Writers' Week brings young talent to UNCW

Halloween comes early for readers next week, as Writers' Week begins Monday at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

An array of guest authors, editors, agents and publishing professionals will be delivering lectures and readings and joining in panel discussions throughout the week at different locations on the UNCW campus. All but a few of these events are free and open to the public.

"We'll have a grand old time," joked Mark Cox, UNCW professor of creative writing, who is faculty coordinator for the event.

Cox said the 2017 Writers' Week lineup is emphasizing emerging talents, although the guest list includes some old masters such as David Jauss, the author of four short story collections and two poetry collections.

Keynote speaker for the event will be poet Ross Gay, whose collection "Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude" won the 2015 National Book Critics Circle Award. The Ohio native, who now teaches at Indiana University, will deliver the university's Buckner Lecture at 7 p.m. Thursday in Room 103 of UNCW's Dobo Hall.

Other guest speakers include:

* Kristen Iskandrian, a winner of the 2014 O. Henry Prize for her short story "The Inheritors." The daughter of Iranian immigrants, Iskandrian earned a Ph.D. from the University of Georgia. Her work has appeared in Tin House, Zyzzyva, McSweeney’s, Ploughshares and other publications. She will give a reading at 7 p.m. Monday in Room 105, Cameron Hall.

* Tarfia Faizullah is the author of the 2014 poetry collection "Seam." The Bangladeshi-American teaches at the University of Michigan and is an editor of the Asian American Literary Review. She will give a reading at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Room 101, King Hall, and will deliver a craft lecture at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Warwick Center ballroom.

* Kristen Radtke is the author of "Imagine Wanting Only This," a non-fiction graphic novel hailed by Entertainment Weekly as "Best Graphic Novel" and a Barnes & Noble "Discover Great New Writers" pick. She is also art director and New York editor for The Believer magazine. Radtke will join Faizullah in a reading at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Room 101, King Hall, and will deliver a craft lecture at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the Warwick Center ballroom.

* Nick Neely, a journalist and poet, was a finalist for the 2017 John Burroughs Medal for natural history writing for his essay collection "Coast Range." His work has appeared in Orion, the Georgia Review and the Kenyon Review. He will give a reading with David Jauss at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Room 105 Cameron Hall.

* Julie Barer is a partner with the literary agency The Book Group in New York. A former agent with Sanford J. Greenburger Associates, she launched her own agency in 2004. Her clients' work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Harper's, Granta, The Wall Street Journal and other major magazines. She will give a presentation at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Warwick Center Ballroom.

For a complete schedule of Writers' Week activities, visit http://uncw.edu/writersweek/.

Reporter Ben Steelman can be reached at 910-343-2208 or Ben.Steelman@StarNewsOnline.com.

Want to go?

What: UNCW Writers' Week

When: Oct. 30-Nov. 3.

Where: University of North Carolina Wilmington campus.

Details: Most events free and open to the public

Information: Complete schedule at http://uncw.edu/writersweek/schedule.html. 910-962-7063.