Crystal Wilkinson, who has written extensively about growing up African-American in Appalachia, will visit the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford on Nov. 1.
Wilkinson will speak at noon in the Mukaiyama University room of the Frame-Westerberg Commons. A light lunch will be served. The event is free and open to the public.
Her work includes and an award-winning collection of short stories titled “Blackberries, Blackberries” and her latest book is “The Birds of Opulence,” a story about a world full of magic mixed with harsh realities.
Wilkinson’s short stories, poems and essays have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies, including most recently in the Oxford American and the Appalachian anthology “Walk Till the Dogs Get Mean.”
She has received recognition from The Kentucky Foundation for Women, The Kentucky Arts Council, and The Mary Anderson Center for the Arts and The Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, and is a recipient of the Chaffin Award for Appalachian literature.
Wilkinson was raised in Indian Creek, Ky., and now lives in Lexington, Ky., with her partner, Ron Davis.
She graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a bachelor of arts degree in journalism in 1985 before earning her master of fine arts degree from Spalding University.
“As well as a great writer, Wilkinson is a great speaker and teacher. She writes about people of all ages, which appeals to readers of all ages. It’s a wonderful opportunity for students to talk to an author of a book they’ve read,” said Dr. Nancy McCabe, professor of writing, and director of the writing program at Pitt-Bradford.
