Danielle Evans, featured author of this semester’s Common Read prepares to read her new short story “Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain” during her 6:30 p.m. panel. Evans discussed topics such as African-American stereotyping, perspectives on first person events and everyday issues from her most well-known work “Before you Suffocate Your Own Fool Self” during the annual program hosted by the English department. Kristen Williams/The Lion’s Roar
Every semester, genres including non-fiction, poetry and others are chosen by the English department to be analyzed by English 101 and 102 classes.
The English department held its ninth annual Common Read on Monday, Mar. 20. This semester, a short story fiction collection, “Before you Suffocate Your Own Fool Self” by Danielle Evans was featured. Throughout the day, sessions and activities for the book such as Q&A’s, student panels and a reading by Evans herself were held.
Evans’ stories illustrate her experiences as the only African-American in certain settings.
“I had always written,” said Evans. “I just wrote, and I just read, and I liked telling stories, and I liked the space that it put me in. It was an escape to get out of my own life by reading but also share my life by writing.”
Evans explained why she loves writing and why she does it.
“I think I got into fiction in college because I liked how it allowed me to write about recognizable things and seeing how people work in the world, how we think about other people and how we affect their lives,” said Evans. “I think that is the function of the world.”
Evans also talked about what she thinks makes her short story series so special.
“This project was really me thinking about what I could do with first person because it is all about what we can or can’t say, or what we’re self aware about,” said Evans. “Those spaces of honesty are what writers strive for. I have a second book coming out. Actually, tonight I will be reading my new story ‘Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain.’”
This story is also featured in this year’s Best American Short Stories. Evans will possibly be finished and coming out with her next collection.
Students and faculty gathered to listen to similar viewpoints of the Common Read.
“It was really great that she could come,” said Alexis Fairbanks, a part of the Common Read committee. “We thought this book was great for the time. We had a student panel with students showing their work and presented what they did. There was artwork, somebody did a musical interpretation and wrote a song. Basically, students showed her their interpretations of her work.”
Students sat down with Evans and asked her questions about her work.
“They asked what motivated her writing and some asked how she got published,” said Fairbanks.
Students enjoyed their experience with her and what they learned from the Common Read.
“I went to all of her stuff today,” said Myles Cyprian, a freshman athletic training major. “It helped me write my paper seeing so many viewing points of everyone’s outlooks on each story.”