Staff – Elektraphrog

Find Your Voice

March 29, 2020March 25, 2020Jerod Buchler

Once when I was in high school, I was in my ENC: 1102 class after coming off an almost failed previous semester that I was looking for, the god send if you will he told me one day during one of our writing assignments that he knew I could write but all of the assignments that he had seen from me felt so empty. If I’m being honest my writing was empty and flat and that was because I was so concerned about my writing being grammatically correct rather than having my writing mean something.

that the biggest thing that I want to convey in this editorial is that the weight of what you’re saying is what people want to feel. People who read are not going to feel the weight of how you used you’re instead of you are, they are going to feel the weight of the conviction of what you are writing and the fact that you care about you’re writing. I feel that a lot of the writing that is going to come through a slush pile is going to be so sterile feeling and too clean. In my opinion I want to read something that is real and means something to the person who created that, and I can feel that real feeling as I read it.

When you were a kid in grade school there was always a point no matter how much you loved writing that you would hate having to learn the writing skills you just wanted to write and put your thoughts on paper. When I was in high school I wrote about a few things that were very important to me at the time, things that were so hard to talk about that I had to write them down like family issues and also issues in my community. These issues were so important to me that you could see that they hurt me so much there was such a rawness in my writing that actually showed people that I had something important to say that is why I want to write and you should too.

So, I will leave you with this have you ever decided to read a grammatical handbook for pleasure? You will read the handbook for the skills not for you to feel something. You need to get back to the basics of writing and write about what is important not what you feel is going to catch the eyes.

A Poetic Problem

October 22, 2018djohn151

By: Danielle Johnson

“Cinderella dressed in yellow,

went upstairs to kiss her fellow,

by mistake she kissed a snake,

how many doctors did it take?”

Chances are you have heard this childhood rhyme on the playground, and although it was catchy back then, it is not exactly what you are looking for when you read poetry. Rhyming is not a must when writing poetry and many people often obsess over trying to make their poetry rhyme that the rhymes can often feel forced. In addition rhyming can also take away from the point of the work, when done incorrectly. In this article we will discuss the different types of rhyming and how to effectively use them in your poetry.

There are three main types of rhyming that we will be touching on in this article : slant rhymes, true rhymes, and eye rhymes.

Pure rhymes are the most common types of rhymes that everybody wants to use in poetry, they often tend to be the type of rhymes that feel the most forced. Examples of pure rhymes are know, low, glow, row, etc. These types of rhymes when overused or forced often take away from the poetry. Generally speaking this is the type of rhyming can be very distracting to the main point of the poem, and should be avoided unless you are confident that it will not distract the reader from the point of your work. An example of a pure rhyme is:

I am an ember,

watch me glow,

though you may not remember,

watch as my flame will grow.

Eye rhymes are words that look like they should rhyme but do not actually rhyme. Examples are through and thorough. This type of rhyming is best to use for visual pieces, or poetry not meant to be read aloud.

We are through,

but I just want to be thorough.

I have fallen out of love with you,

this I know to be absolute.

This rhyme looks very aesthetically pleasing and is a very clever and well thought out way to use rhymes that will not feel forced or be distracting to the reader.

Lastly, we come to slant rhymes. These are rhymes that almost rhyme but don’t quite rhyme. Like serenade and greed, or serenade and serendipity. They are the most clever types of rhymes and they definitely will not cause hangups with the reader. An example of this in poetry is:

A serenade on a quiet night,

watch them with a serene but keen interest.

Never forget my intent,

Darling you have to invest in me now.

Overall, it is generally best to avoid using true rhymes in poetry unless there are special circumstances in which the poem would not be the same without these rhymes. Hopefully this quick overview of rhyming has helped to show the different ways you can rhyme in poetry while also avoiding your work sounding like a nursery rhyme. With this information authors can try different ways of writing poetry that will not seem overdone, forced, or confusing to the reader.

Staff Page

April 25, 2016PoetryPhrog

Shauna Longshore

My name is Shauna, and I’m a sophomore here at SCF. I’ve lived in Florida for almost ten years now, and I graduated from Lemon Bay in 2014. I love traveling, although it’s difficult to do on a student’s budget. I’m also a reading fanatic, I love anything revolving around literature, writing, or editing and because of this I hope to one day work in the publishing or journalism fields. This is my second semester working on ElektraPhrog and it’s been amazing!

