Seniors are given first consideration; underclassmen second preference

0. Henry winner shares experiences, background with UCO students

The Oklahoma native spoke to a group of UCO students and faculty gathered in the Pegasus Theater of the Liberal Arts Building Thursday morning.

Askew talked about her experiences growing up in the eastern part of the state, her education and the experience of moving to New York, where she continued her education and began a teaching career. "I love to teach, but I made a decision to put that aside and write first. I may have to go back to teaching if I run out of money," she laughed.

Askew's first fiction sale was to Nimrod, a magazine published in Tulsa. She sold several more pieces in magazines and journals before they were collected into one volume, with some new material, and republished as her first book, Strange Business.

By Steven E. Wedel

Staff Writer 4 1 4 had to write my way home," said award-winning author Rilla Askew.

here are the ones who matter most.

It's something she said she learned while writing. When she first went to New York and began participating in writing workshops she set her stories in locales all over the world and received mediocre responses from her peers and instructors.

When Askew began to set her stories in the Oklahoma where she grew up, people said Award-winning author Rilla Askew they came alive. speaks to faculty and students "Those stories were Tuesday in Pegasus Theater. (Staff a hit," she said. photo by Bryan Terry) The Oklahoma connection paid off for her again in New York, when an editorial assistant who had just been appointed to his job found her

Since then, Askew has won two literary awards, the 0. Henry Award, which is the highest award given for short fiction, and the Oklahoma Book Award. She said she was more thrilled to win the Oklahoma Book Award. "What matters to me emotionally is acknowledgment in Oklahoma," Askew said.

She added that it's nice to be recognized in the literary environment of New York, but she feels Oklahoma is her home and the people manuscript languishing in the editorial office of The Viking Press. "He had an ear for the Oklahoma story and he was really responsible for pushing my book and getting it published," Askew said.

Askew's first full-length novel, The Mercy Beat, was published this year. Like the stories that proved to be so successful for her, the novel is set in eastern Oklahoma.

She said that, at least for now, she is comfortable with that. "Oklahoma's past is my subject," she said. "It's what I seem to be best at right now."

Askew still lives in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York, where her husband teaches theater. She still spends a good deal of her time in the summers living and writing near McAlester, Okla. "I just have to shut myself up and write sometimes," she said.

January Intersession at Oklahoma City Community College, January 5-16!

Automotive Technology

AT 2101 • ASE Certification (3 credits hours)

Biology

BIO 1023 • Introduction to Nutrition (3 credit hours)

Computer Science

CS 1001 • Make Your Own Webpage (1 credit hour) CS 1001 • Getting Inside Your PC (1 credit hour) CS 1001 • Introduction to Windows 95 (1 credit hour) CS 1001 • PowerPoint 97 (1 credit hour)

Computer-Aided Design/Drafting

DDT 1001 • AutoCAD R14 Update (1 credit hour)

Emergency Medical Technology

EMT 1112 • ECG Interpretation and Procedures (2 credit hours)

History

HIST 1493 • American History from the Civil War to the Present (3 credit hours)

Intensive English

IE 0643 • TOEFL Preparation (3 credit hours)

Nursing

NUR 1001 • Alternative Healing: A Multicultural Approach (1 credit hour)

Psychology

PSY 1113 • Introduction to Psychology (3 credit hours) PSY 1123 • Stress Management (3 credit hours)

Real Estate

REL 1113 • Real Estate Principles (3 credit hours)

Sociology

SOC 1113 • Introduction to Sociology (3 credit hours)

Non-Credit Courses

Strategic Planning Business Spanish Refresher Conflict Management Diversity in the Workplace Customer Service Strategic Listening Effective Teams How To Lead A Team Team Communication Team Facilitation CPR for the Healthcare Provider TOEFL Preparation

Oklahoma City Community College

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