RIANNA SEELIG
Staff Writer
Success has hit the Fredonia English Department once again. Dustin Parsons, a faculty member of the English Department and recipient of the Midwest Short Fiction Contest, recently had his story “Geist” published on the Laurel Review.
Parsons is an associate professor of English at Fredonia, and teaches courses in nonfiction, fiction, poetry, American Studies, 9/11 literature and literary publishing.
Parsons’ story, “Geist,” is a piece of short fiction taking place in Ransom, Kansas. Readers follow the protagonist, Casper, as he navigates everyday life in the small town. The story combines magnetic prose and poetic diction, creating a story of great depth and emotion, with characters that stay with the reader well after finishing the piece.
Ideas for the story began quite some time ago, and have since evolved into the published piece.
“I wrote that story around five years ago,” he said. “I was back visiting my parents in a town that I grew up in but felt really disconnected to; I never felt like I belonged there once I moved to New York. I went back and saw all these kids doing dangerous jobs and it reminded me of a story my dad told me when I was younger about a boy who lost his arm — it was a warning story. After that, things just took on a mind of their own.”
Birger Vanwesenbeeck, a faculty member of the English Department, commended the story for its Southern Gothic charm.
“Geist is a gem of a short story in the great tradition of the Southern gothic. As with the underground wells that the main protagonist uncovers, one gets the sense early on that there is something not quite right about Ransom, KS, the once-booming oil town where the story is set. The ghost eventually slips out of the box although
not quite in the way that this reader would have expected,” he said.
Parsons’ capabilities with language span across genres. He has had various publications in fiction, nonfiction and creative nonfiction, and garnered attention with poems such as “Bath Time, Twelve Months.”
His talent is no surprise when one considers how long he has been writing. The habit took off when he was young and continued into adulthood.
“I always wanted to write,” he said. “I was always better at expressing myself that way. I would do it even if I didn’t get paid to do it or teach it. I guess that makes me a writer. I was doing it even at five and six years old when I was making little books with paper and a stapler. I’ve been doing it for a long time.”
It’s no secret that Parsons is a positive addition to the English Department. Both students and faculty alike praise him for his hard work, dedication and personable disposition. Dr. Ann Siegle Drege, a professor in the English Department, commended Parsons for his thoughtful nature.
“Being in meetings with him, he’s not the first one to jump in — he listens,” said Drege. “When he says something, it’s thoughtful and insightful and moves the dialogue forward.”
Parsons also takes on additional responsibilities in the department, such as overseeing the creation and publication of the campus literary journal, The Trident. Siegle Drege also commended Parsons for his ability to successfully juggle numerous large tasks.
“His leadership and responsibility are commendable,” said Drege. “His one-on-one time with students is always fantastic and helpful — he’s a wonderful leader and mentor to his students.”
As a colleague, Parsons receives similar commentary. Dr. Natalie Gerber, an associate professor in the English Department, praised Parsons’ devotion and commitment to all he does.
“Dustin combines expertise in his disciplines (both creative writing and American Studies) and accolades with an unassuming, affable personality that makes him a pleasure to work with as a colleague, and a terrific professor to study with for our students,” she said. “He cares deeply about language, both creative and professional, and he brings a writer’s devotion to craft to all that he does.”
Currently, Parsons continues to write across genres. He described his most recent project, involving symbolism in language.
“I have a book proposal with Object Lessons, which is a Bloomsbury series to write about birds as symbolic objects,” he said. “I’m looking at all the ways birds have become a part of our language symbolically.”
The publication is an exciting one for the department, as every success shows students there is a potential for greatness after their undergraduate studies. Writing is an art, one that takes a great deal of time and dedication to strengthen. Some people are simply born with the skill. It seems appropriate to take a quote from Parsons’ story (out of context) to describe writing:
“‘Some people can’t do it. Nobody knows why.’”
Parsons’ story “Geist” can be read online at the Laurel Review webpage. Anyone in search of a piece of fiction with depth and beauty should look no further than here.