Sixth Annual Highlander Literary Festival to explore creativity in the classroom

Photo of Crystal Wilkinson

Crystal Wilkinson

Authors Crystal Wilkinson and Carrie Brown are joining the Radford University community for the Sixth Annual Highlander Literary Festival on Tuesday, April 15.

The festival, presented by the RU English Club, will feature readings, book signings, a panel discussion and a reception. Events begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Hurlburt Student Center Auditorium and admission is free.

Wilkinson is the author of "Blackberries, Blackberries," winner of the 2002 Chaffin Award for Appalachian Literature and "Water Street," a finalist for both the UK’s Orange Prize for Fiction and the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award. She is a founding member of the Affrilachian Poets, a group that advocates for the multicultural voice in Appalachian literature.

Photo of Carrie Brown

Carrie Brown

Brown is the author of six novels — "Rose’s Garden," "Lamb in Love," "Confinement," "The Hatbox Baby," "The Rope Walk" and, most recently, "The Last First Day" — as well as a collection of short stories, "The House on Belle Isle." She has won many awards for her work, including a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship, the Barnes and Noble Discover Award, the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize, The Great Lakes Book Award, and, twice, the Library of Virginia Award.

This year's panel discussion question is, "How has the study of creative writing affected you and your students, both inside and outside the classroom?" Moderating the discussion will be Louis Gallo, prose author, poet and RU professor of English.

Supporting the English Club in sponsoring the event are the RU Club Programming Committee, the Department of English and the Appalachian Regional and Rural Studies Center.

Apr 14, 2014