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The Fred Case & Lola Austin Case Writer-in-Residence

Distinguished national writers of poetry and fiction visit the campus of Western Illinois University each year through the generous gift of Lola Austin Case and Fred Ewing Case. Visiting writers teach workshops and seminars to creative writing students, offer public readings of their latest works, and help create an environment which nurtures budding writers.

Case Writers are in residence for periods ranging from two weeks to an entire semester. Individual tutorials as well as seminars are available for creative writing students.

Spring 2012 Case Writer: Manuel Muñoz

  • Thu Mar 22: Public Reading
    7:00pm, Sherman Hall Auditorium (Third floor)
  • Fri Mar 23: Interview/Q&A
    4:30–5:30pm, Simpkins 027

Manuel Muñoz is the author of two collections of short stories, Zigzagger (Northwestern University Press, 2003) and The Faith Healer of Olive Avenue (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2007), which was shortlisted for the 2007 Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award. He is a recipient of a 2008 Whiting Writers’ Award and served as a juror, with A.M. Homes and Christine Schutt, for the 2011 PEN/O. Henry Awards. His first novel, What You See in the Dark, was published in 2011.

Manuel is the recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York Foundation for the Arts and he received a 2009 PEN/O. Henry Award for his story, “Tell Him About Brother John.” His work has appeared in numerous publications, including the New York Times, Glimmer Train, Epoch, Eleven Eleven, and Boston Review, and has aired on National Public Radio’s Selected Shorts. A native of Dinuba, California, Manuel graduated from Harvard University and received his MFA in creative writing at Cornell University. Manuel is on the faculty of the University of Arizona’s creative writing program as an assistant professor, and currently lives in Tucson.

Fall 2011 Case Writer

Susan Power, author of The Grass Dancer and Roofwalker, was the visiting Case Writer for the Fall 2011 semester.

  • Wednesday, October 19: The Fall 2011 Fred Ewing & Lola Austin Case Visiting Writer, Susan Power, interview and Q&A at 4:30 pm in the University Writing Center, Simpkins 341.
  • Thursday, October 20: The Fall 2011 Fred Ewing & Lola Austin Case Visiting Writer, Susan Power, reading from her forthcoming book, Our Lady of a New World, at 7 pm in the Sherman Hall auditorium, 3rd floor.

Past Case Writers-in-Residence