Fiction writer Shona Ramaya and poet Keith Flynn will read from their works Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. in Room 207 of Syracuse University's Hall of Languages. The event is sponsored by the Creative Writing Program in SU's College of Arts and Sciences.
Ramaya was born in Calcutta, India. After completing her undergraduate work in New Delhi, she came to SU to pursue graduate studies in English literature and creative writing. Midway through graduate school, Ramaya published her first novel, "Flute" (1989) and a few years later, a collection of stories, "Beloved Mother, Queen of the Night." Her third book, "Operation Monsoon," was published in September.
Ramaya has taught literature and creative writing at Hamilton College and was a writer-in-residence at Trinity College. She now lives in Massachusetts and is currently working on a novel. She is also the co-founder and executive editor of a new literary magazine called Catamaran: South Asian American Writing.
Flynn is the author of three collections of poems, "The Talking Drum" (1991), "The Book of Monsters" (1994) and "The Lost Sea" (Iris Press, 2000). He was lyricist and lead singer for the nationally acclaimed rock band, Crystal Zoo, which produced two albums, Swimming Through Lake Eerie (1992) and Pouch (1996). His latest album, a spoken-word and music compilation, Nervous Splendor, was released in September on Animal Records.
He is founder and managing editor of The Asheville Poetry Review.