More than 100 authors descended on Austin this past weekend for the Texas Book Festival, but only one was there to receive the 2023 Texas Writer Award. That author was Elizabeth Crook, and her session at the Festival was, in many respects, the highlight of the weekend.
Hannah Gabel, the Literary Director for the TBF, introduced her…
… and on hand to lead the discussion was her friend, Stephen Harrigan–the Texas Writer Award winner in 2011. They discussed the literary life, their writing processes and their work on “The Which Way Tree,” a screen adaptation (optioned by Robert Duvall) of Crook’s 2018 novel of the same name.
Crook’s latest novel, “The Madstone,” features the lead character in “The Which Way Tree,” Benjamin Shreve. And in both novels, Shreve offers what Harrigan calls “one of the most distinctive and appealing characters in all of fiction.”
That distinctive voice comes from a lot of hard work, as well as an ear for speech. Crook is a relentless researcher. While writing her first book, The Raven’s Bride (published by Jackie Kennedy at Doubleday), she travelled to different cities in Tennessee; to Huntsville, TX; to the cemeteries where Houston and Eliza Allen are buried; and talked to dozens of historians and family members of the subjects. For Madstone, she followed a similar approach, and she and Harrigan laughed about her efforts to ascertain accurate stagecoach schedules to and from Texas towns. Put simply, she wants historical fiction to be accurate history.
And that history is almost always set in Texas. “I love Texas,” she says. “Texas is home for me.” But she also relies heavily on imagination to create characters and scenarios, and it is this creative world–rooted in reality–that draws comparisons to Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Cormac McCarthy, Larry McMurtry, and Stephen Harrigan.
And once you read The Which Way Tree and Madstone, you’ll understand the comparisons–and her deserving win of the Texas Writer Award.
Note: Ever wonder what tangible “trophy” the Texas Writer Award winner receives? Well, according to Stephen Harrigan, it “used to be a bookend, one resembling a gravestone.” No longer. It is a pair of boots, individually fitted!
We were eager to begin our second day of the Texas Book Festival. Having attended the first day, we were no longer rookies, and we had a better idea of how to navigate the lines, accommodate the back-to-back schedule, and, in short, what to expect.
Poking Around the TX Book Festival
Much of what we learned at the festival came from just breathing in the book culture. We peaked in on some panels just to see if the author could capture our attention. We were exposed to books, ideas, and authors we would not have sought out, but then found they had something interesting to say and something to teach us. We had a chance to see some of the most respected authors in the nation, and in two cases, we had a chance to see hear them discuss their work for the floor of the House of Representatives!
One of these was H.W. Brand, the UT Historian and best-selling author of numerous books.
Sam Houston Assessing H.W. Brands
He discussed his latest book, Founding Partisans, and he revealed the founding father he thought most interesting (James Madison).
Tim O’Brien, the celebrated author of The Things They Carried and the National Book Award winning Going After Cacciato, also spoke from the House floor–standing at the Speaker’s dais!
Although O’Brien was born in Austin, it was Austin, MN, not Austin, TX. Nonetheless, he lives in central Texas and is considered a “Texas author.”
In fact, for many years, he taught at Texas State University, and he donated his papers to the Harry Ransom Center.
Beyond these unique experiences, we each wrote about a panel that stood out to us, which you can find below.
Fighting to Survive: Rebellions in Epic Fantasy
Madison Cawthon
Our first panel was an interesting exploration of fantasy books, featuring Tracy Wolff and Ehigbor Okosun. Their discussion unveiled the intricate process of world-building, emphasizing how their characters acted as architects of the realms within their books.
Both authors revealed that their characters organically guided the storytelling process. Okosun notably delved into the incorporation of Nigerian culture, shedding light on how its appreciation often relies on readers’ familiarity with its nuances. It was interesting to hear about all the planning and behind-the-scenes work that went into writing their novels. Ultimately, this panel was one of my favorite panels of the festival.
A Night of Screams: Latino Horror Stories
by Jessica Cuevas
Growing up, I heard different versions of Latin American lore, such as La Llorona (the weeping woman), El Cucuy (the Boogeyman), and La Chupacabra (a goat sucker). All of these stories, perhaps not coincidentally, reminded us to behave and listen to our parents. When I was a child, these stories instilled a fear in me, and if my parents or siblings just mentioned these names, I knew I was in trouble. With a large Hispanic membership in LEAP, this background influenced our decision to attend the session, “A Night of Screams: Latino Horror Stories.” Richard Santos, himself a novelist, moderated the event, in conversation with Leticia Ortiz, Ruben Degollado, and Monica Teresa Ortiz.
