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Seniors are given first consideration; underclassmen second preference
by The Vista
Two-year project brings success for NEWPLAINS Review
By Steven E. Wedel
Staff Writer
4 T 4 his may be one of our busiest semesters ever," said Gwynne Hunter, director of UCO's NEWPLAINS Review (NPR). The NPR is a literary journal staffed by students interested in various aspects of the publishing industry.
After going two years without producing a publication, NPR is enjoying the success of their latest issue, The Woman, which was released in October, 1997.
Last Monday, the staff hosted a reception in the Liberal Arts Reception Room for the artists and writers who contributed to the current issue. Though no official attendance record was kept, Hunter said the reception was a success. "We had a cake that would serve 100 people," she said. "The cake was gone, so there was probably 80 to 85 people that came in."
Of those who came to the reception, many left with a copy of The Woman. "We sold 15 copies in just the first five minutes," said Susan Thompson, managing editor.
The volume deals with issues relevant to women, Hunter said. The text covers several categories, from fiction to nonfiction to poetry, with reproductions of several mediums of artwork.
The reception came only two weeks after the NPR staff returned from a trip to the Rocky Mountain Book Festival in Denver.
The festival is an annual event attended by authors, editors, publishers and others in the literary field. Along with lectures and entertainment, the RMBF provides a chance for small publishers to introduce their works to a national audience. Hunter said the festival was a major success for NPR. "We ran out of our old books the first day and had to start taking orders," she said.
Hunter said sales of The Woman were "brisk," and other NPR merchandise, such as Tshirts, sweatshirts and notecards went very well, Overall, she said the interest in NPR was "phenomenal." "People attending the festival said we had one of the best booths there," Hunter said.
According to Hunter, many people at the festival were surprised to learn that The Woman was produced by students rather than professionals. She attributes the quality of the volume to the efforts of her staff. "This venture is entirely possible because of the
Bob Smith, Creative Studies secretary, Beverly Thorsen, English professor and Gwynne Hunter, NEWPLAINS director visit during the reception for The Woman. (Staff photo by Steven Wedel)
Audi Gonzales, assistant graphic designer, works the NEWPLAINS booth at the Rocky Mountain Book Festival. (photo provided) dedication and energy and enthusiasm of the staff," she said. "It is not a one-person venture. Everybody is working together as a team. I'm just a member of the team. I'm the coach."
The trip to Denver was paid for by the Student Activity Fund. Hunter said the trip is one of the very few academic activities in which the fund invests.
Before this semester is over, the NPR staff will take a trip to the publishing museum in Guthrie, Okla., and will host a reading from The Woman.
Hunter said next semester will be another busy time for her and her staff. They are working on a volume of poetry called Miscellany and will begin selecting material for their next journal, The Challenged. Other projects include making a promotional video tape, the bulk of which was filmed during their trip to the Rocky Mountain Book Festival.
Thompson encouraged students from all majors to sign up for the NPR class next semester. She said the wide variety of duties, which include tasks from editing to marketing to layout and design, offer something for everyone. The class is a 3000 level English course worth three credit hours. It meets on Tuesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. For more information, call 341-2980 Ext. 5628 or 5629.
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