By Sandra C. Roa, University Communications and Marketing
A short passage from acclaimed author Judy Blume is in the 2019 issue of Saw Palm, a USF student-run literary and art journal. The submission was prompted by a postcard sent from USF library’s digital postcard collection, which featured a waterside scene of young women fishing.
Blume is known for authoring young-adult novels such as “Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret” and “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing.” Blume’s entry is in keeping with her well-established fictional voice of a girl during her coming-of-age years. What’s more, she also adopted a familiar postcard-type passage, which was handwritten and emblematic of leisurely Florida.
The submission starts with “Dear mother,” and quickly dives into some boasting about her catch of the day, a fish not a beau since “husbands aren’t for every girl.” The whimsical language is poignant not only for Blume’s style of writing but very fitting for the Florida-themed journal, Saw Palm, which aims to highlight experiences and lives imagined in and about the state.
The vintage postcard edition of Saw Palm inspired a new landscape format, a first for the journal. The new design features illustrations in color and black and white. This annual publication is aimed at spotlighting experiences of and about Florida as shared by visitors and Florida residents.
“We wanted to round out public perception of what Florida is to get a more complete sense of the people and the environment,” said Professor John Fleming, PhD, USF director of creative writing within the Department of English.
Fleming helped establish the journal in 2006 so that his graduate students could gain first-hand experience at running a publication that features art, fiction, poetry and non-fiction. The journal accepts works related to all things Florida and hosts some of its entries in their online site. Blume was invited for this edition after Fleming ran into her during a trip to Key West at the Books & Books bookstore.
“We’re always looking to expand the range of voices in the journal” Fleming said. “Blume is not a traditional literary magazine writer, so we liked that idea.”
Saw Palm’s editorial staff will host a release party on Friday, March 1 from 7-10 p.m. at Southern Brewing and Winery, 4500 N. Nebraska Ave. in Tampa. The event is open to the public.