91涩漫

91涩漫鈥檚 Department of Writing and Linguistics in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences will welcome Southern author and St. Simons Island, Ga., resident Tina McElroy Ansa as the department’s Visiting Writer for 2011. Ansa is a novelist, publisher, filmmaker, teacher and journalist. But above all, she is a storyteller. She calls herself 鈥減art of a long and honored writing tradition, one of those little Southern girls who always knew she wanted to be a writer.鈥澨� Ansa grew up in middle Georgia in the 1950s hearing her grandfather鈥檚 stories on the porch of her family home and strangers鈥� stories downtown in her father鈥檚 juke joint. These experiences became the inspiration for Mulberry, Georgia, the mythical world of her five novels,听Baby of the Family,听Ugly Ways,The Hand I Fan With,听You Know Better听补苍诲听Taking After Mudear. While at Georgia Southern, Ansa will teach the creative writing workshop course, “Writing the Novel,” in Summer 2011. Public readings are also planned, and more information about additional events will be made available once finalized. Ansa commented on the appointment,听“I am still a middle Georgia girl at heart, so I am especially thrilled at the opportunity to share my stories, viewpoint, experiences and skills with the students at Georgia Southern. In addition, because Georgia Southern — through the Georgia Authors Series Award for听Baby of the Family听— was the first to acknowledge my novels, I am pleased to reciprocate by working with the University’s emerging writers of fiction.” Ansa has been a regular contributor to the award-winning television seriesCBS Sunday Morning听with her essays, 鈥淧ostcards from Georgia.鈥澨� She also writes magazine and newspaper articles, op-ed pieces and book reviews for the听Los Angeles Times, (New York) Newsday, The Atlanta Constitution, and theFlorida Times-Union.听 Her non-fiction work has appeared in听Essence Magazine, The Crisis Magazine, Ms. Magazine, America Magazine,听and听Atlanta Magazine.听She is the founder of the Good Lil鈥� School Girl Foundation to promote and honor women of color听of all ages for their contributions to the arts, community, health and spiritual growth. This is the second year of the Visiting Writer series at 91涩漫. In 2010, the University hosted Janisse Ray, author of the award-winning memoir听Ecology of a Cracker Childhood. 鈥淭his will be a terrific opportunity for the students of 91涩漫,鈥� said Randall McClure, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Writing and Linguistics.听听鈥淭ina is not only an outstanding author, but an outstanding teacher and we are excited to have her join Georgia Southern as a visiting writer next summer.鈥� RECEPTION & READING SCHEDULED On Tuesday, March 29, Georgia Southern and the Friends of the Statesboro Regional Library will host a reception and public reading to welcome Ansa to the University.听听The reception will be held at 6 p.m. in the Community Room at the Statesboro Regional Library, followed by a public reading at 7 p.m. Both events are free of charge and open to the public. SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT AT LANGSTON CHAPEL MIDDLE SCHOOL SCHEDULED 听On Wednesday, March 30, Ansa will speak to eighth graders at Bulloch County鈥檚 Langston Chapel Middle School.听听The state鈥檚 curriculum requires all eighth graders to read works by a Georgia author. Ansa will speak to all 150 8^th听grade students at the school. This event has been organized by the Friends of the Statesboro Regional Library. For more information about the author, visit:.听听For more information on the Department of Writing and Linguistics at Georgia Southern, visit.听 For more information about the Statesboro Friends of the Library, visit听.