Newsfeed
Printer-Friendly ModeMcIlvenna hands ‘Sins’ spotlight over to Krueger
April 25, 2011 —
For history and creative writing senior Ray Deeren, writing a poem is a piece of cake.
Deeren wrote a poem two hours before the Cardinal Sins poetry slam earlier this semester, memorized it, performed it and won the slam that same night.
Deeren read his poem entitled, “A Work in Progress,” at Monday’s Cardinal Sins winter 2011 post publication reception held in the Roberta Allen Reading Room.
Twenty-nine SVSU artists and writers were acknowledged for their contributions to the second issue of the 30th edition of Cardinal Sins.
Cardinal Sins is a magazine published each semester that grants SVSU students, faculty, staff and alumni to have their art and literature published.
Hidden talents were discovered for writers, including Deeren.
“I am really a fiction writer and don’t consider myself a poet,” Deeren said. “Poetry is just something I dabble in but was lucky enough to win and be published.”
The magazine is divided into the following categories: black and white artwork and photography, color artwork and photography, flash fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry and short fiction.
Winning artwork was displayed in a PowerPoint presentation followed by Cardinal Sins winners who read their selected poetry and short stories.
Peter Brian Barry, philosophy professor and Sins faculty adviser, said he was thrilled with this semester’s publication.
“Cardinal Sins received a record number of submissions this semester and the judging cycle was more competitive than ever before,” Barry said.
The reception marked a time of transition as current editor and professional and technical writing senior Kirsten McIlvenna handed over the editorial role to literature senior Emily Krueger.
“I am so excited for the fall, but a little scared at the same time,” Krueger said. “Kirsten has done a great job and I have big shoes to fill, but I am looking forward to it very much.”
McIlvenna has been on the Sins staff for three years. She said she was proud to see all of the changes in Cardinal Sins during the last semester run smoothly.
“Cardinal Sins was the first thing I got involved in at SVSU and has opened so many doors for me including the opportunity to be the editor of this publication,” she said.
McIlvenna also thanked the staff and those who submitted to the magazine.
“Putting together Cardinal Sins can be a lot of work, but it is very worth it in the end,” McIlvenna said.
Deeren emphasized the benefits of the magazine.
“Cardinal Sins is a place for our artistic community to express themselves,” Deeren said. “Aside from a resume building point of view, Cardinal Sins is a stage for all kinds of art that you wouldn’t think would come from a mid-Michigan school.”
International studies junior Christopher Sweet was published for the first time in the Cardinal Sins fall issue. Sweet’s poem in the winter issue, “Non-Indian Resident,” was the winner of the poetry category.
“I am a self-taught linguist in Indian and Punjabi and am very influenced by their culture,” Sweet said. “I generally write fiction, but I just set my mind to write this poem and liked what came out.”
Cardinal Sins creative writing senior Josh Crummer has had a piece published in every issue for the past four semesters.
Crummer will apply to graduate school for the fall, and Cardinal Sins will be used as a key point of his writing portfolio.
“Many people dabble into poetry, but only the top ten percent of poets make it as a career,” Crummer said. “Poetry is like a sport. You have to work at it, learn to edit it; poetry eventually becomes part of your life.”
Creative writing sophomore Marlin Jenkins had two poems published in this edition of Cardinal Sins. Jenkins will join the Cardinal Sins staff in the fall.
“Cardinal Sins represents the best of the best we have to offer at SVSU and is something to be proud of as a student body,” Jenkins said. “My goal is to be published in every issue I can.”
Those interested in joining the Cardinal Sins staff are encouraged to contact Barry.