Michael Rands

MICHAEL RANDS Curriculum Vitae 54 Allen Hall English Department Louisiana State University 225-678-4726 EDUCATION University of Cape Town, South Africa 2006 MA Creative Writing University of Cape Town, South Africa 2004 BA English and Philosophy PROFESSFIONAL EXPERIENCE 2014-Present Graduate instructor, Department of English, Louisiana State University 2012-2013 Writer in Residence, Kerouac Project, Florida 2012-2014 Online English Instructor, Café Talk 2009-2012 Classroom Instructor, English Second Language, Hiroshima Board of Education, Hiroshima, Japan 2007-2009 In-House Scriptwriter, Urban Brew Studios, Johannesburg, South Africa PUBLICATIONS/ PRODUCTIONS Books 2008 Praise Routine Number Four: A Novel, Cape Town, SA: Human and Rousseau Publishers, 2008. Human and Rousseau Publishers, founded in 1959, is one of South Africa’s most esteemed general publishers. Praise Routine is a dark satire set during the mid 2000s in the Cape Town suburb of Observatory. Narrated by a young, white slacker, it grapples with a society trying to deal (or more often failing to deal) with its troubled past. In his review of the novel, writer Mike Nichols concluded, “Rands's prose is sharp as needles, his dialogue sounds as if he'd recorded it… it's great fun and not a little uncomfortable. What more can you ask of a novel?” Articles “Abenomics: Japan’s Most Dangerous Game,” The Daily Maverick, (South Africa) 2013, Non-fiction “Japan: Printing up Miracles and Mirages,” Seeking Alpha, 2013, Non-fiction “Warming up to Global Warming,” LitNet, (South Africa) 2007, Non-fiction “Mozart and Pop Music,” LitNet, (South Africa) 2007, Memoir Television Scripts 3 Episodes for “City Ses’la,” – SABC 1, 2008. City Ses’la, which ran for 4 seasons, from 2005-2011, was the most watched sitcom on South African television. It was often compared to Friends. The SABC is the South African National Broadcaster. 2 Seasons (48 Episodes Total) for “Hack Shack,” – SABC 2, 2007-2009. Hack Shack was a youth comedy show. The premise: two teenage boys from Soweto hack into the SABC and start broadcasting their own talk show. Co-created and co-wrote 6 Episodes for “Last Say on Sunday,” – SABC 3, 2009 Last Say was a late night talk show in the style of The Tonight Show. 8 Episodes (Co-written) for “The Axe Sweet Life,” – e.tv, 2009. The Axe Sweet Life, hosted by Trevor Noah, combined elements of pre-recorded reality-television with scripted and improvised in-studio interludes and interviews. Comic Strip “Black Sheep TV,” LitNet, (South Africa) 2011-2012 (Weekly), Satirical Comic Self-Produced 2013 Kamikaze Economics (Co-written) Kindle Direct Publishing (Translated into Japanese as Zero Keizei), 2013 Kamikaze Economics provides an overview of the Japanese economic situation in the early 21st Century. 2012 The Yamaguchi Manuscripts (Co-written) Kindle Direct Publishing, 2013 Yamaguchi is an economic satire that explores the development of the monetary system. “The Crystal Set,” an Audio Comedy-Horror Show, co-written, performed and recorded, Libsyn and iTunes, 2013 RECENTLY COMPLETED Slipping Minds: A novel Slipping Minds is set mostly in Japan. It is currently in the “Resubmission” stage with New York agent Jennifer Lyons. CURRENT PROJECTS 1938: A novel 1938 is set in Cape Town in the 1930s. It was during this time in South African history that the particular strain of Afrikaner nationalism that ultimately led to Apartheid gained momentum, yet no major works of fiction have been set during this turbulent, intriguing time in the country’s history. 1938 draws on original archival research done at the University of Cape Town and the University of Stellenbosch, as well as on extensive interviews conducted with leading historians at these and other institutions. I will present it for my MFA thesis. AWARDS/ RESIDENCIES/ GRANTS Oppenheimer Memorial Trust Award (South Africa), 2015 and 2016 Kerouac Project, Winter Writer in Residence, Orlando, Florida December 2012/2013 Art Farm, Nebraska, Artists Residency, 2013 Blue Ridge Napping Institute, Writing Residency, 2013 I-Park Residency, Selection Committee, 2013 I-Park Residency, Writer in Residence, East Haddam, Connecticut, 2012 Nominated for Sunday Times Fiction Award, South Africa, 2009 Siri Johnson Bursary, University of Cape Town, 2005 Twamley Postgraduate Bursary, University of Cape Town, 2005 TEACHING EXPERIENCE Louisiana State University – Graduate Instructor Fall 2014-Present Introduction to Short Story Writing (evaluations not yet completed) English Composition I 4.76 (dept. average: 4.47) English Composition II 4.72 (dept. average: 4.48) English Composition for International/ non-native speakers 4.57 (dept. average: 4.48) Beginning Screenwriting (Guest Lecturer) Café Talk – Online Instructor 2012-2014 (part-time) In this role I taught a wide range of second language learners, from beginners to advanced. I also offered editorial services, for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as professionals. I helped second language speakers who were completing masters and doctoral degrees in US and UK institutions, edit their dissertations. I would offer editorial advice and also explain the grammatical reasons for the suggestions I’d make. I offered similar services to high-ranking professionals in Japanese and Korean businesses, who had to present papers to international audiences. Kerouac Project, Florida – Writer in Residence Winter 2012/2013 Writing “the other” – A workshop for advanced fiction students. Mitsuda High School, Hiroshima Board of Education, Japan 2009-2012 English Writing and Communication In this position I taught English Communication Classes, and less frequently grammar classes. I graded and edited student essays and helped students prepare for competitions and university entrance examinations. EDITORIAL ACTIVITIES Non-Fiction Editor, New Delta Review Fall 2014-Spring 2015 Assistant Non-Fiction Editor, New Delta Review Spring 2015-Fall 2015 READINGS 2015 LSU Underpass Reading Series, LA 2013 REAP Street Festival, Winsor, CT 2013 Kerouac Project, Orlando, FL 2013 Soft Exposure, Orlando, FL 2012 I-Park, East Haddam, CT 2012 International Cultural Center, Kure, Japan SELECTED PROFESSIONAL SERVICE (LSU ONLY) Louisiana State University Co-organizer and co-host of The Underpass Reading Series Fall 2015-Spring 2016 Writing Mentor at BRYC (Baton Rouge Youth Coalition) .

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