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Clay Reynolds

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by DGG (talk | contribs) at 17:33, 29 December 2021 (→‎Early Life and Education: ce). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

  • Comment: Reynolds is notable.
    The article however reads like a blog post or essay, and needs to be rewritten to Wikipedia standard. The critical problem is that every statement that appears to be a judgement or evaluation of him or his work must be supported by a specific 3rd party reliable published source
    the individual's statements about elements of his background are his own opinion of himself, and not reliable 3rd party sources, and biographical details based on them are usually considered promotional, and aren't accepted here.
    The most practical way to proceed would probably be to shorten the article somewhat, and focus not on his personal bio, but on his published work. Include substantial reviews in third-party published independent reliable sources, such a major national newspapers, not press releases, blurbs, blogs, Amazon, or Goodreads Then notify me on my usertalk page, and I shall accept it. DGG ( talk ) 02:23, 26 November 2021 (UTC)
  • Comment: The awards (if notable?) require independent sources. The section on "Thoughts on Writing, Teaching and Publishing" has only primary sources so cannot establish any notability.. Theroadislong (talk) 07:13, 9 November 2021 (UTC)
  • Comment: content like "A large number of uncollected published stories and essays are available on the author's personal website" has no place in an encyclopedia article. There seem to be too many quotes as well. Theroadislong (talk) 20:01, 5 November 2021 (UTC)
  • Comment: Most of the parts are supported by primary sources which need to be replaced by reliable sources. This article also need copy-editing to maintain neutral point of view and encyclopaedic tone. For example, "Reynolds said that his father (Jessie Wrex" be changed to "His father was railroad man". Also pay attention to lead section. For example, Template:Tq is only for quoting in talk and project pages. Do not use it in actual articles. should be rewrite like Template:Tq is only for quoting in talk and project pages. Do not use it in actual articles. etc... TheBirdsShedTears (talk) 13:51, 2 November 2021 (UTC)
  • Comment: It appears there are large portions of quotes that are directly copied from the linked sources. I'll clean these up momentarily. Perryprog (talk) 19:51, 30 August 2021 (UTC)


FROM THE ORIGINAL SUBMITTER For my 4th time submitting, I am summarizing how I improved the article after receiving feedback. Also, I included a longer explanation in the draft's talk section to address these concerns.

After the first decline on Aug 30, I removed about 95% of the quotes and substantially shortened the remaining quotes. I also paraphrased certain portions and added several more secondary sources.

Here are my responses to the feedback given after the third decline on November 26:

  • Promotional/style issues (dgg) I have reduced/combined 1 or 2 primary sources and added more reviews from secondary sources. Also, I have put a separate section on the Talk page to respond more fully.
  • Prizes and Notability (Theroadislong). I have given secondary sources for all awards -- mainly from Gale's Literary Biography (SEE TALK SECTION 1.2)
  • Primary sources/reliable sources. ( TheBirdsShedTears) I discussed it in detail on the TALK SECTION 1.1. I have studied very carefully the official Wikipedia policy on Self-published or questionable sources as sources on themselves. Specifically Wiki's policy does not forbid using primary sources. There are several notable Wiki articles of authors (living and dead) where primary sources are quoted judiciously (especially in the sections about an author's early biography). For an example, see John Updike (which contains 18 direct quotations from the author (the primary sources) in the Wikipedia article and about a dozen links to published articles and speeches by the author). By contrast, my current submission contains only 2 or 3 direct quotes from the author in the Wiki article and about a dozen links to published articles by the author; but it also contains dozens of links to secondary sources as well.
  • Mentioning published uncollected writings on author's personal website (Theroadislong). 1. Wiki policy specifically allows these kinds of links. (see my note about primary sources above) 2., these articles have been previously published elsewhere in established literary and academic journals. 3. it is a well-accepted practice for academics to publish copy of their own works on personal websites so that non-Americans can access the material without needing to pay for a subscription. 4. the statement that copies of the articles are available on the author's personal website is a simple, objective, verifiable fact. Absolutely nothing in Wikipedia's policy or guidelines prevents an article from including a simple bibliographic note about the accessibility of these documents. (See TALK SECTION 1.1)
  • copy-editing to maintain neutral point of view and encyclopaedic tone ( TheBirdsShedTears). I made several changes to make the language more neutral and encyclopedic. In many cases, the sentences are paraphrasing original quotes which contained intent or motivation, so the only way to paraphrase it correctly was to convey this intent in as neutral a way as possible.

