Bestselling fiction writer Tony Earley and Dr. Mark Baumgartner will share the stage at East Tennessee State University on Thursday, Nov. 19, for the Bert C. Bach Written Word Initiative’s annual Fall Feature.

The free event will include two sessions in the Performance Lab, room 106, of the new Academic Building. Earley and Baumgartner will first take part in a conversation about fiction from 1:20-2:40 p.m., followed by a reading from 2:55-4:10 p.m.

Baumgartner is an associate professor of English at ETSU in the Phil and Martha Bachman College of Arts and Sciences, and director of the creative writing minor. His work has appeared in literary journals and anthologies including The Southern Review, Fugue, Tampa Review and Yemassee.

Baumgartner will read from his debut short story collection, “Last Chance for a Slow Dance,” published this November by Jackleg Press. Earley will read from his recent fiction and broader body of work.

“Every year, the Bach Written Word Initiative aims to have something special for our Fall Feature event, and this year promises to be one for the ages,” said Dr. Jesse Graves, ETSU poet-in-residence. “Not only do we have bestselling fiction writer Tony Earley visiting us, but he will be sharing the stage with our own professor of English, Mark Baumgartner.”

Earley is the author of five books, including the story collections “Here We Are in Paradise” and “Mr. Tall” and the novels “Jim the Boy” and “The Blue Star.” A National Magazine Award and Pushcart Prize winner, he holds the Samuel Milton Fleming Chair in English at Vanderbilt University.

Previous Fall Feature guests include Margaret Renkl, Jeff VanderMeer and Li-Young Lee.

Atlas Books will have books available for purchase. The event is hosted by the Bert C. Bach Written Word Initiative with support from the Mary B. Martin School of the Arts.

Learn more at https://bit.ly/4zDoDar.