When asked to gather Latino artists to create the First Anthology of Latin Horror Stories, Richard Santos jumped at the opportunity. Although unsure of who he would ask at first, he knew it was something he could get done, and he was right! Together, they put together an anthology of some of the most common and traditional horror stories, but they took some liberty in writing their own version and creating other stories. Mónica shared an anecdote about her grandfather and father in a near encounter with La Chupacabra, while Rubén took this opportunity to create a story about zombies down at the US-Mexico Border, and Leticia wrote about body horror and generational trauma in her book, “Las Criaturas”. Together they filled the room with laughter as many Hispanics in the room related to the authors’ experiences that influenced their stories.
Fortunately for the panelists, their book sold out at the event. Unfortunately for the LEAP Ambassadors, the books sold out before they could get copies!
The Security of a Free State & The Distortion of the Second Amendment
by Michelle Cardenas
One of the timeliest panels of the day was The Security of a Free State & The Distortion of the Second Amendment. This panel featured Cameron McWhirter, author of American Gun: The True Story of the AR15, and Jeff Sharlet, author of The Undertow: Scenes from a Slow Civil War. Both authors shared a bit about their books and tackled the topic of the origin of guns and how much change they have brought to society over time.
Cameron McWhirter focused on explaining the creation of the AR15 and how its original purpose has been distorted over time. McWhirter explained that the AR15 was designed to provide military troops with a more accessible and easy weapon in combat. Despite its original intent, the AR15 is the most common gun used in mass shootings and other high-profile criminal cases. One of the most shocking details he gave during the talk was his very own experience purchasing an AR15. According to Cameron McWhirter, it only took him 38 minutes to buy such a deadly weapon; it was that quick!
Jeff Sharlet took a different approach to the conversation and asked the crowd to reflect on how we accept guns in our everyday lives. He explained how over the years guns have become a huge part of our social norm. Owning a gun is no longer uncommon or odd, instead, it is deemed a necessity to protect oneself. He shared with us a staggering statistic; the United States is the country with the most civilian-owned guns with a ratio of 120 guns to every 100 civilians.
Both authors acknowledged the issues the United States is currently having with firearms ending up in the hands of the wrong people. They did a phenomenal job educating the public on the real purpose of firearms and the reality of the world we live in today. They embraced the topic and encouraged us to enjoy and protect the freedom that we have been blessed with.
Wrapping Up the Book Festival
These were far from the only sessions we experienced. We also learned about the State Parks, which just this week received a windfall from voters, who voted to create a Conservation Fund for State Parks. This 1 billion is sorely needed, a fact elaborated on by George Bristol and Andrew Sansom, both of whom have written books on the State Parks.
Intriguingly, Andrew Sansom’s book, on the Art in Texas State Parks, features the work of one of our favorites: Lee Jamison.
We also had a chance to see a cooking demonstration by Judd Servidio, whose book, Salt & Vanilla, offers both recipes and some stories about cooking for the rich and famous.
And where besides the TX Book Festival can you go from a cooking demonstration to a panel on “family thrillers…”
…and then go to a panel about women in law enforcement?
In the latter case, we had a chance to see author–and former CIA agent–Jana Monroe, whom we saw last month at Murder By the Book.
In short, it was a weekend full of learning and enrichment, and we look forward to next year’s Book Festival, which we hope is the beginning of a LEAP Tradition.
Following our morning of art with Daniel Arredondo, LEAP students made their way to day one of the Texas Book Festival!
We were thrilled to enter a space in which we could gain firsthand accounts from authors from a wide range of genres.
Our first session was titled “What We Lost: Stories of Family & Womanhood” hosted by the authors Alma Garcia and Esmeralda Santiago. In this session, the authors talk about the emotional complexity of the Puerto Rican diaspora, tragedy and healing, and the sacrifices made by women.
Continuing the theme of hard-hitting conversations, we visited Contemporary Art Museum’s Rooftop to listen to Ava Chin and Rodrigo Dorfman at their panel titled; “Lived Experience: a Legacy of Exclusion and Exile”. This was Olivia and Michelle’s favorite session of the day. Chin, in her book “Mott Street” covers the longstanding impact the Chinese Exclusion Act had on her family and the Chinese community, as a whole, for generations. On the other hand, Dorfman read an excerpt from his memoir “Generation Exile: the Lives I Leave Behind” which had a few people in tears by the time he finished reading. Dorfman talked about a “generational curse” in his family where his grandfather, father and himself were all exiled from their country by the age of seven years old.
