Rating: 5 of 5
Emerging Author Offers New Voice to Women's Writing
Watch out world! A new author of note is emerging. Connie Gotsch uses her experience in the world of broadcasting to color a story about a woman who must learn a new way to fight repression if she is to carve a new world for herself.
Dr. Betsy Craig battles the inherent suppression of an insulated town in Amish country where she also must learn to negotiate the difficult political terrain of a small college. Many women will recognize fragments of their own lives in Betsy's struggle. She is a talented, well-educated woman who should know better but, like many of us, settles for what life hands her in one moment and, in the next, fights desperately against the odds.
Gotsch's A Mouth Full of Shell, is a full of well-delineated characters and so soundly grounded that the reader feels the protagonist's experiences. University life. The radio studio. The exquisite Pennsylvania hill country. A decade gone but one that-in many ways and for many women-still exists.
Readers--particularly women-- who search for books that keep them turning pages and leave them with enough to mull over for many evenings after they close the cover, will find this novel well worth their time. Anyone who thinks that women in today's world can comfortably follow the paths hacked out of the underbrush by others will come to understand that they owe more than that to the struggle.
Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of This is the Place and Harkening
FARMINGTON—"A Mouth Full of Shell," a novel by local writer Connie Gotsch, paints, in vivid detail, the realities of the academic phrase "publish or perish."
Gotsch hosts the local "Roving With the Arts" program at San Juan College's radio station, KSJE, where she also serves as program director.
Drawing upon her academic experience, Gotsch depicts the harsh realities of the hidden side of administrative life on the fictitious campus of Northern Mountain State University, a college set in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. She describes how intensely competitive it is to get even an adjunct teaching position at many colleges, where publication in important journals is essential just to get one's foot in the door. Once hired, professors must produce significant research as well as display teaching excellence.
And trying to get a permanently tenured post at some places is about as difficult as making this month's car note by nailing the Saturday night lotto.
In a way, it's a writer's sequelto the movie "Paper Chase," where graduate students struggle a with massive academic course loads and the even tougher issue of dealing with deans, some of whom have the personalities of trolls.
Gotsch's story is replete with detailed imagery which lends insight into the life of her protagonist, Dr. Betsy Craig. Bright, talented and attractive, Craig loves Beethoven, black-eyed Susans, strong coffee and the joys of interviewing guests on her weekly college radio pro gram, 'Arts Beat." Betsy is in her sixth year as an assistant professor of communications. awaiting her tenure application. She has restarted her career after a nasty firing years ago by a bigoted radio station owner It was a blatant case of sexual discrimination, but her attempts at a lawsuit fizzle.
Despite stellar evaluations fro colleagues and her students, Betsy has smacked into the proverbial glass ceiling. Her department head is withholding his endorsement and she begins to wonder just who she has offended.
Mountain View is a town that’s run by the descendants of the original founding families, who act as if they own the place, and in some cases actually do.
In this medium-sized town. apparently there is no shortage of vindictive boors. One of them, a mean-spirited church lady named Gertie Pfadenrecht, who worships at "a regular holy mackerel tabernacle," accosts Craig on a sidewalk, suggesting she has heard "a thing or two" about her.
Gossips watch Betsy's every move, inventing rumors about her relationship with colleague Todd Baker. College officials openly insult her, luncheon meetings are traps set up to embarrass her, and her radio station manager treats her with all the civility of a rabid jackal.
A vaguely mysterious martinet of an Army colonel drops hints about the source of her woes, but will tell her no more. Meanwhile, a besotted ex-girl-friend of Todd threatens to kill herself if Betsy keeps seeing Todd.
It becomes a regular Peyton Place at dear old NMSU, but suffice it to say that Betsy's true strength of character comes through in a surprising manner, as her persecutors are confronted.
