Jillian Murphy – University of North Georgia Press

“UNG The Gold I See” Launch Info + Book Signing

Congratulations to our two giveaway winners: Bailey Schuster and Jessie Atkinson!

Mark your calendars. UNG The Gold I See: The Legacy of UNG’s Dahlonega Campus releases in only one week! Are you excited? We sure are! That’s why we’re throwing a launch party.

Author Bonita Jacobs will be doing a short reading with a signing after. Come visit the Dahlonega Campus bookstore on Tuesday, November 27, from noon – 1 pm. Refreshments will be provided, and there will be a giveaway to win a free copy as well as a t-shirt. This event is open to students, faculty, staff, and the public. Books can be bought at the bookstore using cash, check, or card (American Express cannot be accepted).

UNG The Gold I See: The Legacy of UNG’s Dahlonega Campus (978-1-940771-46-5) is an 8.5 x 11 hardback, priced at $29.99. It is printed in full color with illustrations on every page and is designed for Level 4 readers. In addition to the captivating story and images, children will delight in trying to find the hidden nighthawks on every page as they tour UNG’s Dahlonega campus with the Smith family. A history of UNG is included after the story so parents and grandparents can share more details and history. For an additional donation, you can customize your copy with a dedication page to create a treasure that will be remembered forever. UNG The Gold I See is the first in a series about the five UNG campuses: Dahlonega, Gainesville, Cumming, Oconee, and Blue Ridge. The book about Gainesville campus is already in development and will release in 2019.

All proceeds from the book go towards funding scholarships at UNG. Leave your own legacy by helping students build their future.

How to Measure Readability

Have you every measured the readability of your writing? We’ve all had a text to read where we didn’t understand a word it said, no matter how many times we read it. Readability is the ease with which a reader can understand a written text. You may have been perfectly smart enough to understand your biology textbook, but the readability of the information presented may have been above your level.

There are a few factors that determine a work’s readability:

the vocabulary used
the syntax
the sentence structure
the typography (like the font and its size)

But how do we take these parts and actually determine readability? There are a few different methods.

Flesch Reading Ease Test

Rudolf Flesch developed the Flesch Reading Ease Test in the 1940s. It uses a mathematical formula to determine how easy a text is to read. A higher number means a text is easier to read; a lower number means it is more difficult. Flesch’s work had a huge impact on increasing readership, especially in journalism.

Score	Notes
100.00-90.00	Very easy to read. Easily understood by an average 11-year-old student.
90.0–80.0	Easy to read. Conversational English for consumers.
80.0–70.0	Fairly easy to read.
70.0–60.0	Plain English. Easily understood by 13- to 15-year-old students.
60.0–50.0	Fairly difficult to read.
50.0–30.0	Difficult to read.
30.0–0.0	Very difficult to read. Best understood by university graduates.

The above chart from Wikipedia breaks down the readability scale.

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Formula

In 1975, the Flesch Reading Ease Test was refined by J. Peter Kincaid as part of an effort by the United States government to improve the readability of technical documents. The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Formula presents the score as a U. S. grade level. A score of 8 means the the material is understandable at an 8th grade or above grade level (but a 6th grader might have difficulty with it). Because the total words, sentences, and syllables are weighed differently than in the original Flesch Reading Ease Test, the two formulas are not directly compatible.

The Lexile Framework for Reading

The Lexile framework was developed by A. J. Stenner and Malbert Smith III in 1989 and funded by the National Institutes of Health. The framework is divided into two categories: A Lexile reading measure (what level the reader is at) and a Lexile text measure (the difficulty of a specific text). The Lexile framework is frequently used in schools. Unlike the Flesch formulas, the creators of the Lexile framework retained their intellectual property rights, meaning that educators must pay for their services.

Readability is especially important to children’s books. Because their reading skills are still developing, giving children a book too far above their reading level can deter or confuse them. Most children’s books have a clear marker for what reading level it is on, though the ranking system can vary by publisher, such as Scholastic’s Guided Reading Levels.