During the Q&A space, Olivia asked Chin and Dorfman about the reaction their families had about their writing and how they approach the various complexities of their perspective.
After this highly emotive session, we went on to attend the “Pictures & Words: Bret Anthony Johnson & Keith Carter on Ghostlight”, a photography book with filled with Carter’s “Bayou-Gothic” aesthetic.
He made use of a vision problem in one eye, influencing his style of photography with a short depth of vision. Carter’s oblique positioning and his sense of light and “aberrations” makes for a style that truly tells a story for the viewer to contemplate.
While some of our photographs possess aberrations, they are not nearly as intentional or as visually appealing as Carter’s mastery.
Following the informational session, we went straight to listen to another group favorite panel, Rachel Louise and Meg Kissinger at “We Need to Talk: Urgent Stories about Domestic Abuse & Mental Health”. She emphasizes the stigma mental illness had in her early years and the impact it had in her family as a whole.
This panel allowed us to see where generational perspectives of mental health and violence intersect, which provided a poignant reminder of open dialogues such as these.
Our excitement, though boundless, was met with the sobering realization that our enthusiasm outmatched our wallets. BookPeople, the largest independent bookstore in Texas, was the seller of all books discussed throughout the weekend. We picked out some titles that piqued our interest, along with books from the panels we had visited throughout the day.
Blanton Museum of Art
by Madison Cawthon
After we wrapped up at the Texas Book Festival, we had the chance to check out the Blanton Museum of Art.
This was a first for many of us, including myself, but the live music upon entry indicated that we were in for a fantastic experience.
After checking in at the museum, we ventured to Ellsworth Kelly’s Chapel, otherwise known as Austin.
The Austin Chapel is a cruciform architectural structure that was originally designed by artist Ellsworth Kelly. Known for his use of color and shape, this chapel can be considered one of his grandest designs.
Geometric black and white canvases adorned the walls, while vibrant rainbow-stained glass designs graced each corner of the structure.
After experiencing the Austin Chapel…
…we then made our way inside the art gallery. There were several different exhibits to ponder, so the group made haste to absorb as much as possible.
The Art of the United States exhibit was split into various time periods. As we walked through the exhibit, we were able to notice the changes that occurred in the art world as time went on. “Woman in Brown” by Manierre Dawson, which was among various abstract and cubist paintings, was one of my personal favorites!’
Another exhibit we explored was the Latin American art exhibit. One piece of art Michelle particularly liked was the “Cruzado El Rio Bravo” by Luis Jiminez, as she felt it captures the sacrifices many immigrants have to make in order to better their lives. This sacrifice was perfectly encapsulated in the faces of those who have experienced this firsthand, forging a powerful connection with those who have shared a similar journey.
For some of us, this was a near first in an art museum, while others were veterans, but we all found news and interesting things.
The day was filled with several emotional and intellectual evocations, and we left the day with a newfound appreciation for the human condition.
LEAP is in Austin for the Texas Book Festival this weekend, but if you know us well, you know that we did plenty of exploring of the state’s capital as well. The conversations and experiences we shared deviated from some of our typical topics, but was a completely rewarding and thought-provoking way to spend our Saturday!
A Visit to Daniel Arredondo’s Art Studio
by Michelle Cardenas
Rewarding is certainly the appropriate work for the art of Daniel Arredondo, a renowned artist and friend of LEAP. Mr. Arredondo was kind enough to give us a tour of his studio and walk us through his creative process.
The journey to the studio was a little rocky, but we were soon blown away with the serene views surrounding his property. We were warmly greeted and welcomed in by Mr. Arredondo himself.
Walking into Mr. Arredondo’s studio was beyond incredible, and it felt as though we were transported to a new world. We were met by his extensive collection of cigar boxes decorated with his art and impeccable craftsmanship.
Daniel Arredondo is known for his paintings of landscapes that focus on trees and the stories they tell. He uses the trees as a metaphor to tell the story of life and emit some of the emotions in the human experience. He explained to us that just like our individual experience, each tree is unique. As an artist, his central focus is to go beyond the surface, which is pronounced in the inclusion of the tree’s roots in each painting.
