Ciona Rouse, Larry Thacker and Shuly Xóchitl Cawood visted ETSU in a virtual “Three Emerging Writers” event.

Rouse is a teaching artist and author of the chapbook “Vantablack“ (Third Man Books, 2017). Thacker, a Kentucky writer, is the author of three poetry collections and a short story collection recently published by West Virginia University Press. Cawood is the author of a short story collection, a memoir and a poetry collection.

Each writer read from their work at the event and answered questions from the audience. Cawood’s poetry featured the themes of family, love and loss. She focused on moments that can change someone’s life, such as when her ex-husband told her he loved her but that he was no longer in love with her.

All three writers expressed their thanks for being invited to the event and to all the sponsors that made the event possible, such as ETSU’s BUC Fund.

“I remember going to these as a student, so it’s strange to be on the other side of the table,” said Cawood. “So, thank you so much.”

Rouse’s poetry touched on a wide range of subjects, but she always starts her poems with a question.

“To me, poetry relies on questions, and questions birth so many poems for me,” said Rouse.

In one poem, for example, Rouse explored what it would be like to be blind. She also explored the question of what to call a mother who does not have a child, such as mothers who miscarry.

Thacker read from his short story collection, which was just published on Feb. 1. He described the story as an “Uncle Archie” story, and the excerpt described an eclectic, hole-in-the-wall vintage store.

“I’m very happy today to be able to read with the likes of Shuly and Ciona,” said Thacker. “It’s a good turnout.”

Thacker also helps run the West Main Antiques and Variety Store located on West Main Street in Johnson City, which is open to the public.

Over 70 people attended the virtual reading, consisting of ETSU students, faculty, staff and community, as well as folks from neighboring communities and beyond.

The event was sponsored by the Bert C. Bach Written Word Initiative and ETSU’s student-run Creative Writing Society. This was the 10th annual emerging writers series event, and Jesse Graves, poet-in-residence at ETSU, said he hopes the series will continue for many more years to come.