Craig Lesley's 'Winterkill' to be published
By Charlene Jensen
Writing is really just developing here in
Oregon,” Lesley said.
A section from “Winterkill” has
been published in the Northwest
Review. The Massachusetts Review
will publish an excerpt from the book
at the beginning of the year.
Lesley has no drastic plans in store
for his life now that he is a published
novelist but he does admit that the
book has changed his life to some ex
tent. “When you put five years into
something, you’re a different person
for having done that. It’s like going to
college, or getting an advanced degree,
or being in a war. It does change your
life,” he said.
Lesley has decided he would not
like to make his career by only writing.
“I really enjoy teaching. Ideally, I’d
like to be able to both teach and write.
Writing is very difficult and lonely. I
enjoy the students and feedback, and
working with people. I’d never want to
write full-time for more than maybe a
year at a time,” Lesley said.
“I might write some more about
Oregon. I like Oregon and I like
teaching at the College. There’s an in
teresting mix of students and I just
really like it here,” he said. “I enjoy
this college so much. We have a great
staff and everyone has been so suppor
tive of me.”
Lesley credits some of his success
in finishing his book to his wife,
Kathy. “My wife is also a writer and I
couldn’t have done this project without
her. She was really helpful with revis
ing and editing. She was very suppor
tive,” he said.
The Clackamas Community Col
lege staff was also helpful to Lesley.
“The people here, the department divi
sion chairpersons were really suppor
tive in trying to arrange a schedule
where I could have certain days of the
week off to write.”
With the novel at the very last
stages of completion Lesley said he will
not begin on any other project right
away. “I’m just going to fish, teach
and enjoy the baby,” he said. Lesley
has two children, John, 14, and his
baby Elena, 20 months.
Of The Print
Years of hard work have paid off
and a writer’s dream is coming true for
Clackamas Community College In
structor Craig Lesley who will wear the
official title of ‘author’ when his first
novel, “Winterkill” is published in
early May of 1984.
When Lesley was attending the
University of Massachusetts, the
Houghton Mifflin publishing company
was looking for new writers. Houghton
Mifflin invited Masters of Fine Arts
programs throughout the country to
submit outstanding student theses. A
College director sent in Lesley’s
manuscript and the senior editor of
Houghton Mifflin was very impressed
and interested in the work from the
beginning.
Lesley’s manuscript contained
many short stories which would be dif
ficult to publish because people rarely
buy short stories. The company was in
terested in Lesley turning the short
stories into a novel. “As it turned out,
the stories were episodes with the same
main characters,” Lesley said.
Lesley, who teaches English at
Clackamas Community College,
received a monetary advance from
Houghton Mifflin so he could take a
reduced teaching load while working
on his book. Everything from then on
has been hard work for Lesley.
The basic plot of “Winterkill” has
to do with an Indian rodeo rider, Dan
ny, who picks up his teen-age boy from
a previous marriage. The story is about
his awkward way of getting to know
his son. “As Danny gets to know his.
son better he rediscovers the relation
ship he had with his father,” Lesley
said.
The novel contains a lot of
Oregon: The Dalles, Pendleton and the
Wallowa mountains. “The primary
movement of the story is up into the
mountains which are more mystical.
The novel takes place in 1980 and one
important feature is Danny discovering
what it means to be an Indian in a con
temporary society. The important
reason he goes up into the mountains
is, that was the traditional home of the
Nez Perce’ Indians. Danny is Nez
Perce’ even though he lives on the
Umatilla Indian Reservation,” Lesley
said.
The book tells how Danny makes
his life at the rodeo. As he gets to know
December to
be musical
for College
Author/Instructor Craig Lesley
his son he tries to teach him how to
make a living. The father and son drive
cattle, trap and hunt. Each time they
do this, Danny remembers how it was
with his own father. If anything, Dan
ny’s father was a tough, hard-edged
man and Danny is also tough. He lives
according to a very practical code but
regarding his son he is much more
compassionate than his father was with
him.
Danny’s son, Jack, is a cynic who
doesn’t believe any of the old ways or
beliefs and scoffs at everything. “So
part of the double movement of the
novel is for Danny to rediscover his
heritage but also to get his son, Jack,
convinced,” Lesley said.
The book is in no way about
Lesley but it does hold some of his life
experiences. Lesley, a native Orego
nian, was bom in The Dalles. Lesley
attended salmon festivals with his
Grandfather at Celilo Falls when the
Indians would fish. His uncle is a hun
ting and fishing guide and “a great
story-teller,” Lesley said. Lesley’s
father is a trapper. “Some of my ex
periences helped and came out in the
book,” he said.
Photo by Russ McMillen
“I love the Wallowa Mountains.
My uncle has an elk camp up where
Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce’ spent
their time before they were forced out
by the settlers and had to fight all the
way to Montana where they had to sur
render. All these things came together
once I was able to concentrate on
writing the novel and having it take
place in Oregon,’? Lesley said.
With the finishing of his novel,
Lesley has mingled emotions of loss,
disappointment, relief, ecstasy, and
numbness. “I feel so many emotions,
but I’ve worked on this book so long.
I’m really ready to have it over with
and get on to something else. Maybe a
sequel...sometime,” he said. Lesley
looks for his novel to be received well
in Oregon and the Northwest.
“Oregon people are really supportive
of Oregon writers. I think there are
some really good writers in Portland.
CCC STUDENTS
These specials are for you
only. Please show copy of
this ad and your student
body card for these prices.
Clackamas Community
College’s music department
will close the end of the 1983
school year with four
December Concerts.
Dec. 9 from 6-8 p.m., the
Cabin Fever Moonshine Band
will perform country music.
Also free will be the con
cert performed Dec. 10 by the
Beavercreek Fiddlers, The
concert will be held in the
Community Center and will
present fiddle music and
Christmas sing-a-longs.
The annual end of the
term concert for the Wind
Ensemble and Chamber Choir
will be held in the mall on Sun
day, Dec. 11, at 3 p.m.
r
OREGON CITY ALBERTSONS
WISHES YOU A
SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDA Y SEASON
"X
For all your party needs
Come visit our Deli and Bake Shoppe
or call us at 657-3127
Now open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
fpr your convenience
MONDAY NIGHT KICK-OFF SPECIAL — 5 to 8 p.m.
12 pieces of chicken plus 1 pound of potato
.$11.99
Ski Tune Up Special
10% Off
Athletic Shoes ....
All ski clothing
(in bargain area)............... 50% off
Olympic 61/2 foot trout rod
(A $20.00 value)................ . .$10.00
Olympic Fishing Vest
Reg. $14.99
$5.00
i Ann\z9O
LARRY’S
OREGON CITY SHOPPING CENTER
OPEN 9-9 DAILY
SN: OL0055
COUPON“*
Party Platters
and six-foot
sandwiches
COUPON
Fresh Donuts
$1.99 a dozen
$3 off
with coupon
SPORT CENTER
& ski haus
TELEPHONE: 656-0321
Wednesday, December 7, 1983
salad all for $4.98.
with coupon
Fresh coffee 20' a cup
offer ends 1-2-84
I 1 coupon per order
Oregon City Store only
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Limit 3 dozen
1 coupon per order
offer ends 1-2-84
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