VANCOUVER, WASH. — Six award-winning writers from the Pacific Northwest will give public presentations about their work as part of the Professional Writers Series at Washington State University Vancouver this spring.
Presentations will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays between Jan. 29 and April 9 in the Library, Room 265. The talks are free and open to the public.
The writers, who have published fiction, nonfiction, memoir, poetry and essays, will discuss the trajectory of their careers, their successes and challenges. The series is designed to provide insights into the writing process and the ways authors interact both creatively and commercially with other writers, editors, publishers and designers.
This year’s Professional Writers Series includes:
Jan. 29: Karen Karbo, “Writing from the Heart and the Funnybones”
Karbo has written novels, memoirs, young adult fiction and nonfiction. Her best-selling “Kick Ass Women” series includes, most recently, “Julia Child Rules: Lessons on Savoring Life” (2013).
Feb. 12: Monica Drake, “Nurturing the Story”
Drake’s latest novel is “The Stud Book” (2013), a send-up of the complexities of contemporary motherhood as viewed by a loyal group of friends.
March 5: Vern Rutsala, “A Poet’s Uncommon Vision”
Rutsala, a champion of the modern-day prose poem, is the author of 12 collections of poetry, including “The Moment’s Equation,” a finalist for the 2005 National Book Award.
March 12: Peter Rock, “The Novel as Human”
Rock’s fiction focuses on characters on the fringes of society. His latest novel is “The Shelter Cycle” (2013), based on events in Montana in 1990, when members of the Church Universal and Triumphant were preparing for the end of the world.
March 26: Lidia Yuknavitch, “Breaking Literary Boundaries”
Yuknavitch, a novelist, memoirist and short story writer, is the author of a widely praised memoir, “The Chronology of Water” (2011) and a novel, “Dora: A Head Case” (2012), based on a famous case study by Sigmund Freud.
April 9: Lee Montgomery, “Publishing Platforms: Old vs. New”
Montgomery was associate publisher and editorial director of Portland-based Tin House Books for more than 10 years. She will launch a new e-book platform, Shebooks, in February 2014.
91ԹϺ is located at 14204 N.E. Salmon Creek Ave., east of the 134th Street exit from either I-5 or I-205. Parking is available at meters and in the Blue Daily Pay Lot for $1.50 after 5 p.m. Parking is free after 7 p.m.
# # #
MEDIA CONTACTS
Brenda Alling, Office of Marketing and Communications, 360-546-9601, brenda_alling@vancouver.wsu.edu