ALUMNI IN PRINT Recently published works by Mason alumni Become Loaded for Life! Financial Independence, Retiring Early, Maximizing Happiness Nate Carter, JD ’04 This book (Amazon Services LLC, October 2019) offers advice that stretches beyond the idea of just studying hard and getting a good job. In an age when many people are saddled with student debt, retiring early seems impossible. But by following the strategies outlined in this book, financial independence can become a reality. From his upbringing in Chicago to his time funding start-ups and founding small businesses, Carter has obtained a great deal of experience in the world of finance. He currently works with the U.S. Department of State. The Old Sleeper Tom Moates, BA ’91 This novel (Spinning Sevens Press, February 2020) is a fresh take on the classic spy story. Gene Davis is enjoying his first week of retirement on his new Arizona ranch, when his former boss enlists his help in one last mission, with the fate of the country at stake. Mason is the setting for the novel’s third chapter. Moates is best known for his equestrian nonfiction. He has written 11 books and publishes articles regularly in Equus Magazine. He currently lives on a solar-powered farm in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains with his wife and a herd of horses. Romances Lisa Ampleman, MFA Creative Writing ’04 This collection of poetry (Louisiana State University 38 | SPI RIT.GMU.EDU
Press, February 2020) looks back at literary love. Ampleman uses the voices of female historical figures, such as Anne Boleyn or Dante’s wife, to provide a different outlook on love and romance. Other poems include a more modern sonnet dedicated to ’90s icon Courtney Love. Ampleman currently lives in Ohio. She is the managing editor of the Cincinnati Review, and her poetry has appeared in the Kenyon Review Online, Image, and the Massachusetts Review. Last Couple Standing Matt Norman, MFA ’05 This novel (Ballantine Books, March 2020) combines wit, humor, and heart to explore the complexity of friendships and the realities of marriage in the 21st century. Norman lives in Baltimore, Maryland, with his wife and their two children. This is his third novel. I Was Waiting to See What You Would Do First Angie Mazakis, MFA ’12 The poems in this collection (University of Arkansas Press, March 2020) contain scenes within scenes, designed to encourage the reader to explore the minute details that may be usually overlooked. Mazakis is currently a doctoral student in creative wri ting at Ohio University. Her work has appeared in The New Republic, Boston Review, Iowa Review, Best New Poets, Washington Square Review, Columbia Journal, and Lana Turner Journal.
Across from Now Andy Fogle, BA ’96, MFA ’00
that allowed Key to observe the battle.
This poetry collection (Grayson Books, April 2020) presents ideas of place, family, and connection. The poems in this collection take nothing for granted, as they acknowledge the mystery that is present in the people, places, and things we see on a daily basis.
Star Spangled is Grove’s fifth book, and it is his third book for young readers. Grove has worked as the chief of museum learning at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. He currently resides in Northern Virginia.
Fogle has published several chapbooks of poetry. He currently teaches high school English in upstate New York and is pursuing a PhD in education.
Crooked Hallelujah
The Girl Behind the Glass Emilio Iasiello, MFA ’95 This novel (Tumbleweed Books, April 2020) follows Mike, a legal clerk going through a change in his life. When his friend’s ashes turn up on his doorstep, Mike uses this as motivation to take his dead friend on one last night of binge drinking and self-discovery. Iasiello is an author, poet, screenwriter, and playwright. He also specializes in cyber threat and security. He recently published a poetry collection, Smoke in the Afterlife. He currently lives in Virginia with his wife and their two children. Star-Spangled: The Story of a Flag, a Battle, and the American Anthem Tim Grove, MA History ’93 This book (Abrams Books, May 2020) is written for readers ages 10 to 14 and intends to give a full view of how the United States’ national anthem came to be. The book provides context for the War of 1812 and the battle that inspired Francis Scott Key’s now legendary poem, and explains the circumstances
Kelli Jo Ford, MFA Creative Writing ’07 This debut novel (Grove Press, July 2020) follows several generations of Cherokee women as they navigate life in the United States in the late 20th and early 21st century. Ford draws on her own background to illustrate the lives of the women in this family. Ford’s work has appeared in the Virginia Quarterly Review, Missouri Review, and Paris Review. A member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, she currently lives in Virginia with her husband, their daughter, and their dog. Can You See My Scars? Samuel Moore-Sobel, BA Government and International Politics ’15 Samuel is set to begin his sophomore year of high school when a chemical explosion changes everything. This book (Mascot Books, September 2020) follows Samuel as he navigates his new normal after the accident. The author explores several themes including faith, friendship, grief, and pain. Moore-Sobel is an author, columnist, and activist. He currently lives in Northern Virginia.