[FROM THE ARCHIVE] Writers Visit Valley by Jen Jurgens

David Kranes

On March 12th, the founder of the Sundance Playwrights Lab, David Kranes, read two short stories to Valley High School students. Kranes, who is a full Professor at the University of Utah and the Department Chair of the Master of Fine Arts Writing Program, read the story “What Happened to Lincoln” and part of a new story, “The Escape Artist.”

Kranes told students that “What Happened to Lincoln” was written for a friend of his whose father abused her. It’s a story about a boy whose father puts him in a coma and his resulting conflict with his father. It had students on the edge of their seats, and many were on the verge of tears. “The Escape Artist” enthralled students from the first sentence on.

Kranes has received almost every major teaching award at the University of Utah, along with numerous other writing awards, including the “1997 Wrangler Award” for his collection of short stories, Low Tide in the Desert. His novels include Keno Runner, The Hunting Years, Criminals, Hunters in the Snow, and Beginnings. Kranes will also be part of the faculty at the Sawtooth Writers Conference in Stanley, Idaho. We thank David for sharing his time and talent with us.

David Lee

On Wednesday, February 11th, David Lee, Utah’s Poet Laureate, read at Valley High School. Lee is a friend to young writers and has already read at Valley this year. He recently received the Writers at Work Advocates Award for working with young writers. He kept the audience laughing with a poem from his book “Covenants” entitled ‘Cigarettes, Whiskey and Neighbors’ and a piece he wrote for our own Jeff Metcalf called ’21 Gun Salute’. Following the reading, he opened a question and answer period in which we learned that even a Poet Laureate has to re-write his work several times before it is complete.

Lee was very friendly, relaxed, and approachable. It was a very educational and entertaining event for all who were in attendance. David Lee will be on faculty at both The Writers’ at Work Conference in Park City, Utah, and the Sawtooth Writers’ Conference in Stanley, Idaho.