Taylor Hill

My name is Taylor, a born and raised Floridian, who is in her sophomore year here at SCF. I graduated from Venice High School, where I dabbled in as many things as I could, as of right now the majority of my time is spent between school and two jobs I love, one of which is Coaching Gymnastics to children. This will be last semester at SCF, after which I plan to go to a college in Florida and major in English to go into publishing and editing.

Zakari Moore

My name is Zakari Moore. Having been born and partially raised in Western Australia I have dual citizenship with both the United States and Australia. I spent most of my childhood being home-schooled and traveling both countries. After turning eighteen I enlisted in the United States Army and served three years before being medically discharged. After six months of physical therapy, I started working for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections as a Corrections Officer in a medium-security prison. Realizing I wasn’t happy there I sold everything I had and moved to Florida. I’ve been living here for a year and a half. I’m majoring in English and have no goal in life but to be happy. Life has been generous to me in allowing me to travel to many countries and experience dozens of cultures. Upon finishing my degree at SCF I’ll be moving back to Australia for a year or two before moving on to other countries.

Elizabeth Capell

Having grown up playing on the beaches of Siesta Key, and longtime duel resident of Sarasota; Elizabeth is returning to Sarasota to pursue both her academic and profession careers in Journalism. As a youth she traveled the world with her parents. Finally settling in Papua New Guinea, a deeply involved and politically charged environment, Elizabeth fell in love with journalism and communication when she was only a teenager. Inspired by her work study course at a local news station she quickly developed a passion for the ideals that Journalism represented to her. This determination has remained with her, as she pursues her professional career. Among some of her accomplishments, Elizabeth is a loving wife and mother to four beautiful children. She is a member of the Professional Journalism Society. She is a published reporter, and has even been asked to speak before the World Health Organization in the spring of 2016. She has spent the last few years working in children’s media relations with a concentration on international marketing and brand identity as it pertains to social media. She is currently working for Lost City Publishing.

Ernest Dorman

Hello, it’s me! (adele pun) I’m Ernest Dorman. I was born in Jamaica and moved to Port Charlotte when I was eleven years old. I’ve been living here for years now, and I graduated from Port Charlotte High School. I am lover of great conversations and Green Tea, and travel, I want to see the world one day and experience other cultures and also see all the beauty that is out there. Music is my passion, I wish to be a professional singer one day. Another passion of mine is fashion, if I do not become a professional singer, I would like work with fashion Magazine or Brand. I am currently a junior here at State College of Florida, after SCF I would like to go on to a university and major in Communications with a concentration in Public Relation and maybe minor in music.

Staff Page

December 7, 2015PoetryPhrog

Carley Baker

My name is Carley and I am 19 years old. I graduated from high school in Massachusetts in 2014 and moved back here after that. I like watching movies, reading,writing, and listening to music. I’m going to major in English but I don’t think I know what exactly I’m going to with that yet. I want to be able to do a lot of different things so I don’t get bored. I know that I’m not any good at science or math, though. In high school I had to build a catapult for a physics project and I duct taped a ladle to shoe box and it didn’t go well. I also like animals and the rain and I know how to juggle.

Danielle Dean

My name is Danielle, and this is my second time taking this sort of class with Professor Masucci (College Magazine and Production II). I’m twenty-one years old, was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, and moved down to Florida with my family roughly two years ago. As an English major, I’m a bit of a fanatic for reading and writing, and aim to one day be able to publish my own books. Professionally, I’d like to work n the publishing industry, whether as a reader or an editor. So really, this class is perfect for me!

Taylor Hill

My name is Taylor, a born and raised Floridian who graduated in 2014 from Venice High School. I spend a lot of my time working as either a gymnastic coach or a sales associate at Pacsun, and going to school finishing up my A.A. When I have time though, you can find me hunched over my computer or in front of my TV crying over my favorite shows and movies, reading, writing, and the if I’m feeling adventurous, outside exploring and adventuring. At this point I am still trying to figure out what I really want to do with my future, right now I’m on a route to majoring in English and maybe a job in editing or publishing in the future, who knows, I could want to be a champion mountain climber tomorrow. At this point I’m just trying to take one day at a time and live a full life.

