Throughout October and November, Binghamton University’s English department is set to host a number of events geared toward educating students about the literary industry.
These events, part of the department’s Reader’s Series, showcase recently published works of BU faculty.
As part of the Reader’s Series, on Tues Oct. 27 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. in Library North room 1104, the Graduate Student Lounge, BU alumnus Jeremy Shraffenberger will be holding The Writing Life informal question-and-answer session on what it means to be an essayist in today’s world.
According to Shraffenberger, he plans to provide philosophical insight about publishing and represent the North American Review, his employer and a possible publication that up and coming writers can look into.
“The North American Review is the second oldest American literary magazine founded in 1815. It attempts to answer the question ‘What is American?’” said Ron Sandvik, managing editor of the magazine.
The Iowa-based magazine publishes fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction, and first published notable American writers such as John Steinbeck, Raymond Carver and T.C. Boyle.
Later in the series on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 8 p.m. in Science 1 room 149, BU faculty members will be holding readings from their newly published works.
Jaimee Wriston Colbert, assistant professor of creative writing at BU, will be reading from her novel “Shark Girls.” Colbert has won the 2008 Jane’s Stories Short Story Award, first place in the 2008 Independent Publisher Awards (Short Stories Fiction category) and the Zephyr Publishing Prize for her fiction work titled “Sex, Salvation and the Automobile.”
Joe Weil, lecturer of poetry in the English department, will also read from his book, “The Plumber’s Apprentice.”
On Nov. 18, The Writing Life continues with a session led by Susan Barba, an editor at David R. Godine Inc., an independent publisher based in Boston, Mass. that prints 20 to 30 fiction, poetry, non-fiction, photography and children’s literature titles each year.
The event will be held in Library North room 1104 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Every event in the Reader’s Series is open to all students and faculty.