Finally, let me say that I believe that this article is ready for publication on Wikipedia now. In its current state it is better researched and more compliant with Wiki policies than other articles I have edited recently. Every article can be improved, of course, but the best way to improve the article is to approve it first -- that will expose it to the normal review and revision policy found for all Wiki articles. Declining this submission again will prevent this from happening. If this article is declined again, I will NOT for resubmitting it again. I just don't have the time. Robert J Nagle (talk) 05:56, 23 November 2021 (UTC)

Clay Reynolds
BornRichard Clay Reynolds
(1949-09-28) September 28, 1949 (age 74)
Quanah, Texas, U.S.
Occupation
  • Novelist
  • short story writer
  • literary critic
  • teacher
NationalityAmerican
Alma mater
GenreTexas fiction
Years active1986–present
Notable works
  • The Tentmaker
  • Franklin's Crossing
  • Agatite
SpouseJudy
Children2
Website
https://clayreynoldstx.com/

Richard Clay Reynolds (1949-) is a Texas novelist, essayist, book critic and English professor. Author of more than 10 books of fiction, 5 books of nonfiction, hundreds of published essays and 1000+ book reviews, he has lived and taught at universities in northern Texas and Oklahoma.

Early Life and Education

Reynolds grew in Quanah (roughly halfway between the Texas cities of Dallas and Amarillo). His father (Jessie Wrex[1]) was a railroad man who moved to Quanah from a nearby town of Acme, Texas after returning from World War 2. There he met and later married Pauline Reynolds who worked as a teacher's aide and came from Eldorado, Oklahoma. Re [2]

Although considered a "city boy," by Quanah's residents, Reynolds did farm and ranch work during the summers and frequented the public library. Looking back, he came to appreciate growing up in Quanah, writing "I received a good education in values and human nature, although not much in the way of formal learning." During high school, Reynolds wrote later, "along with John Knowles, (Larry) McMurtry was my most astounding literary discovery...."[3] A few years after high school, Reynolds was introduced to Larry McMurtry in Archer City; he wrote that the meeting left him feeling "more than a little overwhelmed. It wasn't so much that he (McMurtry) was a "real" writer ... it was more that he was a writer from Texas, my Texas, West Texas. Writers weren't supposed to come from there." Later, Reynolds' own fiction would be compared to that of McMurtry and Cormac McCarthy. [4]

Reynolds enrolled at Trinity University in San Antonio to study drama (where he took a creative writing class). [5],and then transferred to the University of Texas at Austin where he received a degree in history in 1971.[6] Later, he returned to Trinity for a master's degree in English with a specialization in 20th century American literature in 1974. Finally he received his Ph.D. in Modern Literature from University of Tulsa in 1979. His 1986 dissertation was later published by Whitston Publishing under the title Stage Left: The Development of the American Social Drama in the Thirties.

Academic Career

After receiving his Phd in 1986, Reynolds continued at Lamar University until 1988, when he moved to be professor and novelist-in-residence at University of North Texas at Denton from 1988-1992. He then worked as a full time writer and did short term teaching assignments at at various universities: Villanova University, West Texas A & M University, Texas Woman's University, and the University of South Dakota. In 1998 he was appointed as associate professor of Aesthetics and Literature at the University of Texas at Dallas, where he taught until retirement. Eventually he became Full Professor and Director of Creative Writing, retiring in 2019.[1]

Novels and Short Stories

According to his podcast interview with Baen Books, Reynolds started writing fiction in 1984 as a diversion from writing academic articles. [6] In his spare time, he wrote fiction, eventually finishing two manuscripts and submitting them to a literary agent and publisher. Eventually St. Martin's agreed to publish both books, starting with Vigil (the later book) which was a much smaller story -- focusing on a mother searching for her missing daughter who has last seen in Agatite, Texas. According to a review of the Vigil in the New York Times[7], "Mr. Reynolds writes no-nonsense prose, and his rendering of the town of Agatite and its inhabitants, while not especially vivid, is efficient. Best of all, he knows how to create and sustain tension without resorting to sensationalism. His book, like its protagonist, has a stubborn integrity that you can't help admiring."

