Slam poets from across Iowa are invited to compete on Thursday, September 3, for the chance to represent Iowa City in the 2026 international Slamovision competition, a project of the UNESCO Cities of Literature network. The Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature, Iowa City Poetry and Mic Check will host the qualifying slam September 3
Will Boast will read from his new short story collection, The Submerged, which was named the 2026 Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction by the University of Georgia Press. The University of Georgia Press offers this introduction to The Submerged, which is praised by Molly Antopol, author of The UnAmericans, as "Bursting with compassion and wit and intelligence:"
Giano Cromley will read from his debut novel, American Mythology. Described as a "charming and comic debut novel about a quirky ensemble embarking on an epic quest to find Bigfoot," American Mythology is praised by Erin A. Craig, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Thirteenth Child, as a book that has " has completely stolen my heart,"
Flash Forward is PorchLight's monthly studio session for writers interested in short form writing: flash fiction, micro essays, prose poetry, and more. Join them and learn more about these miniature marvels. Each session includes a discussion of short form works we love, a generative writing prompt, optional sharing, and light positive feedback. Whether you're new to
Enjoy conversation, connection, and community over light snacks and wine. A collaboration with the International Writing Program, the International Lights Salon provides a space for visiting International writers, local artists, university students, and community members to engage in dialogue. September 5th's topic will revolve around queer aesthetics in writing and creating queer writing communities. The
Grief Writing - A monthly exploration of loss and heartbreak Jennifer New leads this monthly group that uses writing as a reflective tool to explore loss. Francis Weller's Five Gates of Grief provides a backbone to consider grief from multiple angles, e.g., death of loved ones, loss of health or ability, grief for the world. This is an
Please join us for our annual IWP Sunday Afternoon Reading Series! This week’s event features IWP Residents Nisrine Mbarki Ben Ayad (Netherlands), Nina Dragičević (Slovenia), and Hidayat Nordin (Singapore). They will be accompanied by Iowa Literary Translation MFA candidate Zubair Ibrahim Siddiqui. Nisrine Mbarki Ben Ayad (she/her), the Poet Laureate of the Netherlands (2026–2027), is an
University of Iowa PhD graduate Chris Vinsonhaler will read from her translation of Beowulf: An Epic Enigma. Descibred as a "radical reappraisal of the Old English epic" (beowulf.live), Beowulf: An Epic Enigma (Book I) is praised by Robert E. Bjork, Editor of Klaeber’s Beowulf and A Beowulf Handbook as "a riddling maze never seen before, a murder mystery of smoke and mirrors
University of Iowa Literary Translation MFA candidate Tabatha Leggett will read from her translation of Riikka Pulkkinen's novel, Enchantment, and will be joined in conversation with Jan Steyn. Described as "a spellbinding literary mystery that explores the uneasy terrain of girlhood, where one is always being watched, shaped, and judged by others" (scribepublications.com), Enchantment is praised by Shelf Awareness as
Patricia Albers will read from her new biography, Everything Is Photograph: A Life of André Kertész, and will be joined in conversation with Garth Greenwell. Described as "The first full biography of the innovative 'father of modern photography' vividly depicts his life and works, from Hungary to France and America, across the 20th century," Everything Is Photograph is
Iowa graduate Lizzie Buehler will read from her debut novel, The Obsessed, and will be joined in conversation by Julia Conrad. Described as "A bighearted portrait of the anxieties of desire explores the trials of modern dating, the strange ennui of academia, and the question of how to create a world for yourself within and without
This writer guided critique group offers poets the chance to receive carefully considered feedback, and find writerly community. Writers share drafts of work in advance so readers have enough time to provide considered feedback. Feedback is mostly positive, and descriptive, but writers can ask for proscriptive feedback if they wish. This workshop model centers the
Similar to their Long Project Check In, this group is for queer writers looking to build literary community together. Each session will include free writing, discussion of works in progress, and general literary support. Occasionally, there will be guests and opportunities for trading work. Visit their website to RSVP!
