About a dozen MFA students and faculty members spent a long weekend in Los Angeles last week for the annual Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) conference. From Wednesday, March 30, through Saturday, April 2, the conference go-ers attended panel discussions about writing, publishing, and teaching, as well as on- and off-site readings and events around downtown LA. West Virginia University Press also coordinated a reading by two of their new authors, Jonathan Corcoran and Jessie van Eerden, whose books have just come out.

MFA students Megan Fahey (left) and Maggie Behringer (right) during a shift at the exhibition table.

Second-year student Whitney Arnold said the Graywolf nonfiction Reading and Conversation panel with authors Geoff Dyer, Leslie Jamison, and Maggie Nelson made the cross-country trek worth it. And professor Glenn Taylor most enjoyed the Hugo House Literary Series All Stars, featuring Jennine Capo Crucet, Natalie Diaz, Roxane Gay, and Jess Walter all reading new work based on a themed prompt. Each author injected the theme with humor, he said, which was a much appreciated interlude.

The English department held a reception at the hotel on Friday night to celebrate fifteen years of WVU’s MFA program, twenty years of the West Virginia Writers’ Workshop, and five years of Cheat River Review. Alums, past English faculty, and newly accepted students were among the many who attended and enjoyed fancy and festive specialty cupcakes.