Poet and editor Jenny Gropp will give a reading of her work as part of the Words to Say It Visiting Writers Series on Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 5:30 p.m. in the James J. Johnson Auditorium at Coastal Carolina University. This event is free and open to the public, and a reception and book signing will follow.

Gropp will read from her recent work "The Hominine Egg" (2017), a collection of poetry that explores topics of sexuality, desires, etymology, and the political eruptions that reside within language. According to publisher Kore Press, "'The Hominine Egg' suggests that vigilance is a spiritual practice, out of which one must hatch, again and again."

"I am an adoring fan of Jenny's work and how it kicks language and theory open in generative, intimate ways," said Jess Richardson, CCU visiting assistant professor of Creative Writing.

Gropp is the managing editor of the Georgia Review and is the forthcoming Executive Director of Woodland Pattern, a nonprofit book center that presents workshops, art exhibits, films, and talks for and with the community. Poetry and prose has appeared in Fence, Denver Quarterly, Best New Poets, Seattle Review, Colorado Review, Seneca Review, Typo and DIAGRAM, among others. The former editor of Black Warrior Review, Gropp also works as a freelance editor for W.W. Norton & Co. She earned her Masters of Fine Arts in creative writing from the University of Alabama and a Bachelor of Arts in English literature and creative writing from the University of Montana.

The Words to Say It series brings critically acclaimed authors to campus each year. These authors are selected both for their literary skill and their commitment to the socially transformative imagination. In March, award-winning author Ira Sukrungruang will read from his forthcoming work, "Buddha's Dog & Other Meditations," on March 29 at 5:30 p.m. Previous visiting authors include Benjamin Percy, Laura Kochman, Zachary Tyler Vickers and Elena Passarello, among others.

"The Words to Say It Visiting Writers Series brings some of the best fiction writers, poets and creative nonfiction writers in the country to Coastal," said Jason Ockert, professor of English at CCU and coordinator for the series. "By offering students, faculty and the community a chance to hear from a diverse range of award-winning authors, we enhance our academic culture."

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. Visit coastal.edu/aboutccu/campusmap for parking options.

For more information on this event or the Words to Say It Series, contact Ockert at jockert@coastal.edu or 843-349-2531. Visit coastal.edu/english.