Valley Writers Series Hosts Author and Instructor Alison Ruch

The Valley Writers Series at Linn-Benton Community College will host a reading by Corvallis author and LBCC English faculty Alison Ruch on Wednesday, Feb. 16 at 10 a.m. in the LBCC Forum building, room F-104, 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW, Albany.

Ruch writes short fiction and teaches composition and creative writing classes at LBCC. In spring of 2009, she received an award as one of LBCC’s outstanding part-time faculty.

Originally from Madison, Wisconsin, Ruch moved to Corvallis in 2004 and received her master’s of fine art degree in Creative Writing at Oregon State University. During the program, she wrote a novel about a comic book artist entitled Comic Toast.

Currently, Ruch is working on a collection of short stories, tentatively titled Human Error. Ruch’s story “Safe” is forthcoming in The Iowa Review. She has published stories in Stringtown Magazine and with the Oregon Literary Review.

At the reading, Ruch will introduce her fiction collection project, talk about themes she likes to explore, and reveal where she finds inspiration. She’ll read one of her short stories, answer questions, and, if there’s time, coordinate a short fiction writing activity.

The Valley Writers Series is sponsored by the LBCC English Department and exists to connect beginning writers with professional writers and to stimulate creative writing among area students, to enhance literary awareness in our community, and to encourage Oregon writers.

Valley Writers Series is free and open to the public. For questions about this event or suggestions for future events, contact Jane White at whitej@linnbenton.edu or Lucette Wood at woodl@linnbenton.edu.