Poets with WMU ties take the stage in 'Fairy Tales' poetry reading

KALAMAZOO—A poetry reading in March titled "Fairy Tales, Legends and Myths" will feature three poets with ties to Western Michigan University.

The reading is at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 18, in the Portage District Library, 300 Library Lane, in Portage, Mich. The authors will be available to autograph their books, and Kazoo Books will sell the writers' works. The event is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be served.

Featured poets

The three WMU poets include:

• Hedy Habra, author of a critically acclaimed poetry collection, "Tea in Heliopolis," a short story collection, "Flying Carpets," winner of the 2013 Arab American Book Award's Honorable Mention in Fiction, and a book of literary criticism, "Mundos alternos y artísticos en Vargas Llosa." She holds master's and master of fine arts degrees in English and master's and doctoral degrees in Spanish literature, all from WMU, where she currently teaches.

• Judith Rypma, a WMU master faculty specialist in children's literature and creative writing in the WMU Department of English. Rypman has taught at WMU for more than 20 years. After a career as a travel journalist, Rypma earned a master's degree in creative writing at WMU. Her poetry and short stories appear frequently in literary journals, and she has published five books of poetry, including "Looking for the Amber Room," "Sewing Lessons," the All Nations Chapbook Contest winner "Rapunzel's Hair" and "Holy Rocks and Mineral Treasures."

• Dr. Janet Ruth Heller, president of the Michigan College English Association. She has a doctoral degree in English from the University of Chicago and is the author of the poetry collections "Exodus," "Folk Concert: Changing Times" and "Traffic Stop." She also wrote the critically acclaimed children's book "How the Moon Regained Her Shape" and has taught in the WMU Departments of English and Gender and Women's Studies.

Also reading at the event will be Lynn Pattison, a teacher for Kalamazoo Public Schools for 31 years and author of the collections "tesla's daughter," "Walking Back the Cat" and "Light That Sounds Like Breaking;" Julie Stotz-Ghosh, who teaches writing and literature at Kalamazoo Valley Community College and whose work has appeared in various journals and anthologies; and Kathleen McGookey, author of "Whatever Shines" and "October Again," whose poems, prose poems and translations have appeared in more than 40 journals and 10 anthologies.

For more information, email Heller at janetheller@charter.net, call the library at (269) 329-4544 or visit pdl.lib.mi.us/events-and-classes.