Creative writing graduates showcase work

On Wednesday evening, students enjoyed a night of literary works in the Honors College Commons by literature and creative writing doctoral candidates Edward Porter, Will Donnelly and Janine Joseph from the UH Creative Writing Program.

Porter and his colleagues began the poetry and prose free reading series to showcase the works of talent in students, faculty, staff, alumni and other well-known writers.

“For a reading like this, I have stories of gloom and despair that I would rather let people off a little bit if I can,” Porter said.

Donnelly, recent online editor for “Gulf Coast: A Journal of Literature and Fine Arts,” shared a piece from a collection of short stories in progress for his dissertation titled “F=DMV/DT.” The evening’s host described it as a funny and touching story about domestic and interstellar relationships.

“The thing that I do enjoy and appreciate the most about these events is that it does demonstrate the public interest in hearing literature, which is really wonderful,” Donnelly said.

Joseph, former “Gulf  Coast” poetry editor, was the second reader of the evening. She was introduced to the audience with a mention of her poems published in the “Asian American Literary Review” and “Hayden’s Ferry Review.”

Joseph chose to read poems from the manuscript of her dissertation that follow an undocumented immigrant speaker through the course of 20 years.

Joseph wrote a commissioned libretto, “From My Mother’s Mother,” for the Houston Grand Opera’s “East + West” series, which is scheduled to premiere in November.

Former actor and “Gulf Coast” Fiction Editor Porter’s works have been published in the “Colorado Review,” “Barrelhouse Literary Magazine,” “Booth,” “Printer’s Devil Review” and other numerous publications.

Porter chose to share a piece from his fourth-coming short story to be published by “Barrelhouse.”

“I just want to say, and I am sure I speak for all three of us, for how grateful we are to the University for the support for the dissertation completion grant,” Porter said.

“It’s a dream come true for any writer.”

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