I Believe in Community Colleges by John Brantingham







           
When I first graduated and started teaching, I thought I’d teach exclusively at universities. There’s nothing wrong with the universities. I have loved teaching there, and I would love teaching there in the future as well, but I wasn’t prepared for what I would encounter at the community college level.
           
I’m a full-time community college professor now, and I love it. I have never encountered a more positive, more intelligent, more focused group of people than I have at Mt. San Antonio College. The students are serious and hard-working.
           
Most importantly most of them are completely without cynicism or ego. I teach creative writing, and my students are far more creative and original here than they ever were at any university I taught. Students come out of our two-year program with book contracts and magazine publications. They are hungry to know new things and try new things. They are creative and brilliant.
           
It’s no wonder then that when I wanted to make a book trailer, for my new book, Mann of War,  I trusted David Falkinburg, a 22 year-old recent community college graduate, to write and direct it. I’ve known David for a few years. He’s a horror and science fiction writer whose work has been widely published. The Australians especially seem to like him.
           
I got together with him and a handful of other community college students and spent a day shooting his masterpiece. He put together a quick-paced, intense trailer completely with the special effect of a car exploding and original music that can be found only on my trailer.
           
Never once was I worried that this would come out well. Why?
           
Because I believe in David.
           
Because I believe in the community colleges.

Would you like to see the trailer? It’s great. Check it out here:

Blurb for Mann of War -- Robert Mann is sick of people getting away with murder treason, rape, and lies, and he's going to do something about it. The only problem is that talking about killing someone is a lot easier than doing it.


 PS from Marilyn: Be sure and take a look at this trailer, John isn't kidding, it is great!

Comments

Thank you so much for including me on your blog, Marilyn!

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