JagBytes

Issue date: 2/6/08 Section: Entertainment

Media Credit: Grant Smith Senior editors for Genesis, Fay Shaw, Barb Bennett, and Eileen Tallman celebrate at the Genesis release party.

Media Credit: Grant Smith The cover of the Fall 2007 issue of Genesis, done by Megan Wells, won the magazine's "Best Of" art award.

"Attention," said an anonymous voice over the University Library's loudspeaker system, "The sirens you hear are severe weather sirens, indicating that severe weather is in the area. We don't see a reason to evacuate to the basement at this time, but we will be keeping an eye on the weather. Thank you."

About 40 people gathered last Tuesday in the basement of the University Library, in the Lilly Auditorium for the publication release party for the Fall 2007 issue of Genesis, IUPUI's literary magazine. We could not hear any sirens.

"We had a really hard time picking the submissions for this year's issue," said Barbara Bennett, Senior Staff Editor for Genesis. "We feel that we have a really great issue, and I want to thank everybody that submitted."

Of those who submitted, a few were singled out for a series of "Best Of" awards, which netted the winners a $100 gift card to an area book store. Colleen Card won best of fiction for "Shekinah Glory." Best of nonfiction went to Katie Fleetwood for "Trees of Podolyantsi" and best poetry went to Clint Smith for "Femured Dream." The Best of art went to Megan Wells for "Triptych," which is featured on the cover.

A steady stream of students had signed up to read their work aloud in front of an audience of their peers.

Karen Mitchell got up to read one of her poems, "Necklace." She managed to get out about a half of a stanza before the P.A. kicked back to life.

"The sirens you hear indicate that a tornado warning is in effect until 8 p.m.," said the voice. "A tornado warning means that a tornado has been sighted in the area, we recommend that everyone evacuate to the basement of the building until the warning has passed."

The message repeated two more times; Mitchell stood at the podium, silent.

Eileen Tallman, one of the senior staff editors, was the emcee for the evening and attempted to take charge and keep some sort of order in the face of a possible natural disaster.

"If you want to leave, or you don't feel safe here, you can leave," Tallman said. "We're going to stay and continue with the readings, and afterwards, we'll eat some cookies. You should be safe down here. Karen, if you would, please start again."

Outside the Lilly Auditorium, the noise grew to a dull roar as students poured into the basement, devouring the refreshments for the release party, adding a sense of chaos and anarchy to the readings.

Mitchell started over, barely audible over the roar of students on the other side of the auditorium doors.

"It scared the crap out of me," Mitchell said. "My heart was pounding in my chest, I was already nervous about getting up in front of everybody, and this just made it worse."

After the readings were finished, Barb Bennett, another senior staff editor, appeared to be flustered, but still cheery.

"The evening had something akin to a Biblical drama to it," Bennett said. "The release party for our much-delayed Fall 2007 issue began with a mix-up regarding the use of the auditorium. The library had double-booked the room, and that had to be sorted out. Then the storm warnings were interjected into our readings, followed by the discovery that the evacuees from the upper levels of the library had descended upon our humble refreshments table, not unlike a plague of locusts!"

Bennett says that she hopes that the spring release will go more smoothly, even if it is during tornado season.

The deadline for submissions for the Fall 2008 issue of Genesis is March 21. For further information, undergraduate students can contact Genesis at genesis1@iupui.edu.

Contact Grant Smith at smithgp@iupui.edu.

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