Wisconsin author Chris Fink appeared at the Jim Dan Hill Library for the second time as part of UW-Superior’s (UWS) Visiting Writer Series, an on-campus organization that, since 2011, has brought regional authors to UWS to speak to students and read from their publications.
Fink, a college professor from Beloit, Wisc. drove through the aftermath of the recent snowstorm to the UWS campus on Thursday, Dec. 5 to guest speak in Dr. Jayson Iwen’s Advanced Fiction Writing course. Fink also read an excerpt from his new book, “Add This to the List of Things that You Are: Stories.” This was followed by a short question and answer session and book signing.
“It’s definitely nerve-wracking doing readings in front of people, but when you have a new book out you try to drive around and get as much publicity as possible. And, of course, I love meeting with college students and seeing an old friend,” said Fink.
Fink previously did a reading through the Visiting Writer Series in 2013 after the release of his first book, “Farmer’s Almanac: A work of Fiction.” Fink’s inspiration for his collection of short stories was the idea of “Midwesterners abroad,” focusing specifically on couples and human relationships. During his reading, Fink read a scene from his short story, “Barrel Riders,” about a couple at a bar who talk with a stranger.
“I’d never been to [a reading] before, and I thought it was cool to get the author’s perspective. It gave me a lot more insight on what the book was actually about,” said junior writing major Elise Ertl.