Gotsch deftly captures the academic angst of professors kept dangling on the tenure hook She has a canny knack for detail that paints a keenly focused background to her characters. Her keen eye for detail results in a story that many readers will not be able to put down Gotsch, who has won several national awards with "A Mouth Full of Shell," has captured the essence of scholarly mayhem in the boardroom with wit and style, all in a real page-turner. The book is available at Hastings Entertainment in Farmington on Amazon.com It can also be purchased in E-Book formal from: http://www.disijpress.com.
By Steve Jahling, Off Hours Editor
Betsy Craig began her career in the little Kansas town Spring Water where as a young reporter she quickly learned that small town mentality and the ‘good old boy’ syndrome was alive, well and going to cause her trouble. Betsy’s boss Bob Parker is unreasonable in his firing of Betsy because a local rowdy muttered a swear word into the open mic during an interview. Parker tells Betsy that were she a man the incident would never have taken place. When Betsy seeks legal recourse she finds herself facing a brick wall and decides to leave Kansas for the opportunities she hopes will be greater in Pennsylvania.
Fourteen years pass and Dr Craig, Professor at Mountain View University is up for tenure. Betsy has taught journalism and broadcasting at the school for six years, has begun a growing relationship with the Dean of English, Todd Baker and feels her life is on a positive track. She is aghast when the retention Committee turn down her tenure because her immediate boss Dr Steve Harding has not sent a letter supporting tenure for Betsy.
Betsy is dismayed to learn that Steve’s supervisor Dean Chambers is determined to get rid of her and has put pressure on Steve to withhold his support for her. Betsy suspects that her relationship with Todd may be part of the underlying cause for what has happened. Chambers’ secretary is a woman who would like to continue the relationship she and Todd enjoyed prior to Betsy. As if this were not enough Betsy is soon scrutinized because of attention she receives from ROTC director Mike Kelly.
Mountain View is a borough steeped in its heritage. Many of the citizens have lived in the area for generations and make themselves part of every segment of the Community. The town is controlled by The Founders and Betsy is not welcomed by several of the more puissant of the present day family members. From the outright maneuvering of Anna to machination of supposed friend Steve Harding Betsy learns that she is being forced out. Back in Kansas she chose to leave and find another job. At that time Betsy decided that life is like a hard boiled egg. At times we must just eat a little shell along with the good stuff. Here in Pennsylvania she decides to stay and fight. Betsy is a might wary: her last foray against discrimination was not a success.
Gives the reader a glimpse into the lives of many small communities run by the descendants of the founders where rumor mongering, willful incompetents and downright ugly people hold sway over others. We are led to realize that the fine line between victim and victor may be mighty thin.
Filled with intense imagery and absorbing characters sure to keep the reader turning pages A Mouth Full of Shell is a well wrought work showing some of the problems to be encountered by a determined woman in a male dominated, tight knit world. Writer Gotsch has produced characters who are well developed, often not very likeable and very convincing. Betsy has to be tough, she is a sympathetic character the reader can empathize with as she struggles to take charge of her own life.
A Mouth Full of Shell will grip the reader from the first line and carry along on a worrisome ride to the final paragraph as we grapple with the unfairness often facing Betsy. It is not a book for everyone, those who do not care for a feminist viewpoint, or think that ‘good old boy rule’ is best will not care for the work. Discerning readers who do enjoy a well wrought tale filled with a bit of social message, nicely crafted settings and characters, vibrant dialogue at times hard hitting and gritty and a strong woman who does win in the end will find the book to their taste.
Enjoyed the read Recommended 4 Stars
"A Mouth Full Of Shell" starts out with Betsy Craig's life 14 years earlier in the town of Spring Water, Kansas. Betsy was a young reporter working a story for a sports event, when the unthinkable happens. A hard nosed troublemaker speaks the fearful F word in the microphone for all the world to hear. Betsy's boss, Bob Parker, fires her, deciding that because she was a woman, she was not capable of handling the job, citing that if she were a man, this would have never happened. Betsy tries to take legal action, but finds the odds are against her. She leaves to pursue her career elsewhere.
