New UT MFA Program Kicks Off “Lectores” Speaker Series in January

The University of Tampa MFA in Creative Writing speaker series, “Lectores,” will feature prominent authors Michael Connelly, Amy Hill Hearth, George Saunders and many others in its inaugural season.

The Lectores public readings series, which includes seven events within the month of January, coincides with the inaugural class of the new MFA in Creative Writing program at UT, a low-residency program that biannually brings writers from around the world to Tampa.

Other visiting writers reading in the series include Josip Novakovich, Francine Prose and Terese Svoboda. Area writers reading include John Capouya, Roy Peter Clark, Erica Dawson, Thomas French, Peter Meinke, Donald Morrill, Jeff Parker and Enid Shomer.

The official opening reading of the new program will occur on Saturday, Jan. 7, with local bestselling author Michael Connelly and UT alumna author Amy Hill Hearth giving readings at 7:30 p.m. in the 9th floor of the Vaughn Center on the UT campus.

The events are free and open to the public. All begin at 7:30 p.m. in their respective venues.

Friday, Jan. 6 – Publishing in Peril: A discussion with Amy Hill Hearth (author of The Delaney Sisters), Carla Jimenez (owner of Inkwood Books) and Enid Shomer (author and University of Arkansas Press poetry editor). The discussion will be moderated by Colette Bancroft, books editor of the St. Petersburg Times. Held in the Jaeb Theater in the Straz Center for the Performing Arts.
Saturday, Jan. 7 – Official Opening Reading of The University of Tampa MFA in Creative Writing: Readings by authors Michael Connelly and Amy Hill Hearth. Held on the UT campus, Vaughn Center, 9th Floor.
Sunday, Jan. 8 – Reading: Jeff Parker and Creative Loafing contest winner. Held in the Creative Loafing offices, 1911 N. 13th Street, Ste. W200, Tampa.
Monday, Jan. 9 – Reading: Readings by UT professors Erica Dawson and Donald Morrill, and St. Petersburg poet laureate Peter Meinke. Held on the UT campus, Sykes Chapel and Center for Faith and Values.
Tuesday, Jan. 10 – Reading: Essayist and MacArthur “Genius” George Saunders, in conversation with Creative Loafing editor David Warner. Held on the UT campus, Vaughn Center, 9th Floor.
Wednesday, Jan. 11 – Reading: Novelists Josip Novakovich and Terese Svoboda. Held on the UT Campus, Sykes Chapel and Center for Faith and Values.
Thursday, Jan. 12 – Truth/truth: A joint event of the UT MFA and The Poynter Institute that will feature a discussion with Roy Peter Clark, writer and vice president and senior scholar of The Poynter Institute, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Thomas French and Peter Meinke. Moderated by John Capouya, UT professor and author of Gorgeous George. Held on the UT campus, Vaughn Center, Reeves Theater.

The UT MFA in Creative Writing program, which was established last spring, works by bringing students for ten-day residencies in January and June and then facilitating individual mentorship between students and writing faculty from a distance.

The Lectores series is sponsored by the University of Tampa College of Arts and Letters, The Poynter Institute, Creative Loafing, Tampa Bay Times, Inkwood Books and the Straz Center for the Performing Arts.

For more information, go to www.ut.edu/mfacw/.