Annual event returns to Wright Theater on May 14
The University of Baltimore’s M.F.A. in Creative Writing & Publishing Arts program is delighted to announce the return of its in-person reading and book fair. After going virtual the past two years due to COVID-19, the program will once again hold its annual live event to celebrate graduating authors and showcase their work. The free event is open to the public and will take place on Saturday, May 14, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Student Center’s Wright Theater located at 21 W. Mount Royal Avenue. The book fair and reception will occur in the adjacent Bogomolny Room, with a glass wall overlooking the Mount Vernon cultural district. For those unable to attend in-person, the reading will also be livestreamed.
“This year’s books are so wonderfully varied and exciting, in content and design. There’s something powerful for every reader,” said M.F.A. Program Director Betsy Boyd.
As part of the celebration, the M.F.A. in Creative Writing & Publishing Arts graduating class of 2022 will read from and sell their newly published books. All books are designed and printed as part of students’ thesis capstone, resulting in original works of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. The 2022 graduating class includes:
Chad Boxley, author of “Turnbuckle”, a collection of poems;
Kopper Boyd, author of “After Them”, a memoir;
Caitlin Currey, author of “Bright Spots”, a memoir;
Kelly C. Flanagan, author of “Gatekeeping”, a memoir;
Kia Fortson, author of “if I must be honest”, a collection of poems;
Zo Gross, author of “Our Own Gods”, a collection of stories;
LeQuita Harrison, author of “Stuck”, a collection of stories;
Alexandra Hewett, author of “Shimmer”, a memoir;
Elizabeth Holland, author of “Let the bees rest”, a collection of poems;
Britt Bell, author of “Ella”, a collection of stories;
Beth Phan, author of “Later, I’ll Wish I Said it Differently”, a collection of essays;
Josh O’Meara, author of “Assorted Jerks”, a collection of stories;
Olivia Springer, author of “The Ancestors”, a collection of stories;
Jessie O’Dea Walker, author of “The Deep End”, a collection of essays;
Micaela Walley, author of “Cut the Lights”, a collection of poems.
“Many of these students started in their program during the year of lockdown,” said Professor Marion Winik, “and they have surmounted a unique set of challenges, both in adapting to virtual learning and then re-adjusting to in-person classes in the second half of their final semester — not to mention dealing with all the other challenges of the pandemic. I am so proud of them.”
The reading and book fair is organized by the M.F.A. in Creative Writing & Publishing Arts graduating class of 2022 and spearheaded by Plork Coordinators Caitlin Currey and Alexandra Hewett.
“We’re thrilled to share our work with friends, family, and the UB community in-person for the first time in two years,” said Currey. Hewett continued, “Our authors have poured their hearts and souls into self-published works of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction, and the reading will be a true celebration of all we’ve accomplished together throughout the program.”
2022 graduate and fiction writer LeQuita Harrison commented, “When I joined the program in 2018, I loved the idea of graduating with my own self-published book. And now that it’s happening, I am very excited to be able to share my hard work and imagination with others.”
University of Baltimore’s M.F.A. in Creative Writing & Publishing Arts program has been named one of the most distinctive M.F.A. programs in the country by Poets & Writers magazine, and graduates of the program have gone on to make a notable impression on the literary world and beyond. Learn more about The University of Baltimore’s M.F.A. in Creative Writing & Publishing Arts and follow the program’s social pages for updates regarding the livestream. Please note that the in-person event will adhere to University of Baltimore COVID-19 protocols.
Press Release Written by Jessie Walker, author of The Deep End: Essays, MFA Creative Writing & Publishing Arts Graduate Student, April 2022, Baltimore, MD, Published on the University of Baltimore website.
Image Design by Olivia Springer, author of The Ancestors: Stories, MFA Creative Writing & Publishing Arts Graduate Student, April 2022, Baltimore, MD, published and printed by the University of Baltimore.
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