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Book Nook provides readers with insights into the world of books. Vick Mickunas takes you into the center of the publishing world with the latest book buzz, book reviews, and exclusive chats with authors..Home > Blogs > Book Nook > Archives > 2007 > August > 09 > Entry
writing the book about Antioch College
Wherever I wander in Yellow Springs I hear folks talking about Antioch College. They are saying things like: Do you think it will close? Who did this? Why didn’t we know? The thing that is said most often to me is; WHY DON’T YOU WRITE A BOOK ABOUT IT?
That question seems to beg another question; What kind of book would that be?
Would it be a mystery? You bet!
Could it be a romance? Possibly.
Fantasy? For sure!
Would it be a thriller? Oh yeah.
One could take the Bernstein and Woodward approach I suppose; who knew it and when did they know it and why did they do what they did?
Or, the Garrison Keillor approach; “Yellow Springs, where the hippies are above average and they sold raw milk over at Young’s Dairy.
Based upon my baser instincts I would probably take the VAMPIRE APPROACH. Here’s why:
First off, vampire books are BIG! Perhaps, you hadn’t noticed but VAMPIRE BOOKS ARE BIG!! Take my word for it.
The whole Antioch College saga simply begs for the VAMPIRE TREATMENT.
Have you ever been to Antioch College? Walk the campus sometime during one of those misty mornings we used to have before global warming. SPOOKY. Ancient oak trees tremble their acorns. Decaying Gothic towers seem to sag beneath the weight of dark secrets. That person over there is speaking in a strange tongue— it sounds like TRANSYLVANIAN ?
Yellow Springs is a village. That is perfect. Are you hip to the political climate in Yellow Springs? You might call it VOLATILE. The concept of villagers swarming the Antioch campus with pitchforks and flaming torches isn’t really that far out of the realm of imagination.
So, you are wondering, what does Antioch College have to do with vampires?
Let me tell you. Since the announcement by Antioch University that Antioch College would be closing have you noticed what has happened? Sure, they said that Antioch College would re-open in 2012 with a new “state of the art campus” but have you read between the lines? They keep saying how Antioch College has risen from the dead before. That’s right! Antioch College has vampiric tendencies!
Even now, as the Antioch University Board of Trustees is trying to nail the coffin shut on Antioch College that little academic vampire keeps forcing the lid off. It won’t die. It would seem to be UNDEAD?
And, how do you kill a vampire? Is that trustee wearing a garlic necklace? That guy is an atheist, so why is he wearing a silver crucifix? That woman over there just put what looked like silver bullets in her Luger!
The latest development in this shadowy UNDEAD saga is the introduction of the STAKEHOLDERS. According to recent articles in the Xenia Daily Gazette and the Yellow Springs News, Antioch University has designated what they are calling STAKEHOLDERS.
These individuals have been asked to attend a special meeting in Cincinnati to address the problems that have arisen with that UNDEAD ANTIOCH COLLEGE. Have you ever been to Cincinnati? Vampire City, right?
There’s a kicker; this meeting with these holders of the stakes is completely off limits to the public and to the press. VERBOTEN! They apparently don’t want the public to be privy to the stakes techniques they are devising.
Hold your stake just so, place it right above that vampire’s heart—take this sledgehammer and well, we can’t give away the rest of the plot just yet.
Remember, it’s not that easy to kill a vampire, especially with stakes held so high.
Vick Mickunas
Permalink | Comments (6) | Categories: clearing the cobwebs
Comments
By Marianne
August 15, 2007 12:06 PM | Link to this
I wonder if Gilda — the fabulous, Black, lebian vampire created by Jewelle Gomez — ever went to Antioch. She had it all: smart, cool, unconventional, socially conscious (all things considered). She hung out with both Vampyres and Womyn. Maybe she’s be our spokes-vampire…By smoke & mirrors
August 15, 2007 9:39 AM | Link to this
Who cares about such a liberal school anyway?..they get what they deserveBy vick mickunas
August 11, 2007 10:23 AM | Link to this
note this was my sad attempt to inject some levity, even humor, into a deeply troubled, unfunny situation.By Christian Feuerstein
August 10, 2007 11:29 AM | Link to this
And remember, Antioch has a fine history of fantasy authors: Rod Serling, Virginia Hamilton, Terri Windling… www.antiochians.orgBy Matthew Baya
August 10, 2007 11:28 AM | Link to this
Many of us we’re talking about Antioch being undead even back at Reunion in June. However, the vampires are the university, sucking the lifeforce and legacy from the college. They are the ones without souls, Antioch’s more like an immortal who has to suffer their abuses while she figures out the exciting escape/battle sequence. Even now the alumni/faculty are getting the sunlight of truth focused on the dark crypts of the University Admin offices where they will scream and wither as their lies are exposed and they turn to dust. You should ask for some photoshop help for the cover of the book for your post here, btw.By Barbara Delaney
August 10, 2007 10:35 AM | Link to this
Vick, it sounds as if this is a book you need to write. I agree with all you’ve said on the subject of Antioch’s closing. As for Cincinnati, Mark Twain said it best. I can live here because I possess an extremely pale skin tone and I can pass as one of “them”.