To our amazement, Daniel Arredondo does not arrange the composition of his paintings before he starts. Everything that he wishes to express comes out in real time, even using the canvas as a palette to mix the colors. In response to our astonishment, he read us a quote from Mark Rothko: “A painting is not a picture of an experience, it is an experience”. While we were already incredibly grateful to have just witnessed his many pieces, Mr. Arredondo very generously gave us 6 prints of some of his favorite works, along with an original small-scale painting as a keepsake, and many of us also made a purchase!
Personally, this was the first piece in my art collection, unlike Jessica, who after today’s trip now has a total of 12 Arredondo pieces!
We were humbled by his generosity, hospitality, and willingness to share his perspective and his artistic process. We had a wonderful time and left with beautiful mementos that we will cherish as young art collectors!
For the 102nd year, the aptly named Campus Activities and Traditions hosted the “Tree of Lights” last night. With music, dancing, speeches, philanthropy, and–of course–tree lighting, the night was full of fun.
Led by Rachel Valle, the event began with a pre-lighting festival consisting of music, a “snow globe,” a photography station, and other fun and games.
This was followed by introductions by the newly minted SHSU King and Queen; remarks by President White (and a selfie by her husband, Elliott!);
…the lighting of vigil candles;
…nice words by Director of the Good Shepherd Mission, Dave Smith;
…and performances by the Orange Pride Dancers and the SHSU Chorale.
There was also a speed ornament hanging for participating organizations–which included both LEAP Ambassadors and the Pre-Law Society.
Although it’s been done a hundred times (literally), this event remains fresh, and a welcome way to introduce freshmen to the best aspects of SHSU: service, generosity, and talent.
With the goal to find out how they will score on the LSAT, the Law School Admission Test, 37 SHSU students arrived on the Huntsville campus at 9:30 am on Saturday, October 21 to take a Mock LSAT. Assessing skills that are needed in law school and in the practice of law, the LSAT tests reading comprehension, analytical reasoning (sometimes called the Logic Games section), and logical reasoning (often termed the argumentative section). The LEAP Center offers a Mock LSAT at no charge in fall and spring semesters. In spring semesters, the Mock LSAT is limited to members of the SHSU Pre-Law Society.
Beginning with the August 2024 LSAT, the scored portion of the LSAT will consist of one Reading Comprehension section and two Logical Reasoning sections. Although the LSAT will continue to assess the analytical reasoning skills of LSAT takers, the LSAT will no longer use the format of Logic Games. Glen Stohr, lead instructional designer for prelaw programs at the education company Kaplan, opined that the second Logical Reasoning section “will include a heightened focus on word problems.”
There is no change in the structure of the LSAT between now and the June 2024 LSAT. The rigorous research conducted by lsac.org on the updating of the LSAT structural change as of August 2024 confirms that the new approach will not impact the overall LSAT scores. In addition, there will be no impact on the high correlation between LSAT scores and first-year law school success.
For more information or questions on the LSAT, the SHSU Pre-Law Society, or pre-law and law school advising, please contact Jean Loveall at jal072@shsu.edu.
The College of Criminal Justice hosts numerous events promoting education, employment, and professional networks for their students. One of those is their regular “Real Talk with CJ” event, in which SHSU Alumni come in to discuss their careers, to provide advice, and to strengthen the relationship between alumni, faculty, staff, and students. On November 2, the “Real Talk” involved Forrest Price returning to campus to discuss his career as a game warden.
Approximately 40 students showed up for the event, and they gave Mr. Price their attention.
For his part, Price provided an informative overview of being a game warden, shining light on the requirements associated with the position, the pay scale, and the work conditions, officers’ broad discretion, and their control over their day-to-day duties.
Mr. Price observed that the best aspect of his job was being able to determine what his day-to-day duties are. Some days he may spend working with Park Rangers; other days he may work alone on a lake; and other days he might be trudging through a heavily forested area. On any given day, he might work with drug offenses; poaching; fishing without a license; boating while intoxicated; or, in one case, a person who captured, relocated, and released an alligator.
Students asked numerous insightful questions, showing impressive engagement with the topic and the speaker, and Mr. Price demonstrated great generosity with his time. Many thanks to the College of Criminal Justice for putting on this great program.
One of the events LEAP Ambassadors look forward to each year is the Distinguished Alumni Gala, hosted by the Alumni Association and their wonderful staff. This year was no exception, and when Mr. and Mrs. Woodward invited us to sit at their table, we jumped at the opportunity!