Kimberly Liechty

My name is Kimberly, I was born and raised in south Florida and I graduated from Sarasota High School in 2015. I enjoy spending time with my family, hiking, gardening, and going to museums. I love to read and write in my free time which, one might guess, makes me more inclined to English and history rather than science and math. I love movies and television shows as much as a good book. I look forward to one day knowing what I want to do with my life. However, at this point, I have absolutely no idea. I have a genuine interest in the history of mankind and I hope to travel the world and learn about as many different cultures as I can.

Shauna Longshore

My name is Shauna, I’m 20 years old. I’m from Philadelphia but I moved to this area nine years ago and graduated from Lemon Bay High School in 2014. I’ve always been very interested in journalism and all the areas surrounding it. I’m an avid reader, sometimes I’ll spend a few hours just reading an entire book because putting them down is so difficult for me. I love traveling, I went to London once a few years ago and since then have been saving to return one day. For me being able to travel and learn about all the different history and art in the world outside of a classroom is incredible. Aside from my interests, I’m also a cake decorator in a bakery! I’ll be finished with my A.A. this spring, after that I’ll most likely be moving to Orlando to finish my bachelor’s degree.

Michael Loos

I was born in Florida; I’ve said for a long time that I disliked, and even hated Florida, but that was because I was I wasn’t looking in the right places for something to love, and have lived in Venice for just about all of my life. I now find that it would be hard to live in a state that didn’t have palm trees, I adore them and the beach.

Some things I find pleasant are bike-riding, hiking (just signed up for an Environmental Ethics class,) reading/writing, and browsing the internet -_-. I also love museums, but there aren’t too many around Venice, I love looking at art and I really love the classical era; Greece, Rome. Also, the Renaissance. I also love cultures and don’t know what I want to do with my life either.

John Peele

My name is John Bradley Peele and I’m a sophomore at State College of Florida who is pursuing a degree in creative writing. I’m also interested in arts, journalism, and entrepreneurship. I’m 28 years old and I was born and raised in Bradenton, Florida. I put off college for a while, instead working in restaurants and playing in bands, but now I’m seeking my degree in order to become a professional writer and to establish skills that will allow me to do something positive in the world. I hope to eventually start my own organizations that relate to creative arts, publishing, and social awareness, once I have the experience.

Darsie Strother

My name is Darsie and I am 18 years old. I was born and raised in Sarasota and graduated from Riverview High School in 2015. I am currently an Assistant Manager at Chick-fil-a Westfield Sarasota Square Mall. I love hanging out with friends and family and I enjoy staying active. I love going to the beach, boating, rollerblading, and water skiing. Lately, I’ve been wanting to try new activities such as kiteboarding and windsurfing. In the future I plan on obtaining a masters degree and becoming a Speech-language Pathologist but for now, I’m just having a good time.

Fall 2014 Staff

December 1, 2014December 3, 2014EditorPhrog

Anthony Vittorio
Anthony Vittorio is a sophomore student and has attended SCF for two years. After achieving his A.A in the fall he will transfer to FSU to pursue a Bachelors degree in creative writing and a Masters in Editing, Writing, and Media.

Megan Finsel
I am a Special Education major, but writing is my first love. I have been writing and telling stories for as long as I can remember. To me, there is no better outlet for emotion than the written word. I’ve done proofreading and editing, performed spoken-word poetry, competed in Slams, and I am currently President of The Swamp Scribes; the creative writing club of SCF Venice campus. If you want to get to know me more, the best way is to read my work because I put my heart into everything I write. =)

Scarlet Flower Pickering
Scarlet Flower Pickering is a reserved animal lover that enjoys writing fiction. She has six pets, six potted plants, and a younger brother that she cares about and loves greatly. She enjoys singing, music, playing gore-less adventure video games, and reading romance stories.

Tim Nail
I am a photographer, and I enjoy exploring fellow photographer’s works. I decided to take Magazine Production to see what it is like on the other side of the submission guidelines.