Mountain View is a town that is bundled in heritage. Its people have been there for generations and make their presence known in all aspects of the Community. From Professors, to Judges and right down the line; the town is controlled by the Founders. Betsy is not seen as a welcome addition to their Community by several of the more powerful family members. One, in particular is Anna, who has a deep dislike for Betsy and who will stop at nothing to see her driven out of town. All good stories need an evil figure, and Anna fits this bill quite nicely. Of course those who Betsy thinks are friends may not be as favorable to her as she hopes. Let's take Dr. Steve Harding and his wife Ellen. Betsy had counted on his vote for her tenure, so why has he reneged? Certainly he could not be in cohorts with Dean Chambers in wanting Betsy gone. Could he? And if so why? And what was he promised in return? Ellen seems nice enough and appears to like Betsy, or does she? Perhaps her future and her comforts are more important than doing what is right concerning Betsy. The plot thickens!
Ms. Gotsch weaves into her story a love life for Betsy, although there is question just whom she will end up with, right to the end of the story. I'm still wondering! Will it be the handsome Todd Baker, who is both a Professor and colleague of hers? Of course, if she should choose to be with him, she will have to deal with the troublesome Susie Kugel, who also has her sites on Todd.
Or perhaps the distinguished ROTC Instructor Mike Kelly... indeed she seems to have caught his fancy. But just who is the secret military man that Betsy turned down that night and what did he teach her about love and life? You'll have to read this novel to find out.
I'll tell you this much, Betsy does not run away from this fight. But is she able to win against an entire town? Or will she have to abandon her dreams and again seek employment elsewhere? A Mouth Full Of Shell is a good read, especially for women.
Reviewed by Shirley Johnson for Denise's Pieces
A Mouth Full of Shell by Connie Gotsch is a pleasurable read. A strong main character, fiercely determined to make a place in what is a male dominated field, carries us through her battles and joys. The pages are filled with scenes rounded with color and emotion. Though the main character, Betsy Craig, is a power to be reckoned with she reveals a soft under belly that touches the human element in us all.
A good book is the book we don't put down. A Mouth Full of Shell was for me such a book. I wish the author well and look forward to her further writings.
Reviewed by Thelma Dill-Daly
3 Stars
Dr. Betsy Craig has taught journalism and broadcasting at Northern Mountain State University for six years. Now it is time for the Retention Committee to give her tenure. Betsy likes Mountain View even though it has some small-mindedness and gossips in it. She has a growing relationship with Todd Baker the Dean of the English Department, and feels confident about where her life is going. When she got the letter from the Committee turning her down for tenure because Dr. Steve Harding, her immediate boss has not sent a letter supporting her tenure, Betsy goes to Steve to find out why. It seems that Dean Chambers, Steve's boss, is holding Steve's promotion to full professorship hostage until he has gotten rid of Betsy. What Betsy doesn't know is that there are members of the faculty that do not like her and are jealous of her looks. The one she least suspects, Steve's wife Ellen, will be the one to do her great harm.
Betsy has a feeling that her relationship with Todd has a lot to do with what is happening. Todd has a reputation as an unfaithful man and he ended a seven-year relationship with Susan Kugel before he started dating Betsy. Susan is Dean Chamber's secretary and an alcoholic. Betsy knows these things should have nothing to do with her job as a teacher, but she knows it does. If she didn't have enough troubles, she is attacked for the attention she receives from Mike Kelly of the ROTC. Betsy has had this problem before and just found another job, but this time she decides to stay and fight.
I liked A MOUTH FULL OF SHELL because of the interesting characters of Betsy and Todd. The author did a good job of portraying the members of the community and the members of the faculty. This is a good look at the lives of some small communities that are run by descendants of the founders.
5 Stars
"A Mouth Full Of Shell" is filled with vivid imagery and enticing characters that will keep the reader turning pages. If this novel is anything to go by, Connie Gotsch is an author to keep your eye on.
