The Phillip Dolly Affair by Jann M. Contento & Jeffrey Ross

 

I have a great book to share with you today - this blog tour is being run by Goddess Fish Promotions, thanks so much for joining in!

The authors will be giving away a novel-companion e-form [PDF] chapbook of poetry voiced by one of the novel’s characters, Professor Jack Frost, to one randomly drawn commenter. The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2011/12/virtual-book-tour-philip-dolly-affair.html

About the Book:

While community colleges are currently receiving heightened attention, this novel provides a behind-the-scenes analysis of many whispered truths, those simmering but unspoken workplace behaviors, issues, and machinations every worker (everyman!) will recognize. A humorous and biting read with a clever mix of satire, political intrigue, failed romances, and tragic-comedy, this novel will open your eyes to the truth about community colleges …

About the Authors:

Jann M. Contento has a broad range of experiences in higher education including student affairs administration, athletics, and institutional research. He is currently working in a community college setting and has co-authored several articles on leadership and college culture.

Jeffrey Ross is an Op Ed writer, rockabilly musician, and former full-time community college teacher. He has had four "Views" pieces published on InsidehigherEd.com since 2007, has authored and co-authored several op-ed articles on community college identity, purpose, and culture, and has recently had several pieces published on the Cronk News higher education satire website.

For more information about the authors and book, click these links:

FACEBOOK

Phil Dolly - Getting to Know

Jeffery Ross's Blog

TWITTER

Jeffery Ross WEBSITE

Book Excerpt:

Emmie Seemy, EdD, Chair, Communications

Dr. Emmie Seemy seemed likeable enough. At 64, she could have retired several years ago. But the job, Reading Professor AND Chair of Communications, gave her substance and meaning. Her days at CCC were pleasant--her faculty seniority afforded her a bit of eccentricity that was accepted by both her younger colleagues and senior administrators.

Dr. Seemy’s signature motto at the bottom of her emails read

Never Quit! Never Yield! Never Give Up!

She didn’t really trust anyone, though, and kept an eye on all correspondence, meeting minutes, and the activities and behaviors of everyone around her.

Dr. Seemy was quite a character, that’s for sure. She wore [very large] black framed glasses with sequin designs embedded throughout the thick frame and ear pieces. She dyed her hair jet black and kept it in a 60’s era beehive. Dr. Seemy typically wore old-fashioned rhinestone cocktail dresses [even short ones that showed her age-knobby knees].

Her clothes always smelled like smoke and perfume-- that hot, rich, blanketing Las Vegas smoke and Shanelle Number 5 perfume odor permeating gambling houses and strip hotels in the 70’s…..

She drives a Lincoln--an old 83 Lincoln still in terrific shape [except for dog hairs on the back seat].

Dr. Seemy used to have two great big dogs, large, spit-drooling Dobermans she would bring to school with her. They would lounge in her office and were quite the topics of discussion around campus--the dogs were loved and hated, admired and feared. Students generally liked the great beasts, but then, Castor, one of the pooches, bit a student named Gerald Ladmo. The college settled for an undisclosed amount out of court. She had to board the dogs after that, instead of bringing them to CCC.

Dr. Seemy had smoked for decades--and quit only after it came down from the hill that smoking was no longer legal. She had smoked Virginia Slims through a long, black sequined cigarette holder--when grasping the cigarette holder, and leaning forward in her chair, she had the aura of a 30’s or 40’s Hollywood actress--poised, debonair, and strangely distant.