Maslow Foundation Salon Reading Series at Wilkes University Highlights Maslow Family Creative Writing Program from June 16-20

NPR Book Critic Maureen Corrigan Highlights the Week's Readings

Wilkes-Barre, PA (06/06/2019) — Wilkes University's Maslow Foundation Salon Reading Series, which highlights the June 2019 residency for the University's Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing Program, features debut authors and program faculty, many of whom are prize-winning authors, as guest readers. Readings are held nightly from June 16-20.

A special event on Thursday, Jun. 20 will feature alumni readers, faculty readers and guest reader Maureen Corrigan. Corrigan is a book critic for NPR's Fresh Air and is The Nicky and Jamie Grant Distinguished Professor of the Practice in Literary Criticism at Georgetown University. Corrigan will be reading a comic essay, "Donor Report: Edna Ferber Research Trip," about a failed research trip to author Edna Ferber's archives in Madison, Wisc. Corrigan is the author of two books: So We Read On: How The Great Gatsby Came to Be and Why It Endures and a memoir, Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading! Corrigan is also a reviewer and columnist for The Washington Post's Book World and served as a juror for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction.

The alumni readers include Richard Fellinger and Leah Vernon. Fellinger debut novel, Made To Break Your Heart, was published in 2017 by Open Books. His short story collection, They Hover Over Us, won the 2011 Serena McDonald Kennedy Award for literary fiction.

Vernon is a hijabi model and social media influencer who advocates for body-positivity, self-love, and the inclusion of marginalized bodies in mainstream media and beauty and fashion industry. Her memoir, Unashamed: Musings of a Fat, Black Muslim, will be released by Beacon Press in October 2019.

The Sunday film night will take place at 7 p.m. at RC Theaters 14, 24 E Northampton Street and readings on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday will take place at the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center at Wilkes University, 239 S. River St, Wilkes-Barre. A book fair, sponsored by Barnes & Noble, features books for purchase by the authors. All readings are free and open to the public.

The full schedule for the week follows:

SUNDAY, June 16- 7 to 9 p.m., RC Theaters 14

Film night will feature Michael Mailer Films The Second Sun with producer Michael Mailer, star John Buffalo Mailer and director Jennifer Gelfer as guests. A question-and-answer session will follow the showing.

All readings Monday-Thursday will take place at the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center.

MONDAY, June 17 - 7 to 9 p.m. Bookfair begins.

This night will feature fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry readings by program faculty and alumni. Readers include Bill Schneider, Lenore Hart, Kevin Oderman, Donna Talarico, David Poyer, Rashidah Ismaili Abubakr, Jeff Talarigo and Mike Lennon.

TUESDAY, June 18- 7 to 9 p.m.

The second night of readings will feature fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry readings by program faculty and alumni. Readers include Laurie Loewenstein, Christine Gelineau, Kaylie Jones, Taylor Polites, Beverly Donofrio, Robert Mooney, Jacquelyn Mitchard, Phil Brady and H. L. Hix.

WEDNESDAY, June 19- 7 to 9 p.m.

Wednesday evening will be playwrights night featuring Group S.O.S. by Bonnie Culver.

THURSDAY, June 20- 7 to 9 p.m.

The final evening will feature special reading by program alumni, faculty and special guests. Alumni readers include Richard Fellinger and Leah Vernon. Faculty readers are Nancy McKinley, Ross Klavan and Gregory Fletcher and guest reader Maureen Corrigan.

About the Wilkes University Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing:

Wilkes University's Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing offers the master of arts and master of fine art degrees in fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, playwriting, publishing and documentary film. Program faculty are working, producing writers who mentor students one-on-one through the process of creating a full-length creative project. The Graduate Creative Writing program is offered in two formats. In the low-residency format, students learn online and attend two eight-day residencies each January and June. For the weekender program, students will learn online and attend four face-to-face weekend class sessions each term. For more information, please visit www.wilkes.edu/creativewriting or call 570-408-4527.

For more stories about Wilkes University and its students, faculty and staff, please visit News@Wilkes.

About Wilkes University:

Wilkes University is a private, independent, non-sectarian institution of higher education dedicated to academic and intellectual excellence through mentoring in the liberal arts, sciences and professional programs. Founded in 1933, Wilkes is on a mission to create one of the nation's finest doctoral universities, offering all of the programs, activities and opportunities of a large university in the intimate, caring and mentoring environment of a small college, open to all who show promise. The Economist named Wilkes 25th in the nation for the value of its education for graduates. In addition to 46 majors, Wilkes offers 24 master's degree programs and five doctoral/terminal degree programs, including the doctor of philosophy in nursing, doctor of nursing practice, doctor of education, doctor of pharmacy, and master of fine arts in creative writing. Learn more at www.wilkes.edu.

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