September Events

It's been a busy but enjoyable first week of teaching at NCCU. Next month, in-between my classes, I will be participating in a few events both locally in the piedmont area and virtually.

The first is going to be the official release of Best Debut Stories 2021: The Pen America Dau Prize. This will be hosted virtually by Catapult and McNally Jackson Books Wednesday September 1, at 7:00 p.m. More info including a registration link can be found here. I remember visiting McNally Jackson when I lived in New York. It will be fun to collaborate with them during this reading and discussion. I'm going to have a couple of minutes to read an excerpt and I will talk with the judges at the end. Maybe one day I'll get to read there in person.

On that note, the second event is an in person reading at Scuppernong Books on Saturday, September 4 in Greensboro, 304 S. Elm St.Greensboro, NC 27401, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. I'll be reading and discussing writing with a talented poet named Krystal A. Smith. In addition to reading my award winning short story "The First Time I Said It" I plan to read from my novel-in-progress and NC State MFA thesis We'll Call You. There will be copies of the PEN Dau anthology for purchase in the store and I will be happy to sign one for anyone interested.

The third event is going to involve a return to NC State to discuss research I did on Langston Hughes' and Nina Simone's collaborative efforts that led to the creation of the song "Backlash Blues." This event will be held Thursday, September 21st at 7 p.m. at the NC State Alumni Center.

I hope to see you at one of these events!