Nine students who will graduate from West Virginia University’s Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing in May will give a reading of their work April 29 at 7:30 p.m. in the Rhododendron Room of the Mountainlair.

The reading, which is free and open to the public, will feature six fiction writers, two poets, and one writer of creative nonfiction.

“This is a large and superb class,” said Mark Brazaitis, associate professor of English and the director of WVU’s Creative Writing Program. “The audience at the reading will be treated to gorgeous lyric poetry, inventive, literary writing about the future, gripping writing about the Kent State shootings and a whole lot more.”

The nine graduating MFA students and their hometowns are: Tony Clavelli (St. Charles, Ill.); Ann Claycomb (Potomac, Md.); Kori Frazier (Kent, Ohio); Jason Freeman (Hurricane); Jason Kapcalla (Stroudsburg, Pa.); Patrick Faller (Wapakoneta, Ohio); Lauren Reed (Hampton, Va.); Aaron Rote (Rivesville); and Emily Watson (Indianapolis, Ind.).

The graduating students have published their work in a variety of literary publications, including Shenandoah, Agni, Blueline, Santa Clara Review, Summerset Review, Up the Staircase, Stone’s Throw Magazine and the Appalachian women’s story collection The Zinnia Tales.

-WVU-

aw/4/27/10

WVU News on the Web – http://www.wvutoday.wvu.edu/

CONTACT: Mark Brazaitis
304-293-9707, Mark.Brazaitis@mail.wvu.edu