ST. GEORGE – Dixie State College of Utah faculty member Candace Mesa has published a new book of poetry, entitled Summer Bird, A Journal of Discovery, which chronicles her life-changing experiences from this past summer in and around Cache Valley in northern Utah. Mesa, who serves as Associate Professor of Developmental Composition at DSC, says that she did not intend to write a book, but when she returned to St. George at the end of summer, she saw that she had, indeed, accumulated a collection of detailed descriptions and self reflection documenting her rediscovery of self.

She has been writing nature poetry and family stories for herself on and off for many years, but Summer Bird is her first “public” writing collection.

“Nature lovers, anyone who has ever visited or lived in Cache Valley, and readers who feel their lives stagnating will particularly enjoy this journal of discovery,” says Mesa.

Mesa graduated cum laude from the University of Redlands in California with a bachelor’s degree in Comparative Literature and earned her master’s degree in English at Northern Illinois University. She has been teaching at DSC for almost 16 years. In addition to teaching, she was the DSC Faculty Coordinator of Service Learning for many years, as well as holding statewide leadership positions in Utah Campus Compact. She has also been chairperson twice in the regional professional organization, TYCA West, as well as holding other leadership positions and giving numerous presentations over the years, many of them focusing on kinesthetic classroom activities.

Summer Bird is now available at the DSC Bookstore or online at Amazon.com.

The DSC Bookstore will also host a campus book signing during its annual Christmas sale on Nov. 28.

In addition, Summer Bird will be featured at the Sixth-Annual St. George Book Festival this Saturday, Oct. 29.

For more information or to contact Professor Mesa, please call 435-652-7646.