UofW students help launch, publish new books
Course provides real world, wide ranging experience of entire publishing process
Poet Denis Robillard developed his interest in writing at age 14 and by age 15 his first poems were published in his high school yearbook.
But it was meeting Marty Gervais, now Windsor’s Poet Laureate, 32 years ago that really spurred him on.
“When I was 20 years old I actually hitchhiked to North Bay to meet the first live poet I had even heard about, Marty Gervais. And I think I caught the poetry bug from him because his program was well attended, and I’ve been writing ever since,” said Robillard, a Windsor high school teacher, in a release prepared by students in Gervais’ University of Windsor publishing and editing practicum.
The class has been working for months on Robillard’s first book of poetry Ask The River, as well as All the Words Between by awardwinning poet Mary Ann Mulhern. Gervais’ unique course allows hands-on learning as students edit, design, lay out, market, fundraise, present and plan for the course’s culmination — the launch of both books on April 4. They’re being published by Gervais’ Black Moss Press.
“The way it works is in September they ’re given two manuscripts that are pretty raw manuscripts,” Gervais said. “And I tell them very clearly that they ’re unedited and I don’t really care whether they like them or not.”
The students break into two teams to work individually with the authors. The program offers students real-life work experience based on what they’ve learned in school.
“They’re English students so they learn how to criticize, critique poems and critique literature,” Gervais said. “This gives them a practical application on how to do that.”
Student Chloe Burrows said the publishing and editing course was one of the main reasons she chose to study at Windsor. “There are other publishing courses but not very many publishers are willing to give students raw manuscripts and actually publish what they work on,” Burrows said. “It’s an incredible learning opportunity.”
Her team was given the freedom to choose what poems are in the book and put them in the order they choose.
When the publishing part of the curriculum began in January, she was assigned to work on the interior layout and design of the book and the press kit for its launch. Burrows said she’s a writer who’s always been interested in the publishing world. However, she wasn’t sure about job prospects once she graduates.
A first semester assignment changed that, when the class was required to research small, independent publishing companies in Canada.
“My eyes were opened to these possibilities,” she said.
“You can do more than one job … you don’t just have to be an editor. You can be involved in the marketing aspect, which I’ve really enjoyed as well.
“So I definitely think this course has made me realize it’s a real career option for me and will be something I’ll be pursuing.” Burrows worked on the media materials for Robillard’s book Ask The River, which explores Windsor’s past and present through the examination of history and geography and its connection to the Detroit River. Mulhern’s book All The Words Between is a collection of new and selected works. It is her seventh book published with Black Moss Press and it addresses the oppressive forces of convent life, coming to terms with death and loss as a child, other social issues and global news stories.
Both books will be launched Wednesday at the Fogolar Furlan Club, 1800 North Service Rd. The evening begins at 7 p.m. Admission is free.