Castleton Media and Communications Professor and small-town journalist Dave Blow is taking his writing skills from the newsroom to the bookstore as he recently released his first book, Blow by Blow: A Quarter-Century of Voices from my Notebook.
A compilation of his best columns, news stories, and classroom experiences, Blow shares his life as a reporter and college professor, with updates and never-before-told stories behind the stories from his 25 years in the field.
“Everybody has a story,” said Blow, who has served as a reporter and editor for The Post Star in Glens Falls, NY for more than twenty years, “You just have to get to it.”
Dedicated to his former Castleton Professor Terry Dalton, the inspiration behind his career, the book features a variety of subject matter from brushes with celebrities, such as Robert Redford and Jerry Springer, to heartfelt excerpts of family memories.
The last chapter of the book focuses on Blow’s transition from the newsroom to the classroom, shedding light on his time at Castleton.
“Writers write to share stories and try to make some impact on the lives of the readers who come across their words,” said Blow, “What I hope from this book is that someone who doesn’t know me reads it and is somehow moved by the stories.”
In an effort to give back to the local community which fostered so many of his stories, for every book sold Blow plans to donate $1 to the Glens Falls Area Youth Center to help purchase needed equipment and group field trips.
"I am exceedingly proud of Professor David Blow, for a variety of reasons,” said President Dave Wolk, “First, he has been the "Pied Piper" of Castleton journalism, inspiring his very fortunate students to perfect their craft at the college and move on to meaningful positions in the world of journalism. Second, he has been a stellar advisor to the student newspaper, The Spartan, a publication of high quality that gets better and better every year. Third, he is a popular and well-respected educator whose classes are full of majors and non-majors who know that he will provide them with an outstanding educational experience. Finally, he is the consummate role model and the quintessential college professor, changing lives and making a huge difference for all of the students lucky enough to cross his path."
On Monday, November 4, 2013, at 7 p.m. Blow will host a Phi Eta Sigma lecture, Voices from the Notebook, in Jeffords auditorium. Introducing his book, Blow will take attendees on a venture through small-town reporting, in hopes of passing on the drive and desire that he acquired during his career and encourage others to pursue a profession that they feel truly passionate about.
“It's just fun for me,” said Blow of his career as both a journalist and professor. “I have a blast coming to work every day.”