No matter what type of writing you are doing, keeping readability in mind will help aid your reader’s comprehension and understanding. If you’re a publisher, make sure that your readability levels match the industry’s standards. If you’re an author, make sure to keep your audience’s abilities in mind. If using Microsoft Word, you can even check your readability statistics according to the Flesch scales. Under the Proofing option in Word, make sure to select “Check grammar with spelling.” After you run spell check, you’ll receive your readability statistics. For this article, our Flesch Reading Ease score is 52.5 and our Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level is 8.9.

If you’re a parent, don’t be afraid to encourage your child to try a book above their reading level. Because of the factors measured, a more-adult book may have an ‘easier’ score. Sometimes, the punctuation used can change a score even if the actual text never changes. We don’t want to deny books to children, so if your little one wants to explore harder texts, encourage them. After all, there are amazing stories to discover at all reading levels.

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“Give ‘Way to the Right” Book Release Remembers the Soldiers Who Fought in World War I

Jillian Murphy
706-864-1556
jillian.murphy@ung.edu

Give ’Way to the Right recounts the true story of Chris Emmett’s service in World War I
Give ’Way to the Right releases November 11, 2018, the 100 year anniversary of the Armistice, from the University of North Georgia Press

Dahlonega, GA—November 11, 2018—The University of North Georgia Press is pleased to announce our latest release: Give ’Way to the Right by Chris Emmett, edited by David Scott Stieghan. The book releases November 11, 2018, on the 100 year anniversary of the Armistice of World War I.

The front cover of "Give 'Way to the Right" by Chris Emmett, edited by David Scott Stieghan. The cover shows a destroyed battle field. — Cover design by Corey Parson

Give ’Way to the Right is the true account of Chris Emmett’s experience in World War I. Emmett joined the war effort in 1917 and was part of the American Expeditionary Forces (A. E. F.) on the Western Front, where he served in France with L Company. Written following Emmett’s discharge from the army, Give ’Way to the Right was not originally intended for public audiences. The result is an honest record of what Emmett saw in the war: men not given proper medical attention when needed, officers promoted without merit, and trenches that did little to protect the soldiers in them. Emmett’s account shows the truth of warfare to later generations that knew nothing of war. It is a memorial to the friends he lost and a reminder of what lays on a battlefield.

Editor David Scott Stieghan is the United States Army Infantry Branch Historian at Fort Benning, Georgia. He has taught history at colleges in Texas, Tennessee, and Georgia and is currently the Military History Instructor for the U. S. Army Infantry. Stieghan has worked on twenty-eight Armed Forces Radio and Television Service Military Heritage Spots, eight shows for the History Channel, nine for the Outdoor Channel, and twenty-one shows for the Military Channel as a technical advisor and Subject Matter Expert. He also served as technical advisor for the mini-series “Truman” on HBO and “Rough Riders” on TNT.

Give ’Way to the Right (978-1-940771-44-1) is a 6 x 9 paperback with 318 pages. It can be purchased through Ingram, Amazon, and other major retailers for $24.95. It includes original illustrations by Emmett as well as additional footnotes, photographs, and annotations by Stieghan. Give ’Way to the Right will make a wonderful addition to any military history library.

The University of North Georgia Press, a scholarly, peer-reviewed press, is an extension of our sponsoring university, the University of North Georgia. Our primary function is to promote education and research with a special emphasis on innovative scholarship and pedagogy.

NaNoWriMo 2018 Officially Begins!

It’s November which means it’s National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Authors of all genres take part in the challenge to write a 50,000 word novel from November 1 to November 30. If you’re as good at math as you are at writing, you’ll realize that’s 1,667 words per day. It’s not the easiest challenge, but it is a fun one. We want to start the month off write (get it?), so here are three tips to help you begin.

