Helicon West Opens Mic for Writers of all Stripes

Ah, an open-mic — that prize for writers anxious to share their words with like-minded folk. Thanks goodness there are those who understand. Helicon West is planning four open-mic gatherings for local poets and writers over the summer.

Anyone is invited to sign up and read up to seven minutes of their original work. Readings are free, open to the public and uncensored. The series, sponsored by Utah State University’s  Department of English and the Logan Library, is hosted in the Bonneville Room at the Logan Library, 255 N. Main.

The events will also present featured writers — generally Cache County authors who’ve made names for themselves as storytellers.

The Helicon West schedule:

• 7 p.m. Thursday, May 26, featuring Western novelist Eric Bishop, author of “The Samaritan’s Pistol”
• 7 p.m., June 23, featuring writer Russ Beck
• 7 p.m.  July 28, with writers Russ Winn and Kase Johnstun
• 7 pm. Aug. 25, with Chadd VanZanten and Amanda Luzzader

Beck teaches writing at USU. He and VanZanten are the authors of On Fly-Fishing the Northern Rockies: Essays and Dubious Advice. Winn is also a USU writing instructor.

Ogden writer Johnstun, a writing lecturer at USU and an award-winning essayist, co-editored the 2014 anthology, “Utah Reflections: Stories From the Wasatch Front.”  Luzzader is a short-story writer whose work is appearing in three anthologies in 2016.

The first Helicon West event was held in 2005 and hosted by Star Coulbrooke, poetry instructor at USU and Logan’s poet laureate. The popular gathering has been held regularly since then, continuing its mission of providing “a regularly scheduled place and time for members of the writing community to give their work a public voice with no restrictions on levels of skills and no censorship of ideas or craft,” according to the website.

For more information, email star.coulbrooke@usu.edu or visit the website.