On Sept. 2, a large audience waited in the Carnegie Room with palpable excitement for a reading sure to enliven the creative mind. As Assistant Professor of English and Director of Writing Cynthia Nearman took the podium to introduce the star of the evening, it became certain that no one would leave unfulfilled.”See how lucky we are to have with us this Queen of Mutants, who will tolerate no followers, and whom we recognize as royalty only because this is the case,” said Nearman. “Please join me in welcoming Traci O. Connor.”

The crowd began to clap with anticipation as Assistant Professor of English Traci Connor walked behind the podium. Smiling and looking across the room, she began her introduction.

“Guilford College is a really special place,” said Connor. “So thank you for not only being here, but for being a part of my writing. The story I’m going to read tonight is called ‘The Flying Codona.'”

“The Flying Codona” is the first story from Connor’s new book, “Recipes for Endangered Species.”

Connor then prefaced the reading with a brief, though informative, explanation of the title. Alfredo Codona was a circus aerialist (or trapeze artist) born in 1893. His first wife, Lillian Leitzel (another famous trapeze artist), died during a performance. Alfredo would later take his own life as well as his second wife’s, leaving a tragic story interwoven with a rich history of performances in his wake.

Though the story is not about Alfredo, Connor’s introduction set the tone for the catastrophic lives of the story’s characters, full of recognizable yet adventurous experiences.

As Connor said previously, “Every story in my collection is pretty much about this: As human beings we often fail to see other human beings as human beings.”

“Tuesdays, Zha Zha’s tits are made of cantaloupe and she eats them with a spoon,” began Connor. “‘Mother’s milk, mother’s milk,’ she chants, juice and pulp spilling from her lips.”

Connor read as the audience listened closely, every ear tuned for just these words, this moment.

“Everyone was so entranced by her voice and by the characters that it seemed as if the whole audience was holding its collective breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop,” said junior Meredith Brown.

“I loved the way Traci prefaced her reading with the story of Alfredo Codona, the trapeze artist,” said Assistant Professor of English Diya Abdo. “Traci’s own reading was really an aerial experience. It somersaulted, swayed and sliced through the air as the audience sat in anticipation of the next jump.”

Throughout the story, the audience was visibly pulled into the reading. And as the story came to a close, one could tell that it would be difficult for anyone to walk away unmoved.

“It’s Saturday, and Zha Zha is pulling the lily apart,” read Connor, winding the story down. “‘Love me, love me, love me,’ she drones. Petals fall in pieces to the stage.”

This would not be the end for audience members and readers though. The inspiring “Recipes for Endangered Species” is only endangered by high sales numbers and a devoted readership.