Many of her poems have been inspired by the visual arts, and "Variations on Blue: Six Paintings" is based in part on paintings by Gwen Frankfeldt, a Cambridge artist. *Jeremiah Hakundy, What's So Bad about* Will and Grace: Tolerance Versus Equality and an Argument for the Future of the Gay Rights Movement** After failing his screen test for the roles of Will and Jack on the Emmy award-winning sitcom Will and Grace (the results: too gay/not gay enough), Jeremiah Hakundy decided to turn a critical eye toward gay depiction in the media during Jennifer Klein Morrison's Academic Writing and Critical Reading. The consequent essay, "What's So Bad about Will and Grace," serves to assuage any lingering bitterness held against NBC. Mr. Hakundy will graduate with an ALB from the Extension School, at long last, in 2003. He would like to express his thanks to his partner, Jim, for his continuing love and support, and to TA Brian Hinshaw for his insightful help with this piece. Suzanne Koven, The House in the Middle Suzanne Koven wrote "The House in the Middle" in David Gessner's Advanced Creative Nonfiction. Ms. Koven practices internal medicine in Boston and is an ALM candidate in Literature and Creative Writing. Sean Casey Leclaire, Goat Mind Sean Casey Leclaire is a life coach, poet, and yoga teacher. "Goat Mind" came to him while climbing the sheer bluffs in Big Sur, California. His first book of poems and stories, Hug an Angry Man and You Will See He Is Crying, will be released in February 2003 by Red Spiral Books. Dean Lufkin, Swimming to Italy Dean Lufkin is a real estate appraiser from Gloucester, Massachusetts. Mr. Lufkin wrote "Swimming to Italy" in Maxine Rodburg's Advanced Fiction in spring 2002. He wanted to write a story that combined basketball, good Italian food, and dreams, a few of his favorite things. Anne McDonald, HAIKU Anne McDonald lives and writes poetry in Quincy "with the delightful distraction of six children, their spouses, and ten grandchildren." The haiku collection, composed during her morning walks along Wollaston Beach, was written for Susan Carlisle's Introduction to Poetry. Ms. McDonald works at Harvard. Jeanne Miner, Roots Jeanne Miner wrote "Roots" in Susan Carlisle's Introduction to Poetry. A native of California, Ms. Miner is still drawn to the landscape there, which never ceases to nurture and amaze her. Like many westerners, she feels the land is central to her understanding of self, community, and spirituality. Ms. Miner currently works in the Harvard University Development Office. Kevin Sullivan, Sometimes Always Kevin Sullivan works in publishing and wrote "Sometimes Always" for Wayne Wilson's Intermediate Fiction. He is quick to point out that although his story's title was inspired by the title of a song by the band Jesus and Mary Chain, their title has a comma. The story itself captures a young romance in a cubicled modern world, a genre Mr. Sullivan hopes to exploit for sizeable cash advances someday. His ultimate lifetime goal is to top E!'s list of "The 25 Sexiest Literary Figures." Bruce Twickler, My 1,637 Years of Plenary Indulgence Bruce Twickler assails that scourge of humanity, the tuna-noodle casserole, in "My 1,637 Years of Plenary Indulgence" for Elizabeth Benedict's Creative Nonfiction. His previous works include the Internet romance, "The Right Link," published in the Fall 2000 Charles River Review; "Logic Synthesis with Decomposition Maps," published in Electronic Design; and "A Modest Proposal for Democracy," in which he suggests replacing the legislative branch of the federal government with the Nielsen Ratings. Delilah Webb, Autumn Aching Spring Delilah Webb lived "Autumn Aching Spring" in 1988 and was inspired to write about it in Janet Sylvester's Introduction to Creative Writing. Ms. Webb has a flair for melodrama, finds overwhelming nostalgia in everyday things, and enjoys persuading others to tell their sad childhood stories. She hopes to pursue a career in adolescent psychology. Stacey Williams, widowhood Stacey Williams has been writing poetry since high school and is interested in writing both poetry and fiction. She wrote "widowhood" in Susan Carlisle's Introduction to Poetry, the first poetry course she has taken. Ms. Williams is pursuing a degree through the Harvard Extension School and works at the Harvard Medical School. Born and raised in Boston, Ms. Williams currently lives in the South End with her two children. Alina Wojnar, The Carriage of a Gentleman Alina Wojnar wrote "The Carriage of a Gentleman" in Janet Sylvester's Introduction to Creative Writing. Her grandfather had died the previous winter, so writing about him gave her a chance to sit down and reflect on who he had been and the effect he had on her life. Ms. Wojnar has a degree from Middlebury College and is currently working in finance. Introduction to Creative Writing was her first course at the Extension School. Johanna Woll, Rue de Médicis Johanna Woll worked as a translator in Paris, where she observed the scene described in "Rue de Médicis," the name of a street bordering the Luxembourg Gardens. Literary translation demands not only fluency in a foreign language, but also mastery of one's native tongue. Christina Thompson's Principles of Editing reinforced Ms. Woll's love of words and language and encouraged her to focus again on her own creative writing. Ms. Woll holds a BA in the history of art from Yale University and has translated three art books. PREVIOUS \| TOP \| CONTENTS \| NEXT

Copyright © 2002 The President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Comments. Last modified Wed, Dec 18, 2002.

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