Author Garth Stein shares passion, humor with Clearwater Campus

Garth Stein, author of the St. Petersburg College One Book, One College selection The Art of Racing in the Rain, dazzled 145 students, staff and members of the public at the Clearwater Campus on Wednesday, March 13.

Stein shared his insight and experiences as a professional writer and participated in a question and answer session and book signing with the audience. He also read and discussed selections from his third novel The Art of Racing in the Rain. The book, which has been published in 30 languages, has been on the IndieBound bestseller list since its publication in 2008 and was named a New York Times best-selling novel.

Some of his other novels include How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets and Raven Stole the Moon. Stein also has written a full-length play, Brother Jones, and a number of award-winning documentaries.

On Tuesday, March 12, Stein also spoke before an audience of 147 students, staff and faculty at the SPC Music Center at the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus. Both events were a collaborative effort by Learning Resources at the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus Student Government Association, which also funded the events.

See more photos on the college’s Facebook page.

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Former Poet Laureate Billy Collins enthralls SPC audience

Students, staff and members of the public packed into the SPC Music Center on Tuesday, March 12, for a live poetry reading by 2001-03 U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins.

A crowd of 254 people filled the music center at the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus to listen to Collins. Some said they traveled from out of county and even out of state to hear the award-winning poet. After reading his poems, Collins answered many questions about his work and inspiration.

Collins is the author of eight collections of poetry including Ballistics, The Trouble with Poetry, Nine Horses, Sailing Alone Around the Room, Questions About Angels, The Art of Drowning, and Picnic.

“He’s got the ‘common man’ pretty well all together, and he represents all of us,” said Al Svoboda, who drove from Sumter County with his wife, Jill, to see Collins. They learned about his poetry reading in the Tampa Bay Times. “As soon as we heard that he would be coming, we came running.”

Collins’ presentation was a collaborative effort by the SPC Communications Department and the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus Student Government Association, which funded the event. He also spoke later that day at the Palladium Theater.

The St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus SGA also funded presentations by Garth Stein, author of SPC’s One Book, One College selection The Art of Racing in the Rain. Stein spoke at the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus Music Center Tuesday evening. Several who attended Collins’ noon presentation also said they also were interested in seeing Stein.

Bed and breakfast owner Grace Diaz-Tubbs, who sat with her sister, Rita Diaz-Kenney, was one of them.

“I read about Garth Stein’s book and was fascinated by the storytelling,” said Diaz-Tubbs, who flew in from Williamsburg, Va., to hear Collins and Stein. “We came in for these events specifically.”

See more photos from the event on the college’s Facebook page.

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Former U.S. Poet Laureate at SPC March 12

Billy Collins, who has authored eight poetry collections, will read at the SPC Music Center as well as the Palladium Theater on March 12. A distinguished professor of English at Lehman College of the City University of New York, he was Poet Laureate of the United States from 2001 to 2003 and Poet Laureate of New York State from 2004 to 2006.

Collins is one of three award-winning poets, Denise Duhamel, Peter Meinke and Billy Collins, to visit SPC campuses this semester.

Collins’ reading starts at 12:30 p.m. at the SPC Music Center and at 7 p.m. at the theater. This event is free for SPC students with a valid ID and $10 for the general public.

Read more about Collins in The Sandbox, the online student newspaper at SPC.

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Best-selling author Garth Stein at SPC in March

New York Times best-selling author Garth Stein will be at two St. Petersburg College campuses in March for a reading, Q&A and book-signing event.

Stein is the author of The Art of Racing in the Rain, SPC’s One Book, One College selection this year.

Coming Soon: Conversations with an author – March 12 and 13 Appearing in person: New York Times best-selling author Garth Stein for reading, Q&A, book signing Tuesday, March 12, 5:30 p.m., St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus, Music Center Wednesday, March 13, 9:30 a.m., Clearwater Campus, Library

Both appearances, one March 12 at St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus and the other March 13 at the Clearwater Campus, are open to the public.

Following a survey, the college picked Stein’s book as the featured title of its common reading program. The program’s goal is to get everyone at SPC reading and discussing the same selection. Past books on the reading list have included Water for Elephants, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and The Last Lecture.

The book is told from the perspective of a dog named Enzo, who belongs to a man who lost his wife to cancer and is involved in a child-custody battle with his in-laws. Enzo yearns to be human and learns what it takes to be a compassionate and successful person.

Stein also is the co-founder of Seattle7Writers. The nonprofit organization is “a collective of Pacific Northwest authors creating connections between writers, readers, librarians and booksellers to foster and support a passion for the written word.”

Learn more about the book and Stein or check other events, reviews, study and discussion ideas and classroom resources involving the book.

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