1. Make a Storyboard

Write down each scene on an index card. Using a corkboard—or even some tape and a blank wall—arrange your scenes in order of how they’re presented in the book. For most of us, this’ll be chronologically, but it may not be. Seeing the scenes laid out gives you a bird’s-eye view, allowing you to see how everything connects. It’s also easier to move around scenes as you figure things out. Maybe a middle scene works better at the beginning. Just move your index card and test it.

2. Write the Most Exciting Scenes First

You don’t have to write the story linearly, even if it’ll be told that way. Start with the scenes that excite you the most. They’ll be the most fun to explore and may help motivate you to write the necessary but slower scenes that connect them. You’ll also find that by starting with the most exciting scenes, the previous slower scenes may be unnecessary altogether, and you can remove them from the story.

3. Don’t Tell Anyone About Your Project

This may be the hardest thing to do. We’re excited about our writing. It’s meant to be shared! But sharing your story too early is the fastest way to lose motivation. Set yourself a “share goal,” where you can only share the information after you’ve completed a certain amount of writing. Your goal may be “write a chapter” or “finish a scene.” Whatever it is, it’ll get you writing, instead of talking about writing.

If you’re in the Dahlonega area, join us for a weekly Write In, sponsored by The Chestatee Review and the University of North Georgia Press. We’re meeting every Thursday (except Thanksgiving) from 7 pm – 9 pm on the second floor of Starbucks.

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UNG The Gold I See: The Legacy of UNG’s Dahlonega Campus — Art Sample

We are incredibly excited for the release of our first children’s book: UNG The Gold I See: The Legacy of UNG’s Dahlonega Campus written by Dr. Bonita Jacobs and illustrated by J’Nelle Short. There’s only five short weeks until its release on November 27, 2018.

Today, we’re sharing the first inside-look at the art and characters. Benjamin Smith, his daughter Jamie, and grandson Tommy each have a different goal during Visitor’s Day at UNG’s Dahlonega Campus. The grandfather wants to recall the memories of his years in the Corps of Cadets. The mother wants to remember her years in the nursing program. And the grandson wants to find UNG Dahlonega’s legendary treasure: the gold hidden somewhere on campus. He has Nigel the Nighthawk and a treasure map to guide him; his grandfather and mother have the memories. What do you have?

Intrigued? Click here to view the UNG Gold art sample (PDF).

The front cover of UNG The Gold I See by Dr. Bonita Jacobs, illustrated by J'Nelle Short. A red-headed boy holds a treasure map. Price Memorial and it's gold steeple stand behind him. A nighthawk, the UNG mascot, guides his way. — Illustrated by J’Nelle Short

Read more about UNG The Gold I See:

Frankenstein’s Influence Over Two Centuries

While living in Switzerland, Lord Byron (Yes, that Lord Byron) held a writing competition among some close friends. The goal: Write the best horror story. Among the close friends were John Polidori, author of The Vampyre, and Mary Shelley. Unknown to Lord Byron, Shelley would eventually craft one of the most influential books of all time—Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus. Frankenstein’s influence reached not only into the literary world, but also far into pop culture making reader and consumer alike question the power of science.

Frankenstein has always been a ubiquitous book of discussion whenever the science fiction genre comes up in conversation, but that conversation wouldn’t even be possible without Frankenstein. Brian Stableford from the University of Pennsylvania and Brian Aldiss, author of many anthologies and science fiction stories, argue Frankenstein was the first ever science fiction novel. Since Shelley created the catalyst for the science fiction genre, without Frankenstein, we wouldn’t have many of the great stories we do today such as H.G. Well’s The Time Machine and Frank Herbert’s Dune. These stories, much like Frankenstein, rely on science as the literary tool which moves the story along.

