The bookshelves of Thompson Library where Ava Winter’s “Transgenesis” can be found. Credit: Audrey Coleman | Lantern Reporter
Winter is coming to Ohio State — not just the season, but also the author.
Ohio State’s Department of English — specifically its Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing — will host a poetry reading with author and alum Ava Winter Friday, according to the department’s website. The reading and subsequent Q&A, which is a part of the department’s Visiting Writers Series, will run from 4-5 p.m. in room 165 of Thompson Library.
According to the department’s website, Friday’s reading will come from Winter’s 2023 National Poetry Series winner, titled “Transgenesis.” According to the Academy of American Poets’ website, the book compiles poems that explore connections between Jewish transfemininity, queer desire and cultural histories.
Tess Cumpstone, coordinator of the MFA Program in Creative Writing, said in an email that Friday’s event will mark the second installment of the Visiting Writers Series. She said this free, annual series helps engage Ohio State’s creative writing community in a meaningful way.
“Our first was Jane Wong in September, and our final reading with Erika T. Wurth will be at the end of February 2025,” Cumpstone said.
Cumpstone said one key aspect of the event is providing an opportunity for attendees to not just hear Winter read her work, but also directly interact with her.
“Usually the structure is as follows; Approximately 30 minutes of reading, 30 minutes of audience Q&A, and then an opportunity to buy the author’s book and have them signed,” Cumpstone said. “Books will be available for sale from Prologue Bookshop.”
Marcus Jackson, director of creative writing in the Department of English, said in an email he feels excited to have Winter as a visiting writer this year.
“It’s an ongoing joy to welcome next-level writers to Ohio State’s campus so they can share their work publicly,” Jackson said. “Winter’s poetry has been wondrous and crucial for years, and since she recently won the National Poetry Series, the timing is perfect for her to visit our community.”
Jackson said Winter’s impact on Ohio State, especially within the Department of English, has been lasting.
”When she was here as an MFA candidate, her prowess as a writer and teacher was known and deeply appreciated by so many folks in our department and program,” Jackson said.
Jackson also said the department’s Visiting Writers Series plays a crucial role in bringing diverse voices to campus, all while offering valuable opportunities for students and the wider community to converse with established authors.
“Each academic year, we are fortunate enough for three renowned writers to join us, to read and to lead a small workshop for our graduate students,” Jackson said. “This exchange propels our university and our larger literary community toward new discoveries and connections.”
Jackson said he hopes students will take the initiative to read some of Winter’s work before the event, as doing so permits them to connect more deeply with her writing and arrive at the reading with a richer understanding of her style.
“I hope students can take in a sentence, a line or an entire piece that deepens their experience of the world,” Jackson said.
Winter’s Friday reading and Q&A are free and open to the public. More information can be found on the Department of English’s website.