Daniel Flood
Hi I’m Daniel,
I decided to take Magazine Production II because,well I took the first one and went great. I wanted to understand the idea of writing poetry and short stories, and being able to be a part of a online Literacy Magazine is awesome. Also I forced my girlfriend into the second one =P, the benefits are amazing. As for me I don’t write much. I would like to start up again one day with the added a billion other things I want to do. But I read a lot of books and love criminal justice, Police, Military movies, Science Fiction and more. I’m a guy which means l love guns, cars, women, especially my girlfriend one day I’ll be a Police Officer or Video game designer. Music is a Passion as well from Orchestra, Rock. Another passion of mine is gaming, I have a Xbox 360 a ps3 and i have my computer back =D. On a good note my girlfriend wants me to get into Taekwondo, but classes are expensive so we wrestle privately which is a bonus =P, hopefully I don’t make her mad and we start sparing in the kitchen or something like in the movies Like Mr. and Mrs. Smith =P. My Favorite color is blue, and my dream car is a 1969 Ford Mustang Fastback, like from the movie Gone In 60 Seconds, the gray and Black Stripe Eleanor

Well that’s it. That is what you ought to know about me

from my last staff bio it states ( I love…. [ Asian boys ] ) this is a typo. but this made me laugh

Now please leave

Michelle Valkov

Hi, I’m Michelle. Nice to meet you, the sky is blue and the grass is green. Today’s a good day. Writing has been my passion most of my life and well, there’s not much to say about me other than that I love sweet things, everything from sweet people to sweet desserts. Come on, who doesn’t like cupcakes? Anyways, I’ve finished two semesters and plan to finish my General A.A and transfer to a univeristy. I’m not sure where yet, but hopefully a place I can pursue my Bachelor’s in Creative writing and possible become an editor or author of an amazing book one day. Alright, stop wasting your precious life and go discover! 🙂

Staff Page

April 21, 2014November 24, 2014EditorPhrog

Megan Finsel:

Words have a great power to me. They can evoke emotions, thoughts, and ideas. They can start and end wars, and they can paint pictures. When I learned I could use words to express myself, I realized I had found my passion. Writing is my way to communicate the complex emotions and thoughts that we all tuck away in the recesses of our hearts. And if I can make at least one person smile through my writing, then I know I have done my job 🙂

Brandie Hyde:

Words that could easily be used to describe the way past two years have gone and the trend that seems to be continuing are: complicated, challenging, colorful… those are the most polite ways I can think of to put it. But as the saying goes “life goes on”. The only words of wisdom I have to offer are these: NO relationship is worth putting your education “on hold”. PLEASE finish what you start! Live your lives as though they were one big adventure, and as often as possible, without regret.

Daniel Flood:

Hi I’m Daniel,
I decided to take Magazine Production because I wanted to see how people write, how they feel when they write. I wanted to understand the idea of writing poetry and short stories, and being able to be a part of a Literacy Magazine online is awesome. Also my girlfriend dragged me into the class lol, but it has its perks. As for me I don’t write much. I would like to start up again one day with the added a billion other things I want to do. But I read a lot of books and love criminal justice, Police, Military movies. I’m a guy which means l love guns, Asian boys, cars, women, especially my girlfriend 😉 in my heart I love protecting people, and one day I’ll be a Police Officer. This means i will be doing three things, Serving the People, Keeping the peace and upholding the law. Granted the law is not perfect but I want to be that police officer that you see in movies where everybody loves and willing to help and serve people. Music is a Passion as well from Orchestra, Rock, and Country. Another passion of mine is gaming, I have a Xbox 360 a ps3 and well I temporary computer that I play games on. On a good note my girlfriend wants me to get into Taekwondo, which I can’t tell is a bonus or not, hopefully I don’t make her mad and we start sparing the kitchen or something like in the movies lol Like Mr. and Mrs. Smith =P. My Favorite color is blue, and my dream car is a 1969 Ford Mustang Fastback, like from the movie Gone In 60 Seconds, the gray and Black Stripe Eleanor

Well that’s it. That is what you ought to know about me

Now please leave

Moriah Luiz:

Hi Everyone , I’m Moriah
I am a hard working dedicated student who loves writing. I think that writing is the best way for a person to express themselves and I find that it is also very therapeutic as well. In addition to being a part of Elektraphrog I am also an Active member of swamp Scribes the schools creative writing club. I will become a teacher after the end of my academic career.

Patricia McGraw:

Aries, INTJ, O positive; if any of that means anything to describe myself. Female, 20, likes long walks on the beach.. Will be graduating and attending USF for Elementary Education. Holla at yur gurl!

