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VANCOUVER, WASH. — Six Portland writers will discuss the successes and challenges of the creative life as part of the Professional Writers Series at Washington State University Vancouver this spring.

Free and open to the public, the presentations will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays between Feb. 3 and April 21 in Room 240 of the Library on campus. There will be an opening reception at 6:15 p.m. Feb. 3 in the Writing Center, Library, Room 203.

The six writers have published a range of genres, from literary novels to thrillers, biographies to poetry. The series is designed to provide insights into the writing process and the ways authors interact both creatively and commercially with other writers, editors, publishers and designers.

This year’s Professional Writers Series includes:

Feb. 3: Tom Spanbauer
“Dangerous Writing”
Considered the patriarch of the Portland writing scene, Spanbauer is the founder and creative force behind Dangerous Writing, a legendary workshop. He has written five novels known for their fresh and lyrical prose style alongside solid storytelling. His latest, “I Loved You More” (2014), explores the relationships in a love triangle over 25 years.

Feb. 17: Molly Gloss
“Reinventing the Western”
Gloss is the bestselling author of several award-winning books, including “The Jump-Off Creek” (1989) and “Wild Life” (2000). Novelist Kent Haruf said she has “a permanent place on the shelf of American literature which features tough, smart, independent women.”

March 3: Chelsea Cain
“Writing Killer Fiction”
Cain sets her thrillers in Portland. Described by the New York Times as “steamy and perverse,” her mysteries pit detective Archie Sheridan against serial killer Gretchen Lowell. Her latest book, “One Kick” (2014), introduces her Kick Lannigan series.

March 24: Kevin Sampsell
“Writing Across Genres”
Sampsell is an editor (“Portland Noir”), publisher of Future Tense Books, and author of a short-story collection and a memoir. His stories and essays have appeared in Salon, McSweeney’s and elsewhere, and have been included in “Best Sex Writing 2012” and “Best American Essays 2013.”

April 7: Martha Grover
“The Modern Memoir”
The San Francisco Weekly praised Grover’s memoir, “One More for the People,” for staking out “new territory between talk, journal, memoir and essays.” For 10 years she has also been publisher and principal writer and illustrator for her print zine, Somnambulist.

April 21: Shawn Levy
“Literature and Legends”
A leading writer on popular culture, Levy most recently published an acclaimed biography of Robert De Niro, “De Niro: A Life” (2014). He has written books and articles about film, pop culture, books and sports for the New York Times and many other publications. Levy was the Oregonian’s film critic from 1997 to 2012.

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MEDIA CONTACT(S)
Brenda Alling, Office of Marketing and Communications, 360-546-9601, brenda_alling@vancouver.wsu.edu