SPECTRA Reading Series: Andrea Rexilius & Eric Baus
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SPECTRA Lives! The Quad Cities longest-running reading series returns to Rozz-Tox to celebrate the David R. Collins Writers’ Conference with back-to-back events on June 24-25.
The kick-off on Wednesday, June 24 features poets Eric Baus and Andrea Rexilius, who will lead a community write-in (a short writing prompt for people to gather and write together), followed by a public open mic, and then the features readings, which Sarah Elgatian will open. The community write-in starts at 6:00 p.m., open mic at 7:00 p.m. (spaces are limited, 5-minute sets, first come first serve), and the featured readings at 8:00 p.m.
The event on Thursday, June 25 features the faculty of the Writers’ Conference: Knox College professor Cyn Kitchen; Poet Laureate of Rockford, IL Adam al-Sirgany; novelist Tatiana Schlote-Bonne; and poet and publisher Margaret Yapp. The event starts with a social at 6:00 p.m., followed by an open mic at 7:00 p.m. for Conference attendees, and then the Faculty readings at 8:00 p.m.
Both events are free and open to the public; books by all the featured authors and by MWC Press will be available for purchase. Donations to MWC are welcome and go to support youth writing programs in the QC. For those interested in attending the Writers’ Conference, full information and registration can be found here: https://www.mwcqc.org/events-opportunities/david-r-collins-writers-conference/
Please contact Ryan Collins at MWC with questions and media inquiries: [email protected] | 309-732-7330.
Bios:
Eric Baus is the author of five books of poetry: How I Became a Hum (Octopus Books, 2020) The Tranquilized Tongue, (City Lights 2014), Scared Text, winner of the Colorado Prize for Poetry (Center for Literary Publishing, 2011), Tuned Droves (Octopus Books, 2009), and The To Sound, winner of the Verse Prize (Wave Books, 2004). He is also the author of several chapbooks, most recently The Rain Of The Ice (Above/Ground Press 2014) and Euphorbia (Above/Ground Press 2019). His poems have been translated into French, Spanish, Italian, and Finnish. He is a graduate of the PhD program in Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Denver as well as the MFA program for poets and writers at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He teaches literature and creative writing at Regis University’s Mile High MFA program in Denver, which he co-directs with poet Andrea Rexilius.
Andrea Rexilius is the author of: Séance of the Bees (Clash Books, 2026), Sister Urn (Sidebrow, 2019), New Organism: Essais (Letter Machine, 2014), Half of What They Carried Flew Away (Letter Machine, 2012), and To Be Human Is To Be A Conversation (Rescue Press, 2011), as well as the chapbooks, Séance (Coconut Books, 2014), To Be Human (Horseless Press, 2010), and Afterworld (above/ground press, 2020). She earned an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2005), and a Ph.D. in English and Literary Arts from the University of Denver (2010). Andrea is the Program Director for Regis University’s Mile-High MFA in Creative Writing. She also teaches in the Poetry Collective at Lighthouse Writers Workshop in Denver, Colorado.
The SPECTRA Reading Series is supported by Quad City Arts, through the Arts Dollars re-granting program, supported by The Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, The Hubbell-Waterman Foundation, and the Quad Cities Community Foundation – Isabel Bloom Art Education Endowment,.
The David R. Collins Writers’ Conference is supported by Modern Woodman of America – Founding Sponsor, the Illinois Arts Council, and Rozz-Tox.
The kick-off on Wednesday, June 24 features poets Eric Baus and Andrea Rexilius, who will lead a community write-in (a short writing prompt for people to gather and write together), followed by a public open mic, and then the features readings, which Sarah Elgatian will open. The community write-in starts at 6:00 p.m., open mic at 7:00 p.m. (spaces are limited, 5-minute sets, first come first serve), and the featured readings at 8:00 p.m.
The event on Thursday, June 25 features the faculty of the Writers’ Conference: Knox College professor Cyn Kitchen; Poet Laureate of Rockford, IL Adam al-Sirgany; novelist Tatiana Schlote-Bonne; and poet and publisher Margaret Yapp. The event starts with a social at 6:00 p.m., followed by an open mic at 7:00 p.m. for Conference attendees, and then the Faculty readings at 8:00 p.m.
Both events are free and open to the public; books by all the featured authors and by MWC Press will be available for purchase. Donations to MWC are welcome and go to support youth writing programs in the QC. For those interested in attending the Writers’ Conference, full information and registration can be found here: https://www.mwcqc.org/events-opportunities/david-r-collins-writers-conference/
Please contact Ryan Collins at MWC with questions and media inquiries: [email protected] | 309-732-7330.
Bios:
Eric Baus is the author of five books of poetry: How I Became a Hum (Octopus Books, 2020) The Tranquilized Tongue, (City Lights 2014), Scared Text, winner of the Colorado Prize for Poetry (Center for Literary Publishing, 2011), Tuned Droves (Octopus Books, 2009), and The To Sound, winner of the Verse Prize (Wave Books, 2004). He is also the author of several chapbooks, most recently The Rain Of The Ice (Above/Ground Press 2014) and Euphorbia (Above/Ground Press 2019). His poems have been translated into French, Spanish, Italian, and Finnish. He is a graduate of the PhD program in Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Denver as well as the MFA program for poets and writers at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He teaches literature and creative writing at Regis University’s Mile High MFA program in Denver, which he co-directs with poet Andrea Rexilius.
Andrea Rexilius is the author of: Séance of the Bees (Clash Books, 2026), Sister Urn (Sidebrow, 2019), New Organism: Essais (Letter Machine, 2014), Half of What They Carried Flew Away (Letter Machine, 2012), and To Be Human Is To Be A Conversation (Rescue Press, 2011), as well as the chapbooks, Séance (Coconut Books, 2014), To Be Human (Horseless Press, 2010), and Afterworld (above/ground press, 2020). She earned an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2005), and a Ph.D. in English and Literary Arts from the University of Denver (2010). Andrea is the Program Director for Regis University’s Mile-High MFA in Creative Writing. She also teaches in the Poetry Collective at Lighthouse Writers Workshop in Denver, Colorado.
The SPECTRA Reading Series is supported by Quad City Arts, through the Arts Dollars re-granting program, supported by The Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, The Hubbell-Waterman Foundation, and the Quad Cities Community Foundation – Isabel Bloom Art Education Endowment,.
The David R. Collins Writers’ Conference is supported by Modern Woodman of America – Founding Sponsor, the Illinois Arts Council, and Rozz-Tox.
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Where is it happening?
Rozz-Tox, 2108 3rd Ave, Rock Island, IL 61201-8805, United States
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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Host or PublisherMidwest Writing Center
