Staff

Editors:

KATIE CHRISTIE, editor, is in her 5 ½th semester at UTC. She’s an aspiring publishing mastermind who in her spare time plays Ultimate Frisbee on Chattanooga’s team Moxie. She’s confident that this issue of the Review will be “fantastic.” She adds, “I’m especially proud that we’re publishing everybody, from freshmen to seniors.” She’s currently reading Little Bee, by Chris Cleave. Her perfect sandwich has nothing but peanut butter.

VANESSA PARKS, prose editor, is a Sophomore inspired by Adrien Brody’s nose, the perfect structure inherent in its curvature, the divine architecture that proves the existence of a divine ratio. Her perfect sandwich consists of Gouda cheese, turkey, lettuce and exactly two onions on asiago cheese bread with a thin layer of chipotle ranch dressing. She is currently reading Valeria’s Last Stand by Meacham alum Marc Fitten and Oblivion by life alum David Foster Wallace. Her favorite wrist diameter is Kiera Knightley’s; her favorite Cherokee, Bill Clinton. About the Sequoya Review she has remarked, “Loves it.”

JENNIFER SMITH, prose editor, is a future-best-seller writer currently in her 8th semester here. She loves toasted ham and cheese sandwiches and apple trees, and in her spare time reads anything but Chaucer. Currently, that’s The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon. When asked what would be her dream literature magazine, she replied, “The Sequoya Review, of course! But a close runner-up is Granta.”

TRENNA SHARPE, poetry editor, is a junior who likes beech trees and the Sequoya Review. This honor-and-glory-motivated English major is currently reading a play by Tom Stoppard called Rock and Roll and loves Tomaž Šalamun but not hairy knuckles. When not working on our magazine, she’s checking out other ones like Prairie Schooner and writing notes, which she can’t read because her “handwriting is awful. I like to think it’s a reflection of the frenetic & strange pace of my thoughts…but really I just have a lazy hand.”

CASE DUCKWORTH, online editor, likes thinking about the majesty of the Sequoya tree and reading books like No Heaven by David St. John and not like My Life by Bill Clinton. An English major in his 4th semester at UTC, he specializes in eighteenth-century fan fiction by or about Jack Russell terriers, and enjoys drawing, amateur book-binding, and wallet-making. His favorite artistic medium is paper.

Poetry Staff:

LAUREL JONES is a 4th semester student who has recently derived a mathematical equation for motivation. Her favorite bands include The Fall of Troy and Copeland, and reads books by  Tomaž Šalamun, Vicente Huidobro, Kurt Vonnegut and Edward Albee while listening. Her favorite Cherokee is Chief Papa Squat, and the best weather is, in her words, “sunshine.” Her name comes from that of the Laurel tree, which gives her a deep mystical connection with all things Greek mythology.

MARTHA HUNTER, a sophomore, once swallowed a quarter in her youth. She has since stabilized, and we’re lucky to have her on the Sequoya Review’s illustrious staff. She reads poetry avidly, Rousseau not so avidly, and The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz for fun. Her favorite organism is also the world’s largest, the aspen grove, though she says she has “no problem with the Sequoya.” Her favorite Cherokee is world-renowned recording artist Cher, who is herself known for such hits as (with Sonny Bono) “I’ve Got You, Babe” and (with some synths) “Believe.”

JENNIFER BLAIR LONG is a right-handed junior whose favorite sandwich includes lettuce, tomato, avocado and sprouts, and ostensibly no meat. Her current reads are Isabel Allende, Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle, and for its second appearance in her brain, The Count of Monte Cristo. Her favorite tree is a hemlock, or maybe a willow, although red woods are nice, and palm trees make her think of warm weather. She’s a polyculturalist whose likes include quotes, trees, animals and peace, and whose dislikes are genocide and war.

ANNE BRETTEL is a 10th-semester student whose thought are turned full-force to Graduation come May. To prepare for her grand entrance into the real world, she prepares chicken-breast sandwiches with pear slices, Gorgonzola cheese, romaine lettuce (or alternately arugula) and some vinaigrette. She is currently reading “all of the usual poetry and some plays,” though she seems to have forgotten the novel and short stories. This extreme poet’s favorite poetry is that which reminds her of abstract art or music because it reminds her “of artists within an artistic context.” Her favorite tree is the Clubhouse Magnolia, and though Sequoya Review is great, she like the advice columns of Poets and Writers better.

RICK MITCHELL is a thrill-seeking Western Massachussettsite who came to Chattanooga six years ago. Three years after that he decided to go to UTC, where he’s busy becoming great at what he does and reading only things classes require. His biggest wish is to become a novelist, and loves to travel.

Prose Staff:

CARA VANDERGRIFF (shown here with “Big Joe” Wilferth), senior, is a big fan of Tom Petty and Blackberries. When she isn’t busy painting her nails flesh-toned or eating an onion, lettuce, swiss, olive and pickle sandwich (OLSOP) with honey mustard and garlic mayonnaise on toast, she’s helping out with the Sequoya Review, which she describes as “stunningly fabulous.” We have to agree with this willow-loving Running Bear fan, because it’s true. Cara is currently reading Nick Hornby’s A Long Way Down in conjunction with some poetry by Phil Levine and Wendell Berry, neither of which are the Bible, cooking instructions or graduate school applications.

CHELSEA CROUSE is a happy-go-lucky chicken-salad-sandwich enthusiast in her 6th semester here at UTC. A member of Sigma Kappa sorority, she likes navy nails, dogwoods and her Granddaddy. She is reading Cesar’s Way by Cesar Milan, celebrated whisperer of dogs, and anything by Jodi Picoult. She is also a fan of tattoos, the band Jack’s Mannequin, pit bulls, pet pigs, and playing in the rain, though politics and driving in Chattanooga get her down.

AARON JACKSON IVEY, sophomore, is a lover of the English language and in fact all languages, in general. His current reads are Foundation by Isaac Asimov and Efuru by Florence Nwapa, though he will get to the other books on his “to read” shelf soon. Hold on, guys! A sandwich minimalist whose favorite tree is the oak, he says of this year’s Sequoya Review that “the stories are interesting.” Don’t take his word for it, though—read it yourself!

MANDY ROGERS loves UTC so much she’s been here a whopping 12 semesters. The majestic Ginkgo tree and avocado-cheese sandwiches push her to greatness, as well as a healthy dose of “surf, skate & sunshine.” When asked why Sequoya Review was her favorite literary magazine, she answered, “It’s really sexy!” This book-lover is currently loving One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, which she is worried may make Pride & Prejudice & Zombies a little jealous. We told her not to worry.

IRIS NEGRETE-REGAGNON (right) is nearly done with her schooling and likes willows, for their romanticism, medicinism, and localism. She has a lot of great ideas about how to better the already great Review, such as encouraging more diverse submissions: this means YOU, Math majors! She is currently reading Cien Años de Soledad by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

RACHEL SAULS is a life-motivated 6th semestertine. One thing she will never read is Twilight, though Flannery O’Connor’s short stories are quite alright with her. A train-loving, elephant-riding greenophile, she doesn’t like country music or math (sorry, Math majors). Her favorite tree is a Magnolia, a tree which has been so prominently featured in the titles of at least two movies that her taste must be deemed impeccable.

HALLEY CORAPI is also at this time a complete enigma. We here at the Sequoya Review will update her information as soon as we find some.