University Daily Kansan / Friday, September 16, 1988
Arts & Entertainment
11
Prof publishes 'serious' novel
Tom Lorenz, associate professor of English, has had his second book published," Serious Living."
By M. Meredith Relph Kansan staff writer
9 Writers are driven by many inspirations, among them the likes of James Patterson and experiences. Tom Lorenz chronicles the lives of regular folk in his books, the of which, "Serious Living," was published this week.
Lorenz, associate professor of literature, has published one other novel which he wrote during his career as a journalist before becoming a lawyer.
His first novel, "Guy's Like Us," was published in 1980, and received the 1981 Sue Kaufman Prize, an award given annually by the American Academy and Institute of Science, the first fiction novel of the year.
Though he was recognized as a first-time novelist, Lorenz said many first novels usually weren't recognized.
His main character, Ritchie, is a young man fighting the fact that he was trapped into working in his father's grocery store.
"Most writers don't get the first novel published. The first one I wrote was rejected," he said.
The setting in "Serious Living" is Lorenz's native Chicago.
"He's kind of a wise guy," Lorenz said. "I like to have characters with negative qualities to change by the end of the book."
Whether his characters become aware of their mistakes and change their lives is as much a surprise for Lorenz as for his
Ritchie pursues what he sees as an avenue of escape and is faced with a multitude of decisions that he has to make whether he made the right choice.
"Some writers like to have the total picture in mind before they begin writing, but I don't," he said.
"I think if you plan it out beforehand, you limit the possibilities. There is a large element of discovery in writing a novel."
"Sirious Living" took Lorene five years to complete. During that time he said he had written five comic books and at least five drafts.
Lorenz said writers tended to mature more slowly than other artists because perfecting the art of painting was a never-ending process.
"The only way to learn how to write a book is to just do it," he said. "Just keep after it, and learn from rejection."
Lorenz said the first drafts of his book were much longer than that the writer thought, and he changed his storyline if he thought the idea wasn't working, then had to rewrite it.
"I don't censor myself when I'm doing the first draft, I put down every idea that comes along." he said.
can't wait for inspiration."
"I like to write every day. You
Completing a novel is only the first hurdle for an author, however. Even when the work is finished, an author must find a publisher to hire it.
"That first book is very hard to get published," Lorenz said.
give pleasure, encourage.
He said his publisher, Viking,
put out about 30 to 40 books each year.
"And who knows how many they reject," he said. "When you're trying to get a book published, determination is as important as
Lorenz sold the film rights to "Guy's Like Us," but he said chances were slim that the book would be made into a movie.
"Very few novelists make a lot of money," he said. "You can make money if you sell the film rights though."
new book might become a motion picture and added that subsequent books were made into films more easily than first attempts.
Lorenz has also tried writing for television, a "Barney Miller" script, several years ago.
He said it was possible that his
It's very difficult to write for television. It's different from books, because you have to really know the characters well."
"It didn't make it," he said.
"The show was already on the way out when I wrote it.
Lorenz, 40, attended Notre Dame University in South Bend, Ind, and went to graduate school. He then transferred to the University in Bowling Green, Ohio.
Lorem will present a reading of "Serious Loving" at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Alderson Auditorium at the Kansas Union.
By Laura Woodward
Benjamin Kinder was shot and killed by U.S.-backed contrasts while he was working as a volunteer to build an electrical generator in Nicaia.
Slain man's memory kept alive with play
Kansan staff writer
The epiphat on his grave reads,
"The light he lit will shine forever."
The play "Quien Vive?/Who Lives" was created by seven female college students to tell his story.
These women also play the nearly 100 roles featured in the play.
The performance, part of a national tour, will be presented at 8:30 p.m. p.m. 19 at Liberty Hall.
"The case itself is very interest-
ing, and Charles Stansfer, director of
the National Center for Earth observa-
tions we have are from the
local people. We'll really never know
The play is based on Kinder's letters from Nicaragua, interviews with his family and friends and the teachers at the school. On U.S. volunteers in Nicaragua.
The actresses use dreams, re-enactments, music, poetry and dance to tell his story.
"As far as production details go, it will be similar to the other modern Renaissance plays. Renaissance brought the play to Lawrence." There are no sets per se. They'll carry on props. This and costume changes will carry the play.
The play was created in Yellow Springs, Ohio, at Antioch College under the direction of Denny Parridge, a theater instructor at the University of Michigan. Fulbright Grant to teach indigenous theater in Bangladesh next year.
it was created as a class project by the students." Rundle said, "They later entered it in the American College Theater Festival. They won an award for the best production at a regional level."
The Lawrence performance or "Quien Vive? Who lives?" is dedicated to the memory of Clifford Ketzel, professor emeritus of politi-
he Lawrence performance of 'Quien Vive/Who Lives' is dedicated to the memory of Clifford Ketzel, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Kansas.
cal science at the University of Kansas, who died this summer.
The proceeds from the performance will be donated to a fund established in Ketzel's name to support the expression of minority opinion.
"Professor Ketzel was very active in peace and justice concerns." Rundle said. "This fund goes to a conference that he coordinated."
for them to be that man Rundle said that he had a difficult time scheduling the "Quien Vive/ Who Lives" performance.
"The idea for the production came late last spring," he said. "We had a hard time getting some of their press materials. It was hard to get hold of them."
"By the beginning of summer I said, 'If it falls out of the sky, we'll do it.' And I received a call from Denny this semester."
Rundle said that he had a specific purpose in mind when he scheduled the play at Liberty Hall.
"It seems that to get a nice mix of people from the community and the University that Liberty Hall was a good choice," he said. "Some people in the community simply don't go to things if they are at the University."
Stansifer said that his department was supportive of productions about Latin American concerns.
"It is very important to our department, he said." we speak "we like to keep support of such things. If we can support it, we do so through our own endorsement. We might do this a dozen times a year."
"Quien Vive?/Who Lives" will be performed in Wichita on Sept. 18 and in Columbus Ohio on Sept. 21.
in Columbus, $14.00,
Tickets are $4 in advance and $5 on
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