Literary Arts Institute hosts Antonia Angress

The College of St. Benedict Literary Arts Institute (LAI) provides students with the unique opportunity to learn from published authors in a variety of different genres, such as fiction, non-fiction and poetry.

LAI brings writers known locally, regionally and nationally to campus about four times a year with the goal of emphasizing the importance of creative writing, publishing and interaction between students and writers.

On Tuesday, LAI hosted a public reading and conversation with author Antonia Angress. Angress, who released her first novel entitled “Sirens and Muses” in 2022, served as both a Winifred Fiction Fellow and a College of Liberal Arts Fellow while earning her MFA from the University of Minnesota.

English professor Matthew Harkins acts as LAI’s current director and finds it valuable for students to gain insight from not only in-classroom exercises, but also the experiences of authors who understand the writing and publishing process.

“Our program is unique because it emphasizes the interactions between students and the visiting authors, whether through classroom visits, one-on-one workshops or even casual conversations,” Harkins said.

He believes that Angress’ experiences in particular will resonate with students, as she is a younger author who recently published her debut novel.

“‘Sirens and Muses’ is an artistically rich and approachable novel,” Harkins said. “It will likely resonate with our student population not only because of the plotline, but because of Angress’ experiences as an author as well.”

The novel focuses on the experiences of three students and one professor at the Wrynn College of Art during the recession of 2011. Throughout the novel, Angress’ characters work to negotiate their desires while simultaneously grappling with the notion of vocation.

Angress’ word choice and vivid description create a sensory experience for her readers, as the novel blends aspects of visual art with literature, creating an interdisciplinary piece that negates traditional categorization.

In conversation with students, Angress emphasized the importance of revision in the drafting process, stating that “Sirens and Muses” had seven drafts before publication. Throughout the revision process, she refined her ideas and worked to fill holes in the plot through character development and relevant research.

SJU sophomore Henry Ascheman believes LAI gives students the opportunity to refine their writing skills in a manner not typical of most undergraduate programs.

“LAI provides opportunities for students to have access to authors in ways they otherwise wouldn’t have,” Ascheman said. “As an English major, I find it extremely valuable to interact [with] and gain perspective from authors of different backgrounds and areas of expertise.”

Harkins shares Aschemen’s sentiments since she also finds that writers create new ways to grapple with life experiences through their craft.

“Authors take words seriously in a way not many people do,” Harkins said. “They have the ability to create and shape a reality out of words in ways that almost nobody else does. Language is a tool through which they examine new and unique perspectives, and the deliberate and painstaking process of choosing and shaping words is crucial to the type of world authors hope to create.”