For the past 13 years the creative writing department has released a compilation of poetry, art, and fiction entitled Fourteen Hills by accomplished writers and artists from across the country, including some SF State students.

According to the Web site, Fourteen Hills is committed to presenting a diversity of experimental and progressive work by emerging and cross-genre writers, as well as work by award winning and established authors.

The Winter/Spring 2006 edition of Fourteen Hills is composed of more than 150 pages of lively and energetic writing. It features award-winning works from artists like Elise Ficarra, winner of the 2005 Michael Rubin Poetry Chapbook Award for her piece entitled “Swelter,” which was published in the Summer/Fall 2005 edition of Fourteen Hills.

Twice a year for the Winter/Spring or the Summer/Fall issues of Fourteen Hills students from the creative writing department at SF State meet to select fiction and poetry submissions that are published in the journal. After which, groups read submissions that have been filtered through by editors as the best of the best. The group then chooses among the pre-selected material to determine what work they see fit to be published in Fourteen Hills.

Fourteen Hills could easily be used to teach high school and college-level English courses, and I would highly recommend it for those who love to relish in poetry, fiction, drama and art. Participants who want their work published in Fourteen Hills may submit their work at anytime throughout the year, however the deadline for the Winter/Spring issue is usually September 1. The deadline for the Summer/Fall issue is February 1 and all submissions must be mailed to the creative writing department at SF State.

“Donning Cheadle” is a scripted drama by Geraldine Kim who is currently pursuing a master’s degree in fiction and poetry at SF State, according to a mini biography in Fourteen Hills. The script features discourse between Don Cheadle – a confident, arrogant, and foul-mouthed accomplished actor who uses the f -word more than 35 times in the script – and Cameragirl, whose name speaks for itself, while on the set of the making of a home movie.

Underneath the humor and foulness the script confronts racism head on. Don Cheadle even refers to Geraldine Kim at the end of a long monologue by Cameragirl as she expresses the pain of being called yellow by classmates in grade school, and never being comfortable in her own skin. It is apparent that this monologue is a testament to some of the things Kim has endured as a Korean woman in the United States. “That was the best ‘Geraldine Kim’ I’ve ever seen,” said Don Cheadle to Cameragirl at the end of her monologue.

“Donning Cheadle” is a good creative interpretation on the real Don Cheadle. The twist at the end where Cheadle refers to Geraldine Kim offers readers a glimpse into the writer’s reality, and was a great attempt to add a personal touch to the script.

Readers can jump into a short story by Hugh Sheehy – a creative writing professor at the University of Alabama – entitled “Japanese Fighting Fish.” The story is about three characters – Giles, a closeted transvestite who is turned out after trying on a pair of his mother’s pantyhose; Carrie, a cynical and smart-mouthed character who chews tobacco and gets a kick out of shooting things and last, there is the main character Bryan, who, with his fathers guidance, is able to make a tough decision about life and death at the end of the story.

After Carrie boasts about her plans to shoot squirrels, Bryan goes and gets his father’s .22 caliber gun that just happens to have a squirrel engraving on it and the three head out to prove their marksmanship skills. After Carrie shoots a rabbit, Giles is very disturbed by all this and leaves. Carrie who is relishing in her conquest pressures Bryan taunting “your turn, your turn.” The two continue in search of pray when they stumble upon a swan in an open lake. Bryan thinks back to something his father told him and decides against shooting the swan.

“Japanese Fighting Fish,” has tons of hidden messages and is full of comical humor. All three characters are incredibly distinct and offer an entertaining dialogue. Bryan’s constant looking to his father’s advice was an excellent testament to the bond between a father and son.

Fourteen Hills is full of outstanding works from 20 poets, 11 fiction writers, and 3 visual artists. The stories are exiting, the poetry exuberating, and the artwork is incredible. Single issues of Fourteen Hills are $9 and only $17 for a year’s subscription. For further details or subscription information visit www.14hills.net.