Franklin's Crossing (1993) is in the words of one critic his "big" book (688 pages) and "his most overtly historic novel...a frontier saga set a few years after the Civil War in the so-called Comanche Spring of 1874."[8] In addition to receiving advance praise by Elmer Kelton and Larry McMurtry[9], the book was described by one critic as a "crass, uneasy mix of women’s romance, men’s action yarn, historical detail, and the deplorable contemporary vogue for sadistic cruelty and horror.” [10]

Another novel, the 2003 novel, Ars Poetica: A Postmodern Parable, is considered an academic satire set in contemporary times. Author George Garrett, the judge who selected this book as the winner of the 2002 George Garrett Fiction Prize,[11] called it a "masterfully told tale of an aging poet who finally turns his back on the system that he feels failed him ...."[12] One critic described the novel as "darkly comic and compelling ... (which) works as portrait of a poet's pathetic slide into despair."[13]

In 2007, Reynolds published the story collection Sandhill County Lines containing stories written over 20 years.[14]. The book's introduction (written by Reynolds) states that the stories were revised from their original published forms as the author's sensibilities toward his subjects had evolved over time. Publishers Weekly described the book as "nine winning yarns about smalltown people trapped in mean circumstances ....Reynolds shines penetrating light on small lives.[15] Another review praised the story "Etta's Pond" and "The Baptism," while noting that many stories in the collection read as slowly as novels and lacked the succinctness of the traditional short story. [16]. In an introduction to one of his books[17], Reynolds indicates that The Vigil, Agatite, Franklin’s Crossing, Monuments and Sandhill County Lines all take place in this same mythical Sandhill county.

The Tentmaker novel (2012) tells the story of a 19th century tentmaker who journeys to Texas and decides to stay after his wagon breaks down in the middle of nowhere. One reviewer described this novel as "written with brio and fidelity to historical detail," [18]. Another reviewer called Tentmaker a "nearly perfect novel ... marred only by an off-putting, unnecessarily violent opening chapter." [19]

Vox Populi: A novel of the common man (2013) is a series of character studies of ordinary people in their everyday lives. The author's preface explains that the book doesn't offer a typical story arc and shouldn't be considered a series of independent stories.[20] One critic called it a "subtle performance," saying that "Clay Reynolds is uncannily skilled at rendering vignettes of strangers forced to occupy the same physical space."[21] Another reviewer wrote that despite its ambitions, the novel fell short in creating a "memorable, interesting narrative" and that the narrator lacked vitality and the "self-reflective introspection that should contradict and thus validate his lack of vitality." [22]

Reynolds and the Western Novel

The fiction of Reynolds has been given many labels (such as "Texas fiction" "western fiction" or "historical fiction." However, his fiction often diverges from the conventions and formula of some genres, to the point where Reynolds himself is unable to describe his fiction. [23] In fact, Reynolds wrote that the setting for his books remains firmly grounded in the western environs of Texas even though he has set scenes in New York, Los Angelas, Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, Mexico, and an unnamed Latin American country. Although Reynolds has written about the American west and reviewed historical novels, his fiction is set in a variety of time periods: 1870s, 1880s, 1960s, 1970s, 1990s and even a 21st century urban environment (Vox Populi, Ars Poetica).