With a return engagement by Chris Tritico as emcee, the Gala kicked off with its usual air of amiability, camaraderie, levity, and appreciation.
This year, Distinguished Alumni honorees included Beth and Kelly Damphousse; the Honorable Monica Thompson Guidry; and Colonel Vanessa Hicks-Callaway. Morgan Chesky was named “Outstanding Young Alumni;” and Rose Avalos and Paul Pearce were honored for Service Awards.
In addition, we heard from members of the Alumni Association Committee, Charlie Vienne, VP of Advancement, Matt Bethea, and were treated to the wonderful vocal talents of SHSU music student, Amy Hemphill.
And, of course, we also heard from President White, who gave an impassioned speech about the honorees, all alumni, and Sam Houston State University.
With this being the 50th Anniversary of the Distinguished Alumni Gala, the Alumni Association decided to also present a “Lifetime Achievement” award, and this went to Joe and Winnie Sandel and Byron and Charlene Sandel.
(The bios of each of the honorees can be found here).
The speeches this year were inspiring, and the honorees’ accomplishments were impressive, making this another rewarding year at the Gala.
Rose Avalos, a lifelong educator, gave one of the nicest speeches we have heard at a Distinguished Alumni Gala. In her understated way, Ms. Avalos offered eloquent testimony to the importance of education. As a first-generation college graduate, Ms. Avalos recounted her long career, which progressed from teaching, to serving as a principal, and now as an elected official on the school board. She is, she said, “On the committee to help, and I will do so as long as I can walk.”
Paul Pearce recounted his arrival at SHSU, when he was moving into the Roy Adams Dorm, and he told his family, “I’ll see you at Thanksgiving.” Pearce, who parlayed his time at SHSU into a career as an entrepreneurial scientist, focused on the importance of community. “It’s great to succeed in your career,” he noted, “but you have to support your family and your community. That’s how you make a difference.”
Morgan Chesky, only 37, focused on the role that relationships at SHSU played in his career, highlighting the importance of his fraternity brothers, and the fact that SHSU was a place that he felt appreciated, respected, and loved.
Lt. Col. Vanessa Hicks-Callaway gave perhaps the most inspirational of the speeches. She described herself as “multi-faceted,” noting she was “a believer in Jesus Christ, a mother, a wife, a veteran, and a politician”–while offering humorous examples of each role. Like several of the award recipients, she met her spouse at SHSU, and her son is also an SHSU graduate. To the SHSU Alumni Association, she offered “exponential thanks to the infinite power” for the award.
Judge Guidry began her modest speech by noting, “I am not a public speaker, so I wrote this down.” She thanked her family, her sorority, and her time at SHSU, connecting her learning as a graduate student in biology with her current role as a judge: she weighs evidence. While she offered a quiet speech, her friends and family made up for it with enthusiastic appreciation.
Beth and Kelly Damphousse highlighted the importance of family and SHSU in their speeches. In fact, President Damphousse (Damphousse is President of Texas State University) said he divided his life into two parts: before and after SHSU, a milestone punctuated by the fact that he met Beth at SHSU. He closed his emotional speech by thanking his daughters, who were also present at the event.
As a feature of the 50th anniversary of the Distinguished Alumni Gala, the Alumni Association gave its first “Lifetime Achievement Award,” which went to two generations of the Sandel family. With Joe and Winnie and Byron and Charlene Sandel on hand to accept the award, the family highlighted their long association with Texas and SHSU. More than 30 family members have attended SHSU! The family members have also been generous donors to SHSU, with the most recent example of this generosity being impressive additions to the Gibbs Ranch at SHSU–including a seven-figure donation.
There are many reasons we enjoy this event. Spending time with the Woodwards and other nice University and community people is always enjoyable. Also, we get to learn more about the University, its alumni, and its faculty and staff. Of course, we get to see Chris Tritico again!
And we learn a little more about what is expected of us as future alumni. While we may not be selected as Distinguished Alumni, we do know that everyone can make a difference through service of others, and that this service takes many forms.
And with that lesson fresh in mind, we headed off to get some sleep, before volunteering for the University’s homecoming!
Many thanks to Mac and Leanne Woodward who invited us to join them at this year’s Gala. We are enormously grateful to them for their mentorship, friendship, and support.And congratulations to Charlie Vienne, Hollie Garza, Donna Gilbert, Meggan Thompson, Chantel Finley, and the entire Alumni Association staff for a successful and enjoyable event.
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 