Standing in front of a packed audience, creative writing students share their innermost thoughts in the form of articles, stories and poems.
The Gulf Coast Reading Series had its first event of the semester last week at Rudyard’s British Pub. The reading featured two Master of Fine Arts candidates, Katie Condon and Will Wilkinson, and creative writing doctoral student J.S.A. Lowe.
“Readings happen once a month during the academic year, and it is my job to showcase writers from our graduate writing program,” said Gulf Coast Managing Editor Karyna McGlynn.
“I try to make sure there is diversity at each reading so people get to hear a variety of work and have a unique experience”.
The Gulf Coast Reading Series is an extension of UH’s literary magazine “Gulf Coast.” It is an independent nonprofit magazine run by graduate students. Founded in 1986 and published twice a year, it consists of fiction and nonfiction works, poetry, visual arts and book reviews written by graduate students.
McGlynn said the reading series has been a tradition for more than 20 years. Although the idea of the readings hasn’t changed, its location has.
“For many years, the readings took place at a bookstore, but when I took over the managing editor position, we decided to move it to Rudyard’s Pub,” McGlynn said.
“We thought a bar atmosphere would be more fun and inclusive. Also, we wanted to branch out to the community by having a more relaxed environment and more space.”
Condon read five poems at the event and said she is inspired to write by observations and what arises from those observations. She said why she writes has less to do with inspiration than with a desperate need to surprise herself. Her personal goal is to be as honest as possible every time she writes.
“Many of the poems I read put pressure on the female social stereotype and the problems that arise from those stereotypes,” Condon said. “Others were lighter, like the first poem of the night, which involved James Franco, cappuccino and drinking wine with Jack Kerouac.”
McGlynn thought the first reading went well and was excited by the large turnout. She said it’s important for people to hear poetry out loud and felt that all three readers did a great job at expressing themselves through words.
“Poetry heard out loud gives writers a way to connect with the audience and allows the audience to see the poetry in its living, breathing form,” McGlynn said. “It’s electric, and right there in front of you. It enables the audience to really connect to the pieces that speak to them.”
Next month’s reading will be on Oct. 12 and will feature Jamaal May, Eleanor Boudreau, Conor Bracken and David Tomas. Readings are free and open to the public.