Local and regional authors will gather on Friday at 7 p.m. in the Emma Kelly Theatre downtown for "Write Place: The Statesboro Writers Festival."
    The writers — Lori Amy, Jenny Lynn Anderson, Kathy Bradley, Will McIntosh, Eric Nelson and Tina Whittle — will read from their recent publications. There is no cost for admission to attend the authors’ readings.
    Working collaboratively, Georgia Southern University’s Department of Writing and Linguistics, Statesboro Magazine, the Statesboro Convention and Visitors’ Bureau and the Averitt Center for the Arts organized the event for the community to meet local authors and hear them read from their own works.
    “We’ve discovered that Statesboro is really a hotbed of creative writing talent,” said Lynn Lilly, a member of Georgia Southern’s Department of Writing and Linguistics Advisory Board. “The university’s outstanding writing program, the wealth of local history and events, and the Averitt Center’s emphasis on artistic creativity, are just a few of the circumstances that work together to encourage residents to share their talents.”
    The Department of Writing and Linguistics at Georgia Southern is the only freestanding writing department in the state and one of only a handful in the nation. In addition to offerings in creative writing, the department offers courses in professional and technical writing, writing studies and linguistics.
    Authors featured at the event who will read selections of their works include:
    Lori Amy — “The Wars We Inherit,” called “brave, fascinating and compelling,” combines personal memoir and critical analysis, linking the violence in our homes to the violence of our culture.
    Jenny Lynn Anderson — “Room 939: 15 Minutes of Horror, 20 Years of Healing” is a personal story of healing in the face of adversity. The book premieres in November.
    Kathy Bradley — “Breathing and Walking Around” won the Will D. Campbell Award for Creative Nonfiction. Said judges, “[Ms. Bradley’s] voice is one of … broad and broadening reverence.”
    Will McIntosh — He won science fiction’s Hugo Award for his short story “Bridesicle.” Said Publishers Weekly of his debut novel, “Soft Apocalypse,” “Though it may be soft, this apocalypse has plenty of sharp edges.”
    Eric Nelson — He has won numerous awards for his poetry. His books include “The Twins,” “Terrestrials,” “The Interpretation of Waking Life,” “The Light Bringers” and “On Call.”
    Tina Whittle — She is the author of “The Danger Edge of Things.” Her debut novel earned the Library Journal’s starred review, “We can’t wait for the next one.”