If you’re familiar with the mad scientist motif, Dr. Frankenstein’s depiction in Shelley’s novel is said to be that of the first mad scientist. And this is where Frankenstein has influenced pop culture the most. Picture all the TV shows and movies that play off the mad scientist motif. There’s a lot. Without Frankenstein, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy movies like The Fly or The Rocky Horror Picture Show. There have also been movies based entirely on the concept of Frankenstein such as Son of Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, The Ghost of Frankenstein, and so many more. Speaking of movies, Frankenstein may have been the first ever horror movie to be filmed. Though its title of first horror film might be only slightly surprising, the creator of the first Frankenstein movie was none other than Thomas Edison.

While Thomas Edison’s film may be a thing of the past, Frankenstein is still influencing current pop culture. In more recent history, Frankenstein has influenced dozens of musical works and has been referenced an uncountable amount of times. “Weird Al” Yankovic, a parody artist, has a song titled Perform This Way which references Frankenstein in its lyrics stating, “Don’t be offended when you see my latest pop monstrosity. I’m strange, weird, shocking, odd bizarre. I’m Frankenstein. I’m Avatar.” And who can forget the ever-present-at-every-Halloween-party-song Monster Mash where a mad scientist tries to teach his new creation some groovy dance moves?

Besides music, Frankenstein has entered the airwaves in the form of radio broadcasts since 1931. The first ever broadcast of Frankenstein was a thirty-minute adaptation by Alonzo Deen Cole aired during a segment called The Witch’s Tale. This radio adaptation spawned many other adaptations, with the most recent being a broadcast in 2014. This broadcast featured different voice actors taking on the roles of Dr. Frankenstein, the monster, and Alphonse.

On paper, Frankenstein has been the subject for many novels like William A. Chanler’s sequel which picks up in the artic after Victor’s death and Stephen King’s IT where King’s monster takes the form of Frankenstein’s monster. In comics, DC and Marvel have printed issues featuring Frankenstein’s monster or loose adaptations taking part in their universes. DC’s first use of Frankenstein was an eight-page adaptation of the movie Son of Frankenstein, making it an adaptation of a spinoff. That’s a lot of remixing! Marvel has used the monster of Frankenstein in its X-Men series and even created a five-part comic which recreates the original story of Frankenstein.

Though Frankenstein’s use in pop culture is often times gimmicky and playful, there is much we can still learn from the original story, and the snippets we encounter through movies, radio broadcasts, and comics are reminders of Frankenstein’s message. Since Frankenstein’s monster is treated so poorly throughout the novel, we ask ourselves about our own humanity. Are we actually the monsters? Shelley was able to introspectively look at herself and her humanity which provokes us to do the same. Shelley makes the reader confront how they may have changed someone’s life by living our own. While Frankenstein may be rustic at 200 years old, it provides a message that will never fade: be accepting and kind to those around you, and you will change the course of history for the better.

Celebrate Franken Fridays with us! Frighteningly fun events are held each Friday to celebrate Frankenstein’s 200th publishing anniversary. Connect with us on social media using the #FrankenFriday tag.

Upcoming Events:

Friday, Oct. 19:

11 a.m. to noon, Library 134, Gainesville Campus—Visiting artist Drema Montgomery, who creates art by assembling various found objects, will demonstrate her work and correlate it to Dr. Frankenstein’s manufacturing the monster.
Noon to 4 p.m., Forsyth County Library and Cumming Campus—Frankenstein-themed rock art by World Literature II students
1 p.m., Library 134, Gainesville Campus—English faculty panel including Dr. Diana Edelman, Anita Turlington and Dr. Kasee Laster
TBA, Student Resource Center 311, Oconee Campus—The Many Faces of Frankenstein: media and roundtable discussion with Drs. Dan Cabaniss, Stephanie Rountree and Shane Toepfer

Friday, Oct. 26

11 a.m., Library 134, Gainesville Campus—”Frankenstein and Posthumanism” faculty panel featuring Dr. Lynn Berdanier, Dr. John Hamilton, Dr. Jeanelle Morgan, and Dr. Kristin Yager
Noon to 3 p.m., upstairs lobby, Cumming Campus—PoeDown and costume contest
Noon, Library 134, Gainesville Campus—“Monster Theory” faculty panel featuring Dr. Jeff Pardue, Dr. Phil Guerty, Dr. Patsy Worrall
3-5 p.m., Mount Hope Cemetery, Dahlonega Campus—“Secrets from the Grave” guided tour of Mount Hope Cemetery.

