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Department of English
Publication Date: Spring 2005
Reviewer Charles E. May has written that Ron Carlson’s “stories are mostly about guys that other guys like to have a beer with, shoot a round of golf with, build a house with.”
Carlson himself could be described as one of those guys. Life around Ron is never dull and is often sporty. Through the years he has played recreational softball, sometimes wearing khaki pants and a buttoned-down shirt, with English Department faculty, graduate students, local writers, journalists, and others. He has led graduate students in golf outings and drive-in get-togethers for B movies.
However, he can be a bit intimidating at first, even to a retired New York Police Department lieutenant.
“Here was this good-looking guy, and he was quick and funny,” says Edward Dee, about seeing Carlson for the first time at a bookstore reading. Dee has since published five crime-related novels based on his experiences as a cop, the first of which was his master of fine arts thesis under Carlson’s tutelage.
Dee remembers meeting Carlson at a baseball game for a one-on-one conference, that Carlson “murders the roofs around the golf course,” and that his writing workshops often continued across the street from ASU.
“Four or five of us would stop out for a beer after class. I learned a lot there, too,” Dee says.
Over time, Carlson’s role in Dee’s life has evolved from teacher to mentor to good friend.
“He took me from being a cop with stories to being a writer,” Dee says. “I feel I owe my career to him.”—Melissa Olson-PetrieArts & Humanities: Creative Writing