Last Friday in the Center For the Arts Gallery, Brock Clarke, author of the short story collection “Special Election,” appeared as a special guest. This event started off at 5:00 p.m. with free pizza, a salon conversation with the author and the two professors who were hosting the event.
A salon reading — basically a fancy way of saying Q&A — is a time for students to get to know the author and ask burning questions. This particular discussion focused on a few different things, primarily Clarke's writing process. He discussed how he gets inspiration for stories, how he decides to order them in the collection and what the collaborative process looks like with publishers and editors. Q&A’s like these are great experiences for aspiring writers, as it helps answer more in depth questions about the industry. It also helps bolster younger writers to see someone who was once in their position make their dreams into a reality.
After the salon conversation, Clarke took to the podium to read one of the stories from his new collection, “Reckonings.” It is the story of a middle aged man,Barton, who suffers from a strange amnesia, unable to remember anything important to him for more than a conversation, causing the man to lead a lost and directionless kind of life. After a conversation with his old eighth grade teacher, as well as his middle school guidance counselor, Barton discovers he is nowhere near where he thought he’d be. “Special Elections” is filled with stories like this witty, tragic and existentially absurd, something that judging from the reactions of the audience, plenty of people can relate too.
Clarke left his audience with a resounding piece of advice that any aspiring author should take with them and one that is certainly reminiscent of his own writings,
“Resist the urge to write like everyone else. You should always follow your obsessions, no matter how weird other people think they are, no matter how strange others think they are cause they’re yours.”
If you’re looking for a new read, give “Special Elections,” a try at your local Barnes and Noble.
Marina Noack is the senior arts editor and can be reached at marina.noack@ubspectrum.com
