LCU’s Department of Humanities has published the eighth edition of the Chap Book, the university’s official publication featuring student literature and art.
"Literature has always been a way for people to connect with other people,” said Dr. Matt Byars, professor of English. “Whether it's writers connecting with readers, readers connecting with characters, or readers connecting with other readers—fiction, poetry, and non-fiction have been bringing people together for millennia.”
The journal is comprised of works submitted by LCU students, which are then reviewed and selected by the editorial board, led by Dr. Matthew Byars and Professor Micah Heatwole. Senior Sarah Fantinel served as the Copy Editor, and three other students, Katrina Brown, Courtney Cook, and Tanner Sims, also served as student editors.
The journal includes multiple works of poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and various forms of visual art. The cover art, Still Life of Me, is a watercolor by Katy Chaffin. Other contributors are Katrina Brown, Mohammed Busaidy, Katy Chaffin, Chantz Cochran, Courtney Cook, Sarah Fantinel, Gabrielle Gomez, Briana Hipple, Baily Kidder, Briana May, Corina Olivas, Lamour Sandlin, Madison Shields, Madison Sanders, Tabitha Topp, and Madison Wheeler.
“In this unusual and trying time, literature has become even more important,” explained Dr. Byars. “It is still a ready form of entertainment. There is no shortage of devices, apps, and outlets where one can access the written word while maintaining ‘social distance.’ But aside from being an excellent way to pass the time, literature is a way to share in the human experience. It is a way to stay connected with people and fulfill the human need to interact, however minimally.”
“We launched the Chap Book in the Spring of 2013. This year we printed the eighth issue, and the overall quality of the journal continues to improve,” recalled Micah Heatwole, another member of the English faculty. “We started out with a very small budget funded by the Humanities department. Now we are funded by the Rhodes Family Institute for Undergraduate Research and are able to print all the art in color, have an increased production volume, and share the creativity of more students.”
“Whether one is a fan of poetry, fiction, or non-fiction, LCU's student literary journal, the Chap Book, has something for everyone,” added Byars. “It has been—and continues to be—a powerful showcase of the talents of our students in the literary and visual arts."
The Chap Book is available digitally on the LCU website, and limited physical copies are available by contacting Micah Heatwole.