Creative Writing Studio Reading Series features York authors

Michael Helm and David Goldstein head shots

Readings by several faculty members of York’s Creative Writing Program will kick-off this year’s Creative Writing Studio Reading Series Wednesday, introducing students of the program, as well as the broader University community, to some of their award-nominated and award-winning work.

David Goldstein head shotThe event will take place Oct. 3, from 1 to 2:30pm, in the Senior Common Room, 305 Founders College, Keele campus. Everyone is welcome to attend.

David Goldstein

The readers will include Jennifer Duncan (BA Hons. ’93), Rishma Dunlop, David Goldstein, Michael Helm, Patricia Keeney, Margo Swiss and Priscila Uppal (BA Hons. ’97, PhD ’04).

Rishma Dunlop head shotRishma Dunlop

The series will feature readings in fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction by Ken Babstock; Miriam Toews; John Barton; Christopher Doda and Ray Robertson, co-editors of The Best Canadian Essays; as well as graduates of Michael Helm head shot York’s Creative Writing and English programs Meaghan Strimus, Leigh Kotsilidis and Samantha Bernstein. More readers will be announced in January.

Michael Helm

The Creative Writing program was founded at York in 1975. Over the years, the program has boasted Don Coles, Frank Davey, Irving Layton, Eli Mandel, Don Patricia Keeney head shotSummerhayes and Miriam Waddington among its faculty.

Patricia Keeney

Graduates of the program include Nino Ricci, Jason Guriel (who also teaches), Priscila Uppal head shotMichael Redhill, Shyam Selvadurai, Jason Sherman and Eliza Clark. Many have gone on to win national and international writing prizes – Governor General’s Literary Awards, the Chalmers Award, the Emily Dickinson Prize for poetry, the Bronwen Wallace Award and many others.

Priscila Uppal

The series is named for the on-line literary journal Studio, which presents new voices alongside established ones, such as Griffin Prize winning poet A.F. Moritz.