When talking about his historical novel Franklin's Crossing, Reynolds wrote: "The story of the American West is our only real history, and often it's not a pretty one. Nevertheless, it's one that needs to be remembered accurately and truly, and I hope that through my fiction, I can help readers understand much of what it was like to be alive in a time that was more bewildering than satisfying, more conscious of its destiny than of its arrival."[1] One critic wrote that one distinguishing feature of Reynolds' fiction "is found in the recurrent pattern of tongue-tied and not very bright good old Texas boys courting the mystery of beauty they cannot understand nor resist."[4]

Thoughts on Writing, Teaching and Publishing

Throughout his career, Reynolds has taught creative writing. He has written numerous essays and given several public lectures about the subject of writing and publishing.[24] [25] [1] In his later years of teaching, Reynolds published two essays on the subject: "Role of the Writer in Academy" [26] and "Does the Workshop Work?"[5]

Family life, Retirement and Recent Activities

After retiring, [27], Reynolds lives in Lowry Crossing, Texas with his wife Judy.

In 2016 Reynolds published an essay, Reaching the Summit: A Confession and a Valediction about his views about retirement. [28] The essay concludes with imagery of climbing a mountain and waiting for some new peak to magically appear.

Works

Publishing information listed for each book refers to the printed edition. Between 2012-6 the ebook publisher Baen Books re-released most of Reynolds' fiction titles as ebooks. Many of the ebook releases contain new introductions by the author which are readable as book samples on the Baen Book pages for the books.[23] Many uncollected stories and essays which were previously published in literary and academic journals are available on the author's personal website.[29]

Contributor or Editor (Books)

  • Taking Stock: A Larry McMurtry Casebook. Dallas: SMU Press, 1989. (Edited and contributed 3 essays) Online version is available at Archive.org.[30]
  • The Plays of Jack London. Forest Hills, NY: Ironweed Press, 2000. (Wrote introduction). Online version is available at Archive.org[31]
  • Hero of a Hundred Fights: Collected Stories from the Dime Novel King, from Buffalo Bill to Wild Bill Hickok by Ned Buntline. NY, New York: Union Square Press, 2011. (Edited and introduced by R. Clay Reynolds).

Awards

  • 2018: Texas Institute of Letters Bud Shrake Award for Best Short Nonfiction [32]
  • 2012 - Spur Award for Best Short Fiction for “The Deacon’s Horse” by Clay Reynolds (shared award with Rod Miller)
  • 2005: American Studies Association of Texas’ “Best Paper Award.” (for “Which Way Did They Go: What Happened to the Western: Backtrailing for Affirmation,” 2005). [1]
  • 2002: Texas Review Press: George Garrett Fiction Prize for Best Novel (for the novel Ars Poetica: A Postmodern Parable).[11]
  • 2001: Violet Crown Fiction Award for Best Novel (for Monuments) [1]
  • 1998: Council on National Literatures Fiction Award [1]
  • 1997: Texas Council for the Arts/Austin Writers’ League Literature Grant [1]
  • 1997: PEN Texas Awards for Essay and Fiction [1]
  • 1994: Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts [1]
  • 1993: ALE Award for Short Fiction (for the story, "Fist Fight," published in Texas Short Fiction: A World in Itself). [1]

