Writing

Community United Church of Christ is hosting transgender poet Jay Hulme for an event this December. Hulme is an award-winning poet, speaker, and theologian, known for his acclaimed poem Jesus at the Gay Bar. Hulme …

Champaign native John Milas will be at the Urbana Free Library this Saturday, November 11th to discuss his debut novel, The Militia House. I caught up with Milas earlier this year to chat about his …

Pulitzer prize finalist Luis Alberto Urrea will be on campus to discuss his new World War II novel, Good Night, Irene. The novel “tells the little-known story of the American Red Cross Clubmobile Service—a group …

As a kid, I never read a choose your own adventure book, but I recently discovered it is never too late to try out the genre. I decided to read The Murder at Old Willow …

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the great authors series at the Champaign Public Library. For the first time, there was an afternoon music event and an evening talk with book signing. I …

U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón will be at Spurlock Museum this month for an evening event that is part conversation and part poetry reading. The event “follows Limón as she shares with us how poetry …

“How did an unknown indie-rock band from Champaign, IL, get its first show in New York City and at a bar co-owned by Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones? I attribute it to the kindness …

When most people hear PYGMALION, they think “music.” And it’s true — there are tons of excellent music events happening. But, as I wrote in my recent interview with poet Deon Robinson, I want to …

Urbana Poet Laureate Ja Nelle Davenport-Pleasure and National Book Award Finalist Roger Reeves will be doing a poetry reading at the University of Illinois September 26th. Davenport-Pleasure is the author of three books of poetry: Eyes …