Visiting Writers Series announces stellar 2025-26 lineup

Literary enthusiasts in the region are in for a treat as the highly anticipated Visiting Writers Series has unveiled its lineup for the 2025-26 season. Featuring acclaimed authors of bestselling and award-winning books, the series promises engaging evenings of readings and discussions.

“Remarkably Bright Creatures,” Shelby Van Pelt

The season kicks off on Thursday, September 11, 2025, with Shelby Van Pelt, the celebrated author of the New York Times bestseller "Remarkably Bright Creatures." This debut novel, published in 2022 and winner of the 2023 McLaughlin-Eastman-Stearns First Novel Prize, has captivated readers with its heartwarming story of an unlikely friendship between Tova Sullivan, a night-shift worker at an aquarium, and Marcellus, a wise and observant giant Pacific octopus. Van Pelt's novel, soon to be a Netflix film starring Sally Field, delves into themes of loss and connection. The event will take place at 7 p.m. in the Belk Centrum.

“All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me,” Patrick Bringley

Next in the series is Patrick Bringley, author of the insightful memoir "All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me." On Thursday, November 20, 2025, also at 7 p.m. in the Belk Centrum, Bringley will share his experiences working as a guard at the iconic Metropolitan Museum of Art. His book, a New York Times bestseller also named a best book of the year by numerous publications, offers a unique perspective on the museum's treasures, the vibrant subculture of its guards, and the solace and connection found within its walls. Bringley's narrative beautifully explores themes of grief, camaraderie and the profound impact of art on our lives.

“James: A Novel,” Percival Everett

Concluding the series on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, is the National Book Award winner and #1 New York Times bestselling author Percival Everett, presenting his critically acclaimed novel, "James: A Novel." This powerful reimagining of "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" tells the classic story from the perspective of the enslaved Jim, offering a radically new understanding of his agency, intelligence and compassion. Hailed as a "masterpiece" and a "cornerstone of twenty-first century American literature," "James" has garnered numerous accolades, including being shortlisted for the Booker Prize and is currently in development as a feature film produced by Steven Spielberg. Everett's presentation will be held at 7 p.m. in P.E. Monroe Auditorium.

The Little Read

The Visiting Writers Series also includes the Little Read, a children’s book that is studied by elementary school students in local school districts using a curriculum created by LR education majors. An original theater production is created by the LR theatre program and presented as part of the Little Read programming. The Little Read takes place in spring, and the author and title will be shared this summer.

“The Visiting Writers Series is one of the jewels of Lenoir-Rhyne, and we are thrilled to continue the series with such talented authors in 2025-26,” said Cat Serrin Niekro, vice president of advancement. “This year promises another chapter of insightful and inspiring conversations that will enrich our community.”

For more than three decades, the Visiting Writers Series at Lenoir-Rhyne University has enriched the cultural landscape of the region by hosting a diverse array of distinguished authors. Founded with the aim of fostering a love for literature and providing opportunities for engagement with contemporary writers, the series has welcomed numerous nationally and internationally recognized authors. It offers audiences intimