Winegardner’s anticipated ‘Godfather’ sequel is poised for acclaim By Dave Fiore Janet G. Burroway Professor of my age.” English is enjoying the end of what Winegardner’s writing sched- n agreeing to write the has been a grueling, but reward- ule included trips every other sequel to Mario Puzo’s ing, process. month to writers’ colonies — most “The Godfather,” Mark After being selected in an inter- frequently to Yaddo in Saratoga Winegardner realized he national competition to tackle the Springs, New York. The rest of his would have to fill some follow-up to the 1969 classic, writing time was spent in his work pretty big shoes. He just didn’t Winegardner said, the media cottage behind his house, where he want them to be made of whirlwind began immediately. finished the book in August. Icement. “Since being selected, it has As the extremely tight dead- As the release date for “The been consistently nuts,” he said. “I line approached, he ramped up his Godfather Returns” approaches was able to shut down the PR part schedule even more. He slept only and the buzz begins to build over and get to work, but then it was every other night for eight weeks the book’s outstanding potential nuts because it was a lot of work. with the help of many legal for acclaim, the director of FSU’s The process was punishing — I “happy, stay-awake” pills, and he Mark Winegardner Creative Writing Program and the worked way too hard for a man (Continued on page 2) November 2004 k l e B l e a h c i M Howser sets new standard for collegiate ballparks By Jeffery Seay in college baseball. Editor in Chief Welcome to Dick Howser Stadium. The three-year, $13 mil- SU baseball fans who lion-plus project was a top to bot- haven’t been taken out tom overhaul that, according to to the ballpark lately Athletics Director Dave Hart, is don’t know what good another part of Athletics’ total things they’re missing. Facilities Master Plan. During the FBesides the excitement of planning stage, Hart visited spending innings with the peren- numerous baseball stadiums nially top-ranked Seminoles and around the country to look at ways the assurance of knowing that Howser might be improved. Coach Mike Martin is steady at the helm as the NCAA’s second-win- “There is none better ningest active coach, fans can now in the country.” have the pleasure of watching the — Coach Mike Martin game in arguably the finest facility S 1 T “In each case, we took some 6 a u 0 l i l t 0 ideas that we saw and liked, but a e h R 1 a then incorporated our own desires e 0 s d 4 s e B into the plan and then let the archi- e a , r F tects take it from there,” Hart said. b L e r 3 “As you look at Dick Howser, you 2 P 3 l 1 a can see that we took a lot of con- 0 z - a 6 cepts from minor league ballparks 0 d r 6 o 8 that we visited.” f g n After considering the options, a L l l Athletics decided upon renovation i B or new construction in a number of / b a areas: grandstands and bleacher L o t seating, field and practice space, o h P pressboxes, lockerrooms and train- U S ing spaces and concessions. The F result is a first-class facility that is Dave Hart made so by its functionality rather than its ostentation, said Hart. The I cannot express the excitement I largely finished by the 2003 base- look. But it is the finishing touches P P N C O U i e . o r n S A g r n ball season, fans were given a . sentiment is shared by Coach c feel each morning as I enter this that Hart hopes will really wow m a - i P P n n i I o r t n i D z o s Martin. facility,” Martin said. “There is sense of how the final product — Seminole fans. a # t a f t a i t 2 i t g i , 0 o “Having been blessed to run none better in the country.” the stadium and the Andy and “Virtually none of our graphics e O 0 n 3 h (Continued on page 2) i Carol Haggard Plaza — would o this program for the past 25 years, With much of the construction 2 / November 2004 November 2004 / 3 Winegardner based sequel on original’s final chapter Nelson’s first year as state meteorologist was trial by storm (Continued from page 1) ing this casts light on my entire not familiar with the Corleone By Vida Volkert impact a hurricane is going to have internship in 1999, his senior year meteorology Professor John and he does, in fact, have one — Staff Writer lifted weights to increase his stam- career, that all my books get atten- family, Winegardner said there is in the environment and prepare at FSU. Hurricane Floyd was then Ahlquist and Professor T.N. Nelson is married to another mete- ina. He lost 30 pounds in the tion. It will also help future books. no need to rent the DVD first. weather information to be dissem- threatening the state. Krishnamurti’s Super Ensemble orologist who was schooled at process. He would put in a full I won’t have trouble getting pub- “It works for someone new to At 36 hours prior to Hurricane inated among meteorologists. “That was a huge storm that hurricane forecasting model — FSU, Debbie Nelson (BS ’99). work day, eat, work out and then lished.” the saga, a casual fan of the movies Ivan’s forecasted landfall, the office “We are very proud of Ben. I caused a lot of evacuations,” he Nelson’s favorite and one of about The two are avid Seminole fans k l of State Meteorologist Ben Nelson think he is doing a wonderful job,” said. 10 used by the National Hurricane who, around this time of year, put in another full work day — all e The storyline for “The or the book and for the big fan of B l in the Emergency Operations Ruscher said. In fact, Floyd was one of the Center. strive to make their home life more without sleep. e Godfather Returns” comes direct- the movies or book. You could start a h c Center was the hottest spot in With Ivan bearing down on deadliest hurricanes to hit the U.S. As for his life apart from the about football season than hurri- “I had to work through the i ly from the final chapter of “The here and be fine.” ordinary limits,” Winegardner M Godfather,” where Puzo writes: Winegardner is now traveling Tallahassee. But then, it has been Florida, the third hurricane of the mainland since Andrew, killing 56 Emergency Operations Center — cane season. said. “My previous book was 100 “The bloody victory of the the country promoting the book — crowded with reporters and gov- season, and with only three people that year.” pages longer and took just under Corleone Family was not complete the fun part of the job for him. ernment and law enforcement offi- months on the job, the 27-year-old The internship, combined with Ben Nelson isn’t the first alumnus of the FSU department of mete- five years to write. This one took until a year of delicate political “Some people become writers cials since the beginning of the Richmond, Va., native said he has his education at FSU, prepared orology to be the state meteorologist. Andrew Devanas (BS ’89, six months of research and 18 maneuvering established Michael because they don’t like to talk to hurricane season, when Nelson been exposed to more action and him to deal with his current job MA ‘92) served from 1997 to 2002; and Mathew Green (MA ‘98) served from 2002 to 2004. months of writing — and I spent Corleone as the most powerful people. I like it,” he said. “I’ve was brand new on the job. media attention than he ever imag- and responsibilities. He praised more time on this one.” Family chief in the United States.” taught for 22 years and have spo- “It’s been pretty interesting in ined. Winegardner acknowledged “Returns” begins in 1955, ken to 15,000 people at commence- the past few months, that’s for He has become a regular face that the book also affected his fam- telling the story of the family’s ment, so talking about my book is sure,” Nelson said. on CNN and, although his job is ily. move to Nevada and their return not difficult for me.” An FSU alumnus who earned not that of forecasting, his predic- “It has been very hard on my to power in New York. According Winegardner said he hasn’t his bachelor’s degree in meteorolo- tions are rather welcome by col- wife and kids, but it was done as a to Winegardner, it also re-exam- spent too much energy worrying gy in 1999, Nelson is in charge of leagues who sneak into his office in partnership with them,” he said. ines some of the events in 1958-59, about whether the book will be keeping the state emergency search of advice when it comes to “We knew it would be hard.” revealing that there were bigger well received. response team updated with the hitting the road during bad weath- d r latest information from the er.