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Student success – a novel approach
May 11, 2004
Three University of the Sunshine Coast Creative Writing students are celebrating after securing publishing contracts for their novels.
Buderim locals Maria Arena and Lindsay Cripps, and Luke Keioskie, who is currently teaching a Media Production course at the Lincoln University in England, are all about to become published authors.
Ms Arena's book, titled Mira Falling, is a novel aimed at young adults. It is about a girl in a seaside town who dreams of escaping and becoming famous and who will stop at nothing to achieve her dream.
When Ms Arena decided to return to study, she was looking for a university course that offered results.
"Studying at the University of the Sunshine Coast was a very deliberate choice. I wanted a course that offered something concrete at the end," Ms Arena said.
Ms Arena's novel began as a thesis for her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and USC Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing Gary Crew helped Ms Arena achieve her dreams of becoming a writer.
"Gary and the University have certainly helped speed up the process for me. It was very personal studying at USC and I was delighted to learn that someone of Gary's calibre was teaching here."
Ms Arena's head is still spinning from how quickly her novel was snapped up.
"I sent five manuscripts out and within a week Melbourne-based Lothian had expressed an interest and two weeks later they confirmed they would publish it," she said.
Ms Arena, who began a Masters in Creative Arts in February, will also receive a A$1,500 scholarship from Rotary on May 12.
Lindsay Cripps has also always dreamed of becoming a writer.
"I've had the ambition to write a book for nearly as long as I can remember so it was a tremendous thrill when Lothian called and said they would like to publish my work," Mr Cripps said.
His novel, which has the working title of The Mystery of the Ruby Glasses, is written for adolescents and follows the adventures of a teenage girl who finds she can 'enter' paintings when she uses a mysterious pair of opera glasses in her uncle's house.
Mr Cripps, who lives in Buderim, graduated from the University in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Computer-based Art and Design and Creative Writing.
He remained at the University in 2002 to study Honours. He has just finished the first year of a Doctorate of Creative Arts program and is tutoring in Creative Writing and Communication and Thought.
Mr Cripps is already working on a second book, a Sci-Fi/Fantasy novel directed at teens.
"I am especially grateful to Gary for the help and support he has given me throughout my time at the University," Mr Cripps said.
Former journalist and Honours student Luke Keioskie, received two publishing offers on the same day - but chose to go with Lothian.
His novel, Room One Nineteen, explores the death of a creative writing teacher at a psychiatric institution for teenage boys and is targeted at young adults.
Mr Keioskie, who has a Bachelor of Arts (Communication) is hoping to complete his Honours work with the University of the Sunshine Coast this year and is considering his next project.
"I've got a few ideas that could go somewhere, but I don't like talking about them," he said.
"If I talk about them, I end up talking myself out of them," he said.