{"id":15819,"date":"2020-12-15T14:55:43","date_gmt":"2020-12-15T14:55:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/odysseyworkshop.org\/newsite\/wordpress\/?page_id=15819"},"modified":"2026-05-29T00:36:52","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T00:36:52","slug":"class-of-1996","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.odysseyworkshop.org\/class-pages\/class-of-1996\/","title":{"rendered":"CLASS OF 1996"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner css=”.vc_custom_1551238839456{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_column_inner][vc_custom_heading text=”Odyssey Class of 1996″ font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Actor%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Odyssey grads are just naturally smarter and better-looking than non-graduates…<\/strong><\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”15862″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Top Row:<\/strong> Susan (“Bear”) Winston, Dana (“The Whirlwind”) Vander Els, Barnaby (“I believe H. G. Wells wrote a story like that in 1918”) Rapoport, Sherry (“living in another world”) Lind, Lynda (“I’m doing it for research”) Rucker, Carl (“Socks<\/i> with sandals?<\/i>—It’s a Hawaii thing”) Tamura, Patricia (“phoenix”) Jackson, Judi (“is wise”) Hardin, JoAnn (“Don’t live in the woods by yourself and write horror if you scare easily”) Forgit<\/p>\n

Middle Row:<\/strong> Piper (“It’s my real name!”) Perry, Lee C. (“It’s like boot camp”) Smith, Derek (“Rare Bits”) Hill, Mark (“My kung fu is best!”) Stafford, Jerry (“Belt the Spleen”) White, Aly (“Epics-r-us”) Parsons<\/p>\n

Bottom Row:<\/strong> Jeanne (“There’s an iguana on my head!”) Cavelos, David J. (“Dances on Chairs”) Schwartz<\/p>\n

Still Asleep: <\/strong>J. S. (“No, my<\/i> kung fu is best!”) McDonough<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]OK, smarter<\/em>… well, they hadn’t graduated yet, as of this photograph!<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row gap=”5″ equal_height=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1599510526550{padding-top: 5px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1551289727346{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”11658″ alignment=”center” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”David J. Schwartz” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]The hardest thing about starting as a writer is working in a vacuum. At Odyssey I was able to get feedback from people who could relate to what I was writing. By listening to their critiques and through insights gained by critiquing the works of others, I learned what I was doing right, what I was doing wrong, and what I wasn’t doing at all.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1551290044842{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”15918″ alignment=”center” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Lee C. Smith” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

If you want to cut five years from the learning process, TAKE THIS COURSE.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row gap=”5″ equal_height=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1599510541683{padding-top: 5px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1551289727346{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”Piper Perry” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

If you want to become a better genre writer, the Odyssey workshop will give you insight into how to become that writer. The atmosphere is warm and supportive, and Jeanne Cavelos’s ideas and comments invaluable.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1551290044842{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”Mark Stafford” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

An opportunity to meet exciting authors and up-and-coming new writers in a stimulating environment.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row gap=”5″ equal_height=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1599510541683{padding-top: 5px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1551289727346{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”J. S. McDonough” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Odyssey was a great experience. I can’t think of a better way to spend my summer vacation. Nobody can challenge Odyssey’s Kung Fu.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1551290044842{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”Dana Vander Els” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

I got a clear picture of my weaknesses as a writer, rather than a picture of my writing as weak.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row gap=”5″ equal_height=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1599510541683{padding-top: 5px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1551289727346{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”Jerry White” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]I learned that professional writers are real people, and I’m a real person, so this could all, possibly pan out. I’ve never had my strengths and weaknesses made so evident to me, and that was exactly what I needed. I have achieved the state of being guided.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1551290044842{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”Judi Hardin” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

I’m really glad I came. Jeanne’s professional background, sense of humor, and enthusiasm make her the perfect teacher, and the esprit that developed among group members was magical. An extremely valuable experience for any writer in the genre.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row gap=”5″ equal_height=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1599510541683{padding-top: 5px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1551289727346{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”Lynda Rucker” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Attending Odyssey is the most valuable thing I’ve done for my writing. It would have taken me a long, long time to pick up by trial and error what I learned in six weeks here. I never thought of myself as a ‘workshop type.’ Now I think it’s an invaluable experience for beginning writers.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1551290044842{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”Derek Hill” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

I can’t imagine any serious writer of the fantastic not going through something like this. Boot camp for writers. Odyssey: there will be time for procrastination later.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row gap=”5″ equal_height=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1599510526550{padding-top: 5px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1551289727346{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”JoAnn Forgit” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

The workshop provided inspiration tempered by hard work and criticism. It helped me to detect weaknesses in my own writing and gave me some ideas about improvements. Don’t expect to get any sleep. But you’ll be better for it.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1551290044842{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”Carl Tamura” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Odyssey helped me to improve my writing in ways I previously could not fathom. The atmosphere was perfect: due to Jeanne’s rules and methods, my classmates’ comments were critical but not condescending. Odyssey showed<\/em> me how to write.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row gap=”5″ equal_height=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1599510541683{padding-top: 5px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1551289727346{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”Sherry Lind” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Any serious writer of fantasy, science fiction, or horror shouldn’t miss Odyssey. Whether you write short stories or novels, this workshop will help you to hone your writing skills and put you that much closer to publication. I highly recommend it.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1551290044842{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”Barnaby Rapoport” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

I wish I could reconvene Odyssey for everything I write.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_media_grid grid_id=”vc_gid:1755884443265-22e42754-77ff-9″ include=”15903,15904,15905,15906,15907,15908,15909,15910,15911,15912,15913,15914,15915,15916,15917,15918,15919,15920,15921,15922″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner css=”.vc_custom_1551238839456{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_column_inner][vc_custom_heading text=”Odyssey Class of 1996″ font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Actor%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_column_text] Odyssey grads are just naturally smarter and better-looking than non-graduates… [\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”15862″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text] Top Row: Susan (“Bear”) Winston, Dana (“The Whirlwind”) Vander Els, Barnaby (“I believe H. G. Wells wrote a story like that in 1918”) Rapoport, Sherry (“living […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":12661,"menu_order":11,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-15819","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t