CEDAR CREST COLLEGE MFA STUDENT TO PUBLISH FIRST BOOK AS THE PROGRAM'S FIRST CLASS PREPARES TO GRADUATE IN VIENNA NEXT WEEK

All students in Cedar Crest College’s Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program have a goal of writing and publishing a book once they’ve graduated. But MFA student Terese Brasen will graduate next week with her goal already accomplished.

Her book, entitled “Kama,” is being published by San Francisco independent book publisher Outpost 19 The story centers on a teenage Viking girl named Kama and is set in 935 A.D. A feminist novel, the story deals with the subjugation, murder and torture of women during that time in history. It is told from Kama’s point of view as well as by her grandmother. The inspiration for the book came from her family’s Scandinavian heritage and her collegiate studies of Scandinavian literature during which she learned about the Viking slave trade of women to the eastern world in exchange for silver.

“Writing a book is a risky experience and a little scary,” said Brasen. “I am showing everyone my inner world and letting them know what I imagine and think. I worked for two years from 5-6 a.m. every morning before going to work. I spent that hour living a very brutal life with Vikings before going to my corporate writing job. I am thrilled now that others will meet the characters from my inner world.”

Known as a low-residency, the Pan-European MFA in Creative Writing program started in 2012 and features three 15-day summer residencies coupled with distance learning for a total of 48 credits. In 2013 students visited Dublin, followed by Barcelona in 2014. Next month they will visit Vienna, at which time 10 of the students will graduate from the program on July 10.

MFA degrees are offered in poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction, as well as dual-genre tracks. There are currently 24 students in the program. The faculty consists of award-winning, internationally acclaimed writers. Cedar Crest’s program is the first graduate-level creative writing program offered by an American college with residencies that take place exclusively in Europe.

“The three residencies are designed to help inspire the students as writers and to get them thinking about the importance of place and artistic tradition in these historic cities, as well as about global and cultural awareness,” said Fred Leebron, MFA Program Director. “The goal of the program is for students to graduate with a publishable-quality work in one or more writing genres while enhancing their creative writing skills, and preparing them for a successful career in a writing-related field.”

Each 15-day summer residency includes workshops, seminars, field experiences, and face-to-face classroom instruction from faculty. During the fall and spring semesters students work individually with a faculty member via online communication, creating and submitting work, and receiving feedback from their faculty mentor.

A resident of Alberta, Canada, Brasen benefitted from the MFA’s distance-learning mentorship approach, since it didn’t require onsite classroom work at the Allentown-based college.

“Terese had a vision for her book when she entered the MFA program,” said Leebron. “She wanted to pursue her passion for writing and her dream of publishing a book. Her book is deeply realistic with a fully realized world, albeit a grim one. The story has urgency, risk, intimacy, and scope.”

After assisting Brasen with several rounds of revisions, Leebron initially took the book to agents for help in getting it published, but they appeared not to know how to approach the dark, period story. So he decided to go straight to new independent book publisher Outpost 19 Books. The company embraced the story and agreed to publish it. Brasen and Leebron are currently working with the publisher on the jacket design for the 200-page paperback book and hope to have it published in March 2016.

“The Cedar Crest MFA has changed my life,” said Brasen. “Writers need readers, not just after the book is published, but throughout the writing process. I wanted to make sure my readers and mentors were giving me the best possible advice available. And that’s what I received from the MFA. As we worked on the drafts, I could feel my book becoming stronger, more meaningful and more publishable. I’ll always be connected to Cedar Crest in some way. The is much more than a certificate or credential. I received invaluable advice and support. Now when I have a story idea, I am confident that I have the skills to tell that story well.”

Located in Allentown, Pa., Cedar Crest College was selected as a “Top Regional College” and “Best Value” in U.S. News and World Report’s Best Colleges rankings for 2012, 2013 and 2014. The liberal arts college is committed to the education of women leaders in an increasingly global society. Founded in 1867, Cedar Crest currently enrolls approximately 1,500 students—full-time, part-time and graduate—in more than 30 fields of study. Cedar Crest also provides opportunities for non-traditional and graduate students through its co-educational School of Adult and Graduate Education (SAGE). For more information, visit www.cedarcrest.edu.