Press Release: “UNG The Gold I See: The Legacy of UNG’s Dahlonega Campus” Celebrates the History of Dahlonega’s Campus

Jillian Murphy
706-864-1556
jillian.murphy@ung.edu

UNG Press’ first children’s book celebrates the history and legacy of the University of North Georgia’s Dahlonega campus
First in a series about each UNG campus; Gainesville campus book releases 2019
All profits to help fund scholarships
Designed for Level 4 readers

Dahlonega, GA—November 27, 2018—The University of North Georgia Press (UNG Press) is pleased to announce the release of our first children’s book: UNG The Gold I See: The Legacy of UNG’s Dahlonega Campus written by Dr. Bonita Jacobs and illustrated by J’Nelle Short. The book releases November 27, 2018 and costs $29.99.

While written for readers at Level 4, UNG The Gold I See engages readers of all ages, reflecting its multi-generational main characters. Benjamin Smith, his daughter Jamie, and grandson Tommy each have a different goal during Visitor’s Day at UNG’s Dahlonega Campus. The grandfather wants to recall the memories of his years in the Corps of Cadets. The mother wants to remember her years in the nursing program. And the grandson wants to find UNG Dahlonega’s legendary treasure: the gold hidden somewhere on campus. He has Nigel the Nighthawk and a treasure map to guide him; his grandfather and mother have the memories. What do you have?

Bonita Jacobs, president of the University of North Georgia and author of "UNG The Gold I See: The Legacy of UNG's Dahlonega Campus" — Bonita Jacobs, President of UNG

Bonita Jacobs is president of the University of North Georgia. She took office as the 17th president of North Georgia College & State University in July 2011 as the University’s first woman president and only the second to lead one of the country’s six Senior Military Colleges. In 2014, Jacobs was named as one of the “100 Most Influential Georgians” by Georgia Trend magazine and as one of the “Top Education Leaders in Atlanta” by the Atlanta Business Chronicle in 2013 and 2014. Among her many initiatives at UNG, Dr. Jacobs’ scholarship support for students has been a major priority. Her inauguration in 2013 was celebrated with the first Scholarship Gala. Since then, the UNG Foundation has raised more than $7 million for scholarships. All profits will go to creating scholarships for UNG students across all five campuses.

Illustrator J’Nelle Short grew up in East Texas and attended Stephen F. Austin University where she earned her BFA. Upon graduating, she worked as a graphic artist for six years before finding her calling in education. She has been cultivating the creativity of her students for 33 years through her art classes and has been named “Teacher of the Year” six times. Short is a vibrant force in her community, serving as coordinator of the annual Veterans Day Celebration, Operation Fly-a-Flag, and Garden Club. Her art passions are many but include watercolor, graphic design, and large-scale murals. She loves life and enjoys decorating, traveling, and scuba diving.

UNG The Gold I See is the first in a series about the five UNG campuses: Dahlonega, Gainesville, Cumming, Oconee, and Blue Ridge. The book about Gainesville campus is already in development and will release in 2019.

UNG The Gold I See: The Legacy of UNG’s Dahlonega Campus (978-1-940771-46-5) is an 8.5 x 10.5 hardback, priced at $29.99. It is printed in full color with illustrations on every page and is designed for Level 4 readers. In addition to the captivating story and images, children will delight in trying to find the hidden nighthawks on every page as they tour UNG’s Dahlonega campus with the Smith family. A history of UNG is included after the story so parents and grandparents can share more details and history. For an additional donation, you can customize your copy with a dedication page to create a treasure that will be remembered forever. Giveaways and additional information can be found on UNG Press’ homepage: http://ung.edu/university-press

Read more about UNG The Gold I See:

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