JCC Alumnus Gets Published & Appears for Book Signing Event

Jefferson Community College (JCC) alumnus Dylan Wilson Kernehan, Class of 2018, is a two-time published author! He was recently featured at a book signing event at The Little Bookstore in Watertown for his 2021 published book titled, Seasons of the St. Lawrence, an anthology of his favorite sonnets reflecting life on the St. Lawrence River in Northern New York.

April 2021 was an exciting time for Kernehan, originally of Redwood. In addition to publishing his first 68-page book, Seasons of the St. Lawrence, his essay “A Summer Day on Snipe Island” was published in Volume XXXI of the Black River Review (BRR). The BRR, a journal of poetry, musical arrangements, prose and fine arts, is the work of JCC alumni, students, faculty and staff. Submissions for the BRR are accepted and reviewed annually by the JCC School of Arts and Humanities and are published on the College’s website.

Kernehan attributes his success as an author to his experience at JCC and in particular to the support of the JCC English faculty. He says, “The creative writing classes I took at JCC showed me that it was possible to improve my writing and that I could make a career out of it, and have fun doing it. Years after graduating I reached out to JCC faculty to ask them about getting published. I was no longer their student but they still helped me and gave me the information and support I needed at a time when I was unsure of my abilities and the path I should take.” Kernehan’s book Seasons of the St. Lawrence is available for sale on the internet and at The Little Bookstore. 

Dr. Christie Grimes Topping, Associate Professor of English at JCC, says, “Dylan captures the life and rhythm of living on St. Lawrence in each of his sonnets. The structure of focusing sonnets on the four seasons creates an escapist’s dream where a poem can transport you to the first boat ride of the summer or remind you of the beauty of winter. We are so excited to celebrate Dylan’s achievement and the delight of this book of poems!”