Betsy Craig is determined to make it in a male dominated world. To accomplish this, the character has to be tough as nails, but Ms. Gotsch shows us Betsy's softer side, allowing the reader to sympathize and relate to Betsy. With a touch of romance thrown in and a bit of advice from various mentors, we also learn that Betsy--like all of us--can be her own worst enemy.
"A Mouth Full of Shell" isn't a book that can be pigeonholed into a particular genre, despite the romantic interest--Todd. Even the main character's pet is exotic. Yet it's set in small-town Pennsylvania, in a place that will feel slightly familiar to us all. I'm definitely a new fan of Connie Gotsch. Where can I get in line for the next book?
Reviewed by Lori Soard, reviewer for Word Museum
Have you ever read a description so perfect that you can easily picture people, places and events as you continue to read the words on the page?
That's how I felt when I read A Mouth Full of Shell. I call this experience "graphic writing." As far as I'm concerned, Connie Gotsch has mastered the technique.
The plot begins in Spring Water, Kansas in 1974. Betsy Craig, the heroine, consults attorney Karen Kingsley of the Spring Water Legal Aid Society regarding a job discrimination case. She quickly learned that even though she lost her position at the radio station unfairly,there was no such thing as "affirmative action" for her.
Her only recourse was to leave for a fresh start.
That start included working toward Masters and Ph.D. degrees. The new beginning included the section of the book labeled "Mountain View, Pennsylvania 1986." This was the town of 49 churches and 11,500 residents, and by this time, Dr. Betsy Craig had taught Broadcast courses at Northern Mountain State University and hosted a weekly program "Arts Beat" for the University's WMSU-FM radio station. Betsy's six-year stint netted her awards from the National Federation of Press Women and a candidacy for tenure at the university. Unfortunately, Dr. Craig was entering a zone for which academia had never prepared her- university politics at its worst. Jealous faculty members and their spouses who dabble in "tenure games" fill the pages of this novel. Betsy doesn't have a chance with family relastions the likes of the Kugel, Bierbauer, Hengst, Pfadenrecht and Meirhogg clans.
To offer a bit of the author's flair for description, here is how she let the reader know about the type of person with whom she was dealing. The words focus on the scene of a faculty party at the home of an employee. "People affectionately called this Pre-Revolutionary War dwelling the Circular Palace. 200 years of add-ons and remodeling ha left openings in odd spots, and though the hall accessed any area directly, guests could start in one place, drift through the house an end where they'd begun, after crossing the passage by the front door." Who can argue with such a history?
Todd Baker, Betsy's love interest, created yet another challenge. He wanted Betsy to confront her problems, not ignore them or run away from them. The battle between the two schools of thought added more conflict to the novel.
Through all her conflicts, Dr. Betsy Craig could never be called a "slouch." She continues her work at the station, with her students and even thinks of her problem situation. She leaves evidence of the thought process as she ponders various available choices. Of course, the reader feels free to select a favorite solution as well. The following careful use of words illustrates Gotsch's colorful way with the written message in the following passage in which Betsy compiles a new resume: "The room grew hot as she worked, for the sun climbed until its beams flooded through her French doors. She shut the drapes. The den cooled, though a couple of rays sneaked through the curtains. For a while,the light touched her shoulders, then slowly receded."
Descriptions such as "Down the block, at the corner of Pine Blvd., the wheels of an Amish wagon rattled. She couldn't see the conveyance. Its black body blended into the shadows cast by maples growing along the edge of the sidewalks," make the Pennsylvania town come alive.
Another description showcased the area, "Light from the low sun shimmered on the mountains and turned maples brilliant red. The afternoon's warmth lingered and smoke from a neighboring chimney did a show dance in the sky."
Besides a juicy plot that encouraged me to read the book during a relaxing holiday weekend (frankly, I couldn't put it down), the descriptions remained priceless. The only problem I encountered is the significance of the title. The author made this relevance very clear, but I cannot reveal it, for to do so would "let the cat out of the bag." There are just some things a reader must do for himself/herself.
Reviewed by Kathy Cordova for The Silver City Daily Press