Two-time Pushcart Prize winner Benjamin Percy gives a reading of his work at Coastal Carolina University's James J. Johnson Auditorium on Thursday, Sept. 21, at 5:30 p.m. This reading, part of the Words to Say It Visiting Writers Series, is free and open to the public, and a reception and book signing will follow.

Percy is the author of novels "The Dark Net," "The Dead Lands," "Red Moon" and "The Wilding"; two books of short stories, "Refresh, Refresh" and "The Language of Elk"; and a craft book, "Thrill Me: Essays on Fiction." He writes the Green Arrow and Teen Titans series for DC Comics and James Bond for Dynamite Entertainment.

"I cannot think of a better author to kick off the fall semester of the English Department's Words to Say It Visiting Writer's series," said Jason Ockert, professor and coordinator of creative writing at CCU. "Percy is a fiction writer who packs a tremendous punch. His work clutches readers by the shoulders and shakes them around until the heart rattles. He has an unforgettable reading voice and stage presence. He's also a gregarious, giving individual who genuinely cares about fostering a community of writers."

Percy's work has been published in Esquire, GQ, Time, The Wall Street Journal, Tin House, Ploughshares, Glimmer Train, McSweeney's and The Paris Review. His other honors include a National Education Association fellowship, the Whiting Writer's Award, the Plimpton Prize and inclusion in "Best American Short Stories."

Percy earned an MFA in creative writing from Southern Illinois University and an undergraduate degree in English/creative writing from Brown University.

The Words to Say It series aims to bring critically acclaimed authors to campus each year. These authors are selected both for their literary skill and their commitment to the socially transformative imagination.

The Johnson Auditorium is in Room 116 of the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration, located at 119 Chanticleer Drive E. on the main Conway Campus. Free visitor parking is available in nearby lots.

For more information on this event or The Words to Say It Series, contact Joe Oestreich, coordinator for the series and department chair of English for CCU, at joeo@coastal.edu or 843-349-2433. Visit coastal.edu/english. To view more cultural events, visit coastal.edu/culturalarts.