Western New England University (WNE) was honored to host the inaugural event of The New Writers Reading Series in October, featuring the distinguished author Jung Yun.

The College of Arts & Sciences spearheaded the development of The New Writers Reading Series, a distinguished literary initiative bringing celebrated authors to campus to engage the community in vibrant literary discussions. This series serves as a valuable platform for both established and emerging writers to share their insights, experiences, and creative processes.

Yun, renowned for her remarkable literary career, presented her acclaimed work, O Beautiful, acknowledged as a New York Times Editors’ Choice and named a San Francisco Chronicle Book of the Year. Additionally, Yun’s Shelter received acclaim, earning nominations for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize and the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Award.

Yun’s literary contributions have been featured in esteemed publications such as Tin House, Massachusetts Review, Indiana Review, The New York Times, Atlantic, and The Washington Post. Furthermore, Yun holds the esteemed position of associate professor of English at The George Washington University and serves on the board of directors at the PEN/Faulkner Foundation.

Supported by the Department of English and Cultural Studies and the Creative Writing Program, the audience had a unique opportunity to directly engage with Yun, gaining insights into her creative process and literary contributions. The event provided an enriching experience for literature enthusiasts and aspiring writers in attendance, marking the beginning of a new series at WNE.