Western CT State University Will Ring In The New Year With Inaugural Winter Literary Festival

DANBURY — Acclaimed authors from across the nation will greet the new year with a celebration of the written word in a series of public readings from Monday, January 2, through Friday, January 6, at Western Connecticut State University and other Danbury locations.

The university’s inaugural Winter Literary Festival will feature selected poetry, fiction and nonfiction by authors who serve as faculty members, writers in residence or writing mentors for WestConn’s recently launched Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Professional Writing program. The only offering of its kind in Connecticut, the program is sponsoring the literary festival.

MFA students from Connecticut and nine other states pursue studies at WestConn through distance learning, visiting the university in January and August for intensive weeklong sessions of workshops, lectures and readings by professional writers.

Dr Brian Clements, associate professor of English and coordinator of the MFA program, said the decision to sponsor literary festival presentations during the January and August sessions represents an effort to tap the impressive resources offered by the WestConn faculty members and writing professionals affiliated with the program. The festival affords an opportunity to share the literary work of these authors with the general community, he noted.   

“Our hope is that many people who are used to going to New York for readings of this type will take the opportunity to enjoy high-quality literary programs right in our area,” said Dr Clements.

The readings, which will begin at 7:30 pm, will be free and open to the public. Following each reading, the author will participate in a book signing session and informal reception. Following is the festival schedule:

*Fiction and poetry writer Paola Corso will read from her new collection of short stories, Giovanna’s 86 Circles, on Monday, January 2, in the WCSU Student Center Theater, at 181 White Street.

Ms Corso, a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellow in 2003, also is the author of the book of poems Death by Renaissance.

Her native Pittsburgh provides the setting for both her fiction and poetry works. A writing mentor for the WestConn MFA program, Ms Corso also has worked as a grants writer, publications editor and literary editor.

*Poet Peter Streckfus will read from his recent works on Tuesday, January 3, at Tarrywile Mansion, 70 Southern Boulevard. His readings will include selections from his poetry collection The Cuckoo, winner of the Yale Younger Poets Award.

Mr Streckfus is the former assistant director of communications at the San Francisco Art Institute, and he teaches writing and literature in Texas. He is an MFA program writer-in-residence.

*Mark Sundeen will offer readings from both his fiction and nonfiction works on Wednesday, January 4, at Danbury Music Centre, 256 Main Street. Mr Sundeen’s diverse body of writing includes the books The Making of Toro and Car Camping, as well as numerous articles in national magazines.

An MFA program writer-in-residence, he also worked as a Web writer and editor for Howard Dean’s 2004 Presidential campaign.

*Cecilia Woloch, the author of three award-winning collections of poems including the 2003 book Late, will read selections from her poetry on Thursday, January 5, at Danbury Museum & Historical Society, 43 Main Street.

An MFA program writer-in-residence, Ms Woloch has promoted poetry writing as a faculty member affiliated with numerous writing programs and as founder of community outreach programs for young poets. She also has served as an editor, copywriter, public relations specialist and arts administrator.

*WestConn Professor of English Dr John Briggs will read from his recent book, Trickster Tales, and from a novel in progress on Friday, January 6, in Alumni Hall on the WCSU midtown campus, 181 White Street.

Dr Briggs serves on the faculty of the MFA in Professional Writing program and as an English professor in the Connecticut State University system. He is the fiction editor of the literary periodical Connecticut Review and author of several books about chaos theory.

For more information, call the MFA in Professional Writing office at 837-8876, visit www.wcsu.edu/English/mfa, or call the Office of Public Relations at 837-8486.