'Occam's Razor' magazine, packed with student writing, debuts at June 7 party
鈥淚ndomitable Spirit,鈥� by Robert Lopez, a junior majoring in digital photography and graphic design, is on this year91麻豆天美app magazine cover.
- May 5, 2011
The latest issue of “Occam’s Razor” will debut at a publication party at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 7, in the Biella Room of the University Library on Cal State East Bay's Hayward Campus, 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd. The public is invited.
This annual magazine, published by the Cal State East Bay English Department, features award-winning short fiction and poetry by CSUEB students.
The 28th annual edition of the publication will include several stories that resonate with the great recession, and one that takes a caustic view of a sterile and mechanistic future.
Within the magazine's 74 pages are the winning entries in the English Department’s three major contests: the Helen DeClercq Poetry Contest, the Donald Markos Poetry Contest. and the Robert V. Williams Fiction Writing Contest.
Markos, who taught English at the university from 1966 to 1999, launched the first “Occam’s Razor” in 1989 to showcase poetry and fiction written in creative writing classes and by students throughout the campus, as well as work by art students.
By the second edition, the magazine was publishing prize-winning fiction. By 2005, it added the winners of the department’s two poetry contests.
Markos remains at the helm of the magazine, with limited assistance from a few English majors. Jacob Fuchs, English professor emeritus and published novelist, judged this year’s fiction. Lucille Lang Day, a published poet and founder and director of Scarlet Tanager Books, judged the Don Markos entries. A committee of English faculty evaluated the DeClercq submissions.
“Doing ‘Occam’s Razor’ is part of my continuing teaching mission,” said Markos.
Despite the time commitment, he finds the project stimulating, and enjoys the continued contact with colleagues, students, and staff.
Markos credits Susan Gubernat, associate professor of English, Grace Munakata, professor of art, and Kirk LeClaire, art lecturer, with valuable, on-going assistance.
Several of the authors published in the new “Razor” will read their work at the party. Complimentary copies of the magazine will be available.
The University Library is on the west side of campus. There is a daily parking fee of $10 per vehicle.