DENTON (UNT), Texas -- Two writers visiting the University of North Texas for the spring 2016 Visiting Writers Series sponsored by UNT's Creative Writing Program have had awards and nominations heaped upon them recently.
Rick Barot's new collection of poetry "Chord" was shortlisted for the 2016 PEN Open Book Award, and Colm Tóibín's novel "Brooklyn" was recently adapted into a film which has been nominated for three Academy Awards.
Barot and Tóibín will hold book readings and Q&A's while on campus, the details for which can be found below:
- Rick Barot: April 13 and 14 (Wednesday and Thursday) – Barot, this year's UNT Rilke Prize winner, has published three books of poetry, including "Want" (2008), which was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award and won the 2009 Grub Street Book Prize, and "Chord," which was recently shortlisted for the 2016 PEN Open Book Award. His poems and essays have appeared in numerous publications, and he directs The Rainier Writing Workshop, a low-residency MFA program in creative writing at Pacific Lutheran University. Finally, he serves as the poetry editor for "New England Review." Barot originally was scheduled to read as part of UNT's Visiting Writers Series on March 9, but his visit has now been moved to coincide with the previously scheduled UNT Rilke Prize dates in April.
- April 13 - Q&A: 7 p.m. at UNT on the Square, 109 N. Elm St.
- April 15 - Reading: 8 p.m. in Room 180 of the Business Leadership Building, 1307 W. Highland
- Colm Tóibín: April 5 (Tuesday) – Tóibín is the author of eight novels, including "Nora Webster" and "Brooklyn,"whose film adaptation has garnered three Academy Award nominations. He's also published two collections of short stories and regularly contributes to the New York Review of Books and the London Review of Books. He is the Irene and Sidney B. Silverman Professor of Humanities at Columbia University. His work has been translated into more than thirty languages.
- Q&A: 4 p.m. in the Forum of UNT's Willis Library, 1506 W. Highland St.
- Reading: 8 p.m. in Room 180 of the Business Leadership Building, 1307 W. Highland
Barnes & Noble at UNT will be at every evening reading and will have copies of the featured writer's books for sale. All events in the Visiting Writers Series are free. For more information about the Creative Writing program's Visiting Writers series, visit its website or contact Lisa Vining at 940-369-5981.