Professors and published authors

By Alison Perelman, Assistant News Editor

Rows of chairs replaced some of the shelves in the Shriver bookstore, but there weren't nearly enough for everyone in attendance.

Friends, faculty and students all showed up to the book launch held on Tuesday night for creative writing professors, Brian Roley and Margaret Luongo.

Creative writing director Cathy Wagner stood at the podium to introduce the recently published authors.

"It's a great pleasure to anticipate hearing from them as artists and writers tonight," Wagner said.

Luongo stepped up to the podium next and began to read a selection from her book, "History of Art."

The book is Luongo's second and is a collection of short stories that centers around the themes of art and war.

"I used to work in theatre and I've always had an interest in the arts. I love music and dance. So that's always been a part of my life, so I think it was natural that I started writing about it," Luongo said.

This collection took her eight years to finish but was a little easier than the first time around because it was more focused. She also experimented with form, including things such as flash fiction sequences.

Luongo prefers the short story over other forms of writing.

"I really love the short story, and it's actually hard for me to imagine even wanting to write a novel," Luongo said. "I really like the power and brevity of the short story."

After Luongo finished her section, Roley stood to begin reading his own.

"The Last Mistress of Jose Rizal: Stories" is a collection of interconnected short stories set during the Filipino diaspora to America.

This topic is one that Roley writes about often. His novel, "American Sun," and future projects are also centered around it.

While the different works focus on the same theme of immigration, this collection is written in a different style with more varied narrators, characters and points-of-view.

Within the stories, Roley's characters are faced with difficult moral situations.

"I don't like to give easy answers. I like to challenge the reader as much as the characters," Roley said.

Unlike Luongo, Roley doesn't mind the longer-form novel.

"Some stories lend themselves to different lengths. So some just are meant to be short stories and some really need to be a novel," he said.

Being a professor and an author can be challenging, but it has its advantages.

"Seeing how my students respond variously to a variety of published works is invaluable," Roley said. "And I can also get inspired by student work, especially seeing student progress."

They are also better teachers because of their writing experience.

"I can tell students firsthand about my struggles and can advise from my own experience," Luongo said.

Roley and Luongo both agreed that the semester can be used for ideas and revising, while the summer is the best time to write.

And, like most writers, each has their favorite place.

"I write in cafés a lot. I write at home late at night. And I like artists' residences," Roley said.

He had good experiences in three different artists' colonies and was productive during his time as a visiting fellow at Cambridge.

Luongo, however, is more particular.

"I used to be a real prima donna about where and when I wrote and it had to be in my little study very early in the morning, like the first thing I did," Luongo said. "But now I'll pretty much write anywhere."

Her study at home is used mostly for class work. She also shares a studio space with her husband in downtown Hamilton.

"I really like working there because there are no distractions. There's nothing to clean, no cats, no piles of laundry, no bills. I only write there and I don't even have the internet there," Luongo said. "So it's kind of my happy place. I go there and I get right to work."

Both authors were happy with the turnout at the book launch and enjoyed getting to read.

Roley is now focusing on his next works so that his whole project can fit together, while Luongo is taking a short break.

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