Writers at Queens: The QC Reading Series is a literary series for the entire Queens College community, both graduate and undergraduate students, celebrating the identity and creativity of Queens as a richly multilingual, culturally pluralistic community, one of the most diverse in the United States.
It features collaborative events between many departments and programs across campus, bringing in writers working across genres and fields, including poetry, fiction, graphic narrative, and translation. It is co-sponsored by the MFA Program in Creative Writing and Literary Translation, the English Department, the School of the Arts, and the Kupferberg Center.
Series Director: Nicole Cooley
Series Advisory Board: Nicole Cooley, Annmarie Drury, Briallen Hopper, William Orchard, Jason Tougaw, Ryan Black, Julia Del Palacio Langer, Jon Yanofsky
For more information, please contact [email protected].
Upcoming Events
Visual Storytelling Day with comics artist (and QC alum!) Kelly Fernandez
Monday Oct 6
This event is part of Queens College’s celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month
Co-sponsored with School of the Arts, the English Department, the MFA program in Creative Writing and Literary Translation, the Art Department, and the Latin American and Latino Studies Program.
Workshop 1: “Cartooning after College,” 12:15pm, Klapper 672. Refreshments and books for sale.
Workshop 2: “The Life Cycle of a Graphic Novel,” 6:30pm, Klapper 672. Refreshments and books for sale.
A Celebration of New York State Poet Laureate Kimiko Hahn
Wednesday, Oct 22, 7 pm, LeFrak Auditorium. (also live-streamed over Zoom)
Co-sponsored with the English Dept, the MFA program in Creative Writing & Literary Translation, Kupferberg Center for the Arts, AACS, and SOA.
Kimiko Hahn will read and be in conversation with MFA poetry alum Sonia Arora. A reception and book signing will follow the event.
“Careers in Publishing: An MFA Alumnae Roundtable”A Life in the Arts” – A Talk with Best-Selling Novelist Susan Issacs
Monday, October 27, 7 pm, Location TBA.
Susan Isaacs will be in conversation with QC sociology professor and novelist Dana Weinberg.
A reception will follow the event.
Women Who Rock: A reading and conversation with writers Deborah Paredez and Ann Powers
Monday, Nov 17, 7 pm, Choral Room, Music Building
Jason Tougaw will conduct the conversation after the reading.
A reception and book signing will follow the event. (This event will also be live-streamed.)
A Visit from National Poet Laureate Arthur Sze
Details coming soon!
Don’t miss out on these readings—sign up for our mailing list today!
Past Events
Ivan Velez: A Day of Comics Workshops
October 23, 2024
IVAN VELEZ JR. is a Latinx, Creative Capital / Xeric grant-winning cartoonist and writer for mainstream and independent comic books. Ivan is also an urban artist with great significance to the comic book industry. Creator of the 80s comic series Tales of the Closet, and co-creator of the early 90s series Blood Syndicate, Ivan has drawn and written comics that give greater representation to racial and sexual diversity. Ivan’s focus throughout his career has been to create complex stories featuring under-represented and culturally diverse heroes as they navigate real-life issues that plague our global communities. On October 23, Ivan will lead two comics workshops: details here.
This event is co-sponsored by Writers at Queens, The Department of English, MFA in Creative Writing and Literary Translation, MFA in Social Practice, Latin American and Latino Studies (LALS), The Office of the Dean of Arts and Humanities, The Office of the Provost, and in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.
Alaya Dawn Johnson
September 30, 2024
Alaya Dawn Johnson is an award-winning author of speculative fiction for adults and young adults and is currently Visiting Professor in the MFA Program in Creative Writing & Literary Translation at CUNY Queens College. She will be reading from her impressive body of work. Her most recent adult novel, Trouble the Saints, was the recipient of the World Fantasy Award for best novel. Her short story collection, Reconstruction, was published by Small Beer Press in January 2021. Her latest YA novel, The Library of Broken Worlds, is a finalist for the Ursula K. Le Guin award. She is current a Visiting Professor in the MFA Program in Creative Writing & Literary Translation at CUNY Queens College.
After the reading, Johnson will join in a conversation with the QC community led by MFA alum Megan Pindling, which will be followed by a reception with refreshments and books for sale.