Taylor Simensky:

I am a full time student at SCF, grew up in North Port. After attending SCF, I plan to attend USF to get degrees in English and Music Performance and become a teacher. I enjoy writing fiction as well as poetry. Holla at yo boi

Staff — Fall 2013

December 4, 2013November 24, 2014masuccm

Editorial Council

Kaitlyn Beck

Chloe Churchill

Chloe E. Churchill is a student at the State College of Florida in Venice since 2012. She is currently working towards her associates degree, and hope to graduate from the University of Central Florida with a bachelor’s in British Literature. She writes fantasy and historical fiction short stories, and strives to one day publish novels in those genres. She is particularly interested in culture studies and their effect on literature. She has a role in the campus’ creative writing club, Swamp Scribes, as well as co-heading an independent writer’s workshop. She worked as an editor of the Elektraphrog magazine and helped organize submissions. She is originally from Surrey,UK.

Marla Cooper

Marla is 20 year old hard worker just trying to get by until life can really begin. She hopes to study journalism at USF and loves to sing, play guitar, and relax with her loved ones.

Timothy Kujawa
Tim does the rejections. So blame him.

Austin Saupe
Does not write bios. But he has a cool name. It’s pronounced “soap.”

Rachel Surette

Rachel Surette is a dual enrolled student at SCF and Riverview High School. She plans on attending FSU or UF in the future. She still doesn’t know what she wants to make her occupation, but it will probably fall somewhere in between communications, journalism, or music. Her passions including reading, singing, playing the guitar and piano, being with her family and friends, and sleeping.

Staff — Fall 2011

December 4, 2013November 24, 2014masuccm

Kelsey Howard, Editor In Chief
Kelsey Howard is a sophomore at State College of Florida and is planning to transfer to the University of South Florida in Tampa in Fall of 2012. Her major is Mass Communications with a focus on Magazine Production. She desires to one day become the Editor in Chief of a large magazine and prefers to one day work for Cosmo in New York City, NY.

“Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you believe that you too can become great.” -Mark Twain

Justin Oberg, Editor in Chief
Justin Oberg is attending his second year at SCF and will be attending USF in Tampa in the Fall of 2012. He plans to become either a creative writing teacher holding a PHD, or a lawyer. (Opposite ends of the payscale, right?) He has no major goals as of this time and just plans to go in the direction of the universal pull, although, as previously mentioned, his major will likely be in something involving writing and the English language with a minor in Philosophy. A self-described “renaissance man,” “pacifist,” “poet,” and “extrovert,” Justin can usually be found somewhere on campus laughing about something. If you see him, don’t be afraid to walk up and say “Hello!”

“A poet looks at the world the way a man looks at a woman.” ~Wallace Stevens, Opus Posthumous, 1957

Nicole Backus, Managing Editor
Nicole Backus is a sophomore at State College of Florida and is transferring to the University of North Florida in the Spring of 2012. She is planning on majoring in the Communications field, either in Advertising or Public Relations, and minoring in Journalism. She hopes to one day be successful in the business world, whether it be in PR for a large company or working with a popular magazine.

Mary Bastek

Sandra Widmann, Submission Chief of Art and Digital Media

Chris Murray, Submission Chief of Short Fiction and Non-Fiction

Marie Neston, Submission Chief of Poetry
Marie A. Neston is 21 years old and was born in Haiti. She moved to the U.S. at the age of 15 and learned to speak Spanish and English. She currently speaks 4 languages fluently: French, Creole, Spanish, and English. Marie loves anything that has to do with art, especially poetry, drawing, and painting. She plans on getting her psychology degree to become an Art Therapist. She loves helping people and would be very proud to be a role model for kids in her community.

Sabrina Rivera, Web Guru

Staff — Fall 2012

December 4, 2013November 24, 2014masuccm

Rachel Esteves – Editor in Chief

Rachel Esteves is currently a sophomore at the State College of
Florida. She plans on transferring to the University of South Florida to pursue
a degree in Mass Communications. She has a passion for writing and hopes to
inspire people through the written word. She
aspires to become a successful professional at a top public relations or
publishing firm; though her dream job would be to anchor on the Today Show. She enjoys traveling, outdoor activities such
as kayaking and hiking, and volunteering in her community.