Ready to get some eyes on your work? This group provides careful readings and positive, descriptive feedback on works-in-progress. They meet twice a month and workshop two submissions of up to 20 pages at each meeting. They are currently open to adding one or two more members. They advise sitting in on a session to
Please join us for our annual IWP Sunday Afternoon Reading Series! This week’s event features IWP Residents Zodwa Nyoni (Zimbabwe, United Kingdom), Jun Li (Hong Kong), and Ingeborg von Zadow (Germany). They will be accompanied by Iowa Playwrights Workshop MFA candidate Darrin Terpstra. Zodwa Nyoni is a Zimbabwean-born writer and director whose multidisciplinary work spans theatre,
Sara Levine will read from her new novel, The Hitch. Describes as "a delightfully unhinged comedy following a woman as she attempts to exorcise the spirit of a dead corgi from her nephew and renegotiate the borders of her previously rational world" (sara-levine.com), The Hitch is praised by bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert as "one of the most wildly
Renowned Spanish poet Luis Muñoz will read from his debut North American poetry collection, One Moment, and will be joined by his English translators, his husband Garth Greenwell and Idra Novey. Described as "Sweet, surreal, and haunting," the poems in One Moment "examine both the frictions and elusiveness that can occur between self and others...the gentle observation of
The 2024 Paul Engle Prize winner and celebrated poet Camille T. Dungy will read from her newest poetry collection, America, a Love Story. Described by publisher Wesleyan University Press as a "powerful testament to living and loving as a Black woman and mother in today's America, and her first book of poetry in almost a decade," America,
Join Sidekick Coffee and Books for the launch of "What they Stole: Familicide Rooted in Intercountry Adoption" by Paige Towers in conversation with Sarah Elgatian. About the book: In 1955, following the devastation of the Korean War, Bertha and Harry Holt made headlines for adopting eight Korean children. Driven by evangelical convictions and emboldened by
Find the link on PrairieLights website Nancy Sowell, LICSW, will read from her new book co-authored with Martha Sweezy, PhD, and Richard C. Schwartz, PhD: IFS (Internal Family Systems) Health Therapy: Treating Trauma-Related Physical Illness & Toxic Stress. She will be joined in conversation by bestselling author and daughter, Melissa Febos. (Note: This will be a
Please join for their annual IWP Sunday Afternoon Reading Series! This week’s event features IWP Residents Nir Ratzkovsky (Israel) and Juan Carlos Reyes Vázquez (Mexico). They will be accompanied by University of Iowa Executive Director of the Office of Writing and Communication, Daniel Khalastchi, and Robert P. Dana Director of the Center for the Literary Arts
Co-sponsored by PorchLight and Iowa City Poetry, the Free Generative Writing Workshops provide a space for career writers, curious beginners, writers of all income levels and stages of life. Their goal is to make it easy to meet and learn from some of the most talented writer/teachers living in or passing through Iowa City. Every
PorchLight's Write Now Writer's Group provides community, and learning opportunities for beginning to intermediate writers. At their monthly meetings, share short craft lessons, generate writing from prompts, and, on occasion, provide responses to participants' work in progress. Writers working in any genre are welcome. This is a great group for writers who have not had the
Writers' Workshop graduate Peter Bognanni will read from his new novel, How to Lose Yourself Completely, and will be joined in conversation with Daniel Khalastchi. Bognanni's publisher offers this description of How to Lose Yourself Completely: "A teen grappling with grief and anxiety is sent to wilderness "adventure therapy,” where he meets a group of friends—and a
Katie Bennett will read from her new book, She Was Wild Grass, and will be joined in conversation with BRINK publisher and author Nina Lohman & BRINK editor Alisha Jeddeloh. Bennett's website offers this introduction: "She Was Wild Grass intertwines Bennett’s artistic coming-of-age with the story of Joan Vollmer, the remarkable yet overlooked figure of the Beat Generation whose life was cut
Join them for a special University of Iowa Book Matters event! University of Iowa Professor Kathy Lavezzo will read from her new book, Bad Medievalism and the Modernity Problem, and Iowa Assistant Professor William Rhodes will read from his newest book, The Work of Reform: Literature and Political Ecology from Langland to Spenser. They will be joined
Join Sidekick Coffee and Books for an evening with author Grant Faulkner in conversation with Yasmina Din Madden for his new book Something Out There in the Distance on September 24th at 7 pm. One book purchase admits two people. About the book: Flash-fiction master Grant Faulkner and photographer Gail Butensky have partnered to create
Ready to get some eyes on your work? This group provides careful readings and positive, descriptive feedback on works-in-progress. They meet twice a month and workshop two submissions of up to 20 pages at each meeting. They are currently open to adding one or two more members. They advise sitting in on a session to
Join them for their annual IWP Sunday Afternoon Reading Series! This week’s event features IWP Residents Monique Malcher (Brazil), Wame M. Molefhe (Botswana), and Lien Ming-wei (Taiwan). They will be joined by Iowa Writers' Workshop Poetry candidate, Aditya Menon. Monique Malcher is a writer, journalist, and visual artist born in Santarém, in western Pará, Brazil. She holds
Kyle McCarthy will read from his new novel, Immersions, and will be joined in conversation with Iowa Writers' Workshop Associate Professor, Kevin Brockmeier. Publisher Tin House (Zando) describes Immersions as "Black Swan meets Bluebeard in this novel of sisterly rivalry and obsessive love set in the New York City dance scene." Immersions is praised by bestselling author Leslie Jamison as "
Nicholas Russell will read from his new novel, Observer, and will be joined in conversation with 2026 Iowa Writers' Workshop Visiting Associate Professor (and Writers' Workshop graduate) Tony Tulathimutte. Publisher Ecco Press describes Observer as "A disquieting, atmospheric debut horror novel about a young woman investigating her mother’s disappearance at an abandoned Nevada observatory, for fans of Jeff
Flash Forward is PorchLight's monthly studio session for writers interested in short form writing: flash fiction, micro essays, prose poetry, and more. Join them and learn more about these miniature marvels. Each session includes a discussion of short form works we love, a generative writing prompt, optional sharing, and light positive feedback. Whether you're new to
Grief Writing - A monthly exploration of loss and heartbreak Jennifer New leads this monthly group that uses writing as a reflective tool to explore loss. Francis Weller's Five Gates of Grief provides a backbone to consider grief from multiple angles, e.g., death of loved ones, loss of health or ability, grief for the world. This is an
Join them for their annual IWP Sunday Afternoon Reading Series! This week’s event features IWP Residents Sang Young Park (South Korea) and Yaiza Berrocal Guevara (Spain). They will be joined by Iowa Writers' Workshop Fiction candidate, Toye Oladinni, and Associate Director of Writing Education for the Office of Writing and Communication at the University of