A full list of nominations and awards can be found on the University of Texas Dallas faculty page[33] and the author's personal website[34]. In 2001 Sam Houston State University English department started awarding an annual Clay Reynolds Novella Prize in honor of Mr. Reynolds' contribution to fiction.[35]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Clay Reynolds". Gale in Context: Biography. Gale Literature: Contemporary Authors. 2007.
  2. ^ "Dallas author and teacher Clay Reynolds tells it like it is in Texas literary life". Lone Star Literary Life. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  3. ^ Reynolds, Clay (1989). Taking Stock: A Larry McMurtry Casebook. Dallas: Southern Methodist University Press. pp. xiii. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  4. ^ a b Rothfork, John. "The Missing Beauty in Clay Reynolds' Agatite Trilogy". Academic Home Page of John Rothfork. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  5. ^ a b Reynolds, Clay. "Does the Workshop Work? (Or How Much Work Could a Workshop Work if a Workshop Workshopped Work?)" (PDF). Clay Reynolds home page. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  6. ^ a b "BFRH 2021 04 23 Clay Reynolds on his Western Novels". Baen Free Radio Hour podcast. Baen Books. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  7. ^ Krist, Gary (16 Feb 1986). "IN SHORT: FICTION". New York Times. No. Section 7 Page 16. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  8. ^ Rothfork, John (2005). "Beauty & History in Clay Reynolds' Franklin's Crossing". Southwestern American Literature. 30:2 (Spring): 29–44. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  9. ^ Reynolds, Clay (1993). Franklin's Crossing. Dutton. ISBN 0525933654.
  10. ^ Geeslin, Campbell. "The Old West at its Brutal, Bloody Worst". Home Page for Critic John Rothfork. (originally in the defunct Houston Post, but quoted in the John Rothfork essay). Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  11. ^ a b "The George Garrett Fiction Prize". Texasreviewpress.org. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  12. ^ Reynolds, Clay (2003). Arts Poetica: A Postmodern Parable. Huntsville, Texas: Texas Review Press. p. Back Book Jacket.
  13. ^ Wilkinson, Jeanne (September 1, 2003). "BOOK REVIEW: Ars Poetica:". Booklist: 61.
  14. ^ Reynolds, Clay (2007). Sandhill County Lines (Stories). Lubbock, TX: Texas Tech University Press. p. xx. ISBN 978-0896726154.
  15. ^ "Sandhill County Line: Stories". Publishers' Weekly. 1 October 2007. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  16. ^ Marquiss, Twister (April 1, 2008). "Shifting Sands: Book Review of "Sandhill County Lines"". Texas Books in Review: 28–29.
  17. ^ Reynolds, Clay. "The Sandhill Chronicles: An Author's Apology". Baen Books Book Samples. Baen Books. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  18. ^ "Tentmaker (A Book Review)". Publishers Weekly Website. 4 November 2002.
  19. ^ Scheick, William (Feb 2, 2003). "Skewering's Part of the Fun of 'Tentmaker' (Book Review)". Dallas Morning News. Dallas Morning News.
  20. ^ Reynolds, Clay (2013). Author's Preface to Vox Populi: Novel of the Common Man. Baen Books.
  21. ^ Lancaster, Michelle Newby. "Review - Vox Populi: A Novel of Everyday Life". Texasbooklover.com. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  22. ^ Conde, Jason (October 1, 2013). "Novel as Seen by Its Maker: Vox Populi Book Review". Texas Books in Review: 18–21.
  23. ^ a b Reynolds, Clay. "Introduction to the Clay Reynolds Baen Ebook Editions". Baen Books Book Samples. Baen Books. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  24. ^ Reynolds, Clay. "Brave New World: State of Publishing in the 21st Century" (PDF). Clay Reynolds home page.
  25. ^ Reynolds, Clay (1990). "Wanted! Someone to Make Me A Writer!" (PDF). Clay Reynolds home page. Poet & Writers. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  26. ^ Reynolds, Clay (1998). "Role of the Writer in the Academy" (PDF). Journal of General Education. 47 (1): 18–30. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  27. ^ "About Clay Reynolds (Author Page)". Amazon.com. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  28. ^ Reynolds, Clay (2016). "Reaching the Summit: A Confession and a Valediction" (PDF). Texas Review (Fall/Winter 2016): 139–149.
  29. ^ "Clay Reynolds Home Page". Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  30. ^ Reynolds, Clay. "Taking stock : a Larry McMurtry casebook". Archive.org. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  31. ^ London, Jack. "Plays of Jack London". Ironweed Press. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  32. ^ a b "Listing of TIL literary winners" (PDF). Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  33. ^ "BIOGRAPHY: Clay Reynolds". University of Texas at Dallas Faulty Pages. University of Texas at Dallas.
  34. ^ "Honors and Grants". Clay Reynolds author website. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  35. ^ "The Clay Reynolds Novella Prize". Texasreviewpress.org. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  36. ^ "Polycamp Kusch Lecture Series". University of Texas Dallas. University of Texas. Retrieved 2 November 2021.


Category:1949 births Category:Living people Category:Novelists from Texas Category:20th-century American novelists Category:21st-century American novelists Category:American male novelists

References

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