Renee Nicholson, assistant professor in the program for Multidisciplinary Studies at West Virginia University, will read selections from her recently published poetry collection “Roundabout Directions to Lincoln Center” on Oct. 30 from 7-9 p.m. in the lounge area of Elizabeth Moore Hall on the downtown campus.

The event is free and open to the public. A portion of the reading will be open for questions. A reception will follow.

In the book, Nicholson includes a variety of poems about her past experiences as a ballet dancer, her West Virginia experiences and her early adulthood viewed with a wiser eye, among others.

“Poetry invites us to think more deeply about things that matter to us,” Nicholson said.

Her poem, “What I Didn’t Need to Know,” was written after she’d returned from the beach and watched The Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week.”

“Vargas Girl” is a persona poem Nicholson wrote from the voice of a 1940s pinup girl who is annoyed by the ridiculous taglines she is paired with in magazine advertisements.

“This book was a surprise to me,” she said. “I’ve always been a fan of poetry, but never considered myself a poet. This book taught me a lot about my relationship with poetry.”

As an undergraduate student at Butler University, Nicholson took a number of English courses. But it wasn’t until she attended a reading for extra credit that she realized there was a wide variety of topics on which she was missing out.

“You have to give yourself the opportunity to experience things outside of your natural realm. That’s the cool thing about college. You could work at (a lot of different companies), but they aren’t going to host readings or symphony concerts. Whether my reading, or something else on campus, open yourself up and attend.”

“Roundabout Directions to Lincoln Center” is available at major book retailers.
For more information on the event or “Roundabout Directions to Lincoln Center,” contact Renee Nicholson at 304-293-4722 or renee.nicholson@mail.wvu.edu.

-WVU-

ma/10/13/14

CONTACT: Devon Copeland, Director of Marketing and Communication, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
304-293-6867, Devon.Copeland@mail.wvu.edu

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