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Lehigh Carbon Community College

Richard Blanco

Celebrated presidential inaugural poet Richard Blanco will open the 2017 Etowah Valley Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Summer Readings next week.

The readings are free and open to the public.

A reception to open the series will be held at the Falany Performing Arts Center July 6 at 7:30 p.m. Blanco will take the stage in Flint Hall at Falany Performing Arts Center at 8 p.m. The series will continue through July 15 as part of the second year of Reinhardt University’s Etowah Valley MFA in Creative Writing.  Readings will take place in different locations on Reinhardt’s campus, unless otherwise noted.

“Each night we have a treasure trove of poets, fiction writers, screenwriters, dramatists, and non-fiction writers ready to interact with the community, to share stories and experiences. There is something for anyone who likes to hear a good story or ever thought about learning to write a poem or movie script,” said Bill Walsh, director of Reinhardt’s Etowah Valley MFA in Creative Writing. “What is happening at the Etowah Valley MFA Program is a remarkable achievement that brings to our community some of the finest writers in the country. These writers are gathering at Reinhardt University so that the general public can hear them read from their books, meet them, listen to them talk intimately about their life and struggles, victories, as well as to reassure artists and others that what each of us is doing has value.”

The July 6-15 events will include Christopher Dickey, son of James Dickey, who will participate in readings and speak about his father. Stephane Dunn also will participate. Her comments and writings have appeared in national media, including NPR, The Atlantic and CNN.com. Dunn is director of the Morehouse College Cinema, Television and Emerging Media Studies Program.

Other notable authors include Earl Braggs, George Singleton, Leon Stokesbury, John Holman, Anne Corbitt, Dr. Pearl McHaney, Dr. Tom McHaney, David Bottoms and Ellen Malphrus.

All summer readings are free and open to the public and will be held at 7:30 p.m.

More information on the Etowah Valley Writers Institute, including featured writer, application information and special event locations, can be found at Reinhardt.edu/mfa-cw.

For more writer biography and application information on the Etowah Valley Writers Institute, visit Reinhardt.edu/mfa-cw.