Wordcraft -- Living poets and writers

Eight poets, novelists and short story writers will read and mingle at Southern Methodist University’s third annual literary festival this Thursday through Saturday, March 24-26.  All readings and receptions are free and open to the public but the Saturday luncheon with the authors requires a reservation.  The festival features poets Matt Hart, Rick Barot and C. Dale Young; novelists Benjamin Percy, John Pipkin and Rosalyn Story; and story writers Danielle Evans and Cynthia Phoel.

With the exception of the luncheon, all readings and receptions will take place in the DeGolyer Library on the SMU campus’s north side.  The library is the second building to the southeast of iconic Dallas Hall.  The festival opens with a reception at 6 p.m. Thursday, followed by readings by Story and Hart.  Pipkin and Phoel will open Friday’s activities with readings at 3 p.m., followed by a 6:30 p.m. reception and more readings at 7 p.m. by Percy and Barot.

Saturday’s luncheon from noon to 2 p.m. in Room 153 of Heroy Hall will include a discussion and a chance to meet the winners of SMU’s undergraduate writing prizes.  To RSVP for the luncheon, call 214-768-2945 or email smulitfest@gmail.com/  Following the luncheon at 2 p.m., Evans and Young will read from their works.

Rick Barot has published two volumes of poetry, The Darker Fall and Want.  Danielle Evans is the author of the short story collection, Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self, and her writings have been anthologized in The Best American Short Stories 2008 and 2010 and New Stories from the South 2010.  Matt Hart is the author of poetry collections Who’s Who Vivid and Wolf Face, and Light-Headed, out this spring.  Benjamin Percy’s latest novel, Red Moon, is forthcoming.  He is also the author of the novel Wilding, two books of short stories and numerous other stories and articles.

Cynthia Phoel’s linked short story collection, Cold Snap:  Bulgaria Stories, was published by SMU Press in 2010.  John Pipkin is the author of Woodsburner, a historical novel about a forest fire accidentally started by Henry David Thoreau in 1844.  Pipkin lives in Austin.  Rosalyn Story, a journalist, author and classical violinist, divides her time between writing and performing with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.  Her books include And So I Sing:  African American Divas of Opera and Concert and the novels More Than You Know and Wading Home.  She lives in Dallas.  C. Dale Young is the author of three books of poetry, most recently Torn, out this spring.  He practices medicine, edits poetry and reaches in the Warren Wilson MFA program for Writers.