Emily Smith – Editor in Chief

Emily Smith is pursuing her A.A. and plans to transfer to New
College of Florida to study creative writing. Her plans after college are to
write the next great American novel and travel the world.

Emily Yandell – Managing Editor

Emily is a 19 year old who is pursuing her A.A. degree and is
graduating from SCF in December. She plans on attending the University of
Florida in the spring semester to study journalism and communications. She is
currently employed at Books A Million.

Josh Felthoff – Submission Specialist

As a preface to this bio Joshua Felthoff would like to extend a warm
and amicable “Hello”. Josh is currently the submission specialist for Elektraphrog
for the fall semester of 2012. He has a fondness for writing and poetry, and
his own work is quite bodacious. He admires works of literary creativity, which
come in different styles. He has a passive undulating personality that meshes
with most people, and he also enjoys video games. He is currently working on
his A.A. degree and enjoying the experience.

Jackie Anderson – Advertising Specialist

Jackie Anderson plans on graduating with an A.A. degree from SCF
then going on to culinary school to become a pastry chef. She loves cooking and
baking, especially for her friends and family. It is rumored that on special
occasions she will bring in baked goods for her fellow classmates. Her favorite
time of year is autumn/Halloween (evident by her feverous love for everything
pumpkin related). She grew up in Maryland then moved to Florida when she was
ten.

Jenn Eckleman – Secretary

Jenn’s position at Elektraphrog is secretary. Her job includes
taking notes, making astute remarks and generally keeping the weekly meetings
from descending into full blown chaos and anarchy (which is a constant
problem). She is majoring in mathematics (awesome) and hopes to work either in
nuclear mathematics (radioactive decay) or be a math teacher (awesome possum).

Caleb Jordan – The Web Guy

Not much is known about Caleb, all the information that is known about him has been
compiled mainly from speculation. We do know he is currently pursuing his A.A. and plans on
graduating this fall. Word is he may transfer to the Universtiy of South Florida
to study English. His loquacious manner of speech and equanimity in tutoring
students in English has won him praise from various outlets of students and
teachers alike. He enjoys listening to a wide array of music such as Afrobeat,
Plunderphonics, Synth-Komisch and Post-Minamalism. He also takes pleasure in
walking by the faculty building and making faces at the teachers in their
offices.

Spring Staff 2013

April 23, 2013November 24, 2014EditorPhrog

Editorial Council

Ashley T. Pitcher – I am the secretary of Elektraphrog. This a very time consuming and difficult position on the online magazine. You could say that the most important role on the magazine. I am a beautiful twenty year old smart red head with a shopping addiction and or habit.Once I am finished at SCF I plain to attend the University of Central Florida and will get my bachelors in Event Management at UCF’s sister campus of Rosen.

Kaitlyn Beck -Is a sophomore at SCF and majoring in English Education. Kaitlyn hopes to be a teacher specializing in English as a second language in other countries. When Kaitlyn was a small child she was abducted by fairies and Dean Winchester saved her there probes. At the end of Kaitlyn’s freshmen year in high school she was bitten by a shark during shark week and still has all of her appendages.

Josh Felthoff– Is the leprechaun of SCF . Josh’s major accomplishment at SCF is running student government and participating in all of the clubs on campus and going the extra mile to help his fellow students. Josh works in the library helping students with their papers and finding course material. Josh is a real stand up guy. And guards his lucky charms because they are magically delicious.

Tim Kujawa– Tim is just a city boy, born and raised in and grew up..ish in the small town of Kincaid Illinois.
He took the midnight train goin’ anywhere. At 11 he moved to Florida where he attended L.A Ainger Middle School, and Lemon Bay High School. He now attends SCF and is pursuing a degree in film.Tim is also Quinton Tarantino’s biggest fan boy . Tim is always a fanatic all of the Marvel comic books especially Iron Man comics and movies….more or less he is in love with Robert Downey Jr..

Jackie Anderson – When she is not busy with school and doing homework Jackie likes to slay dragons, go on epic adventures, bake, cook, and hang out with friends. Halloween and shark week are her favorite times of the year. Also she is trying this new concept of getting tan. She is getting her A.A degree at SCF and hopes to transfer to Keiser University in the fall to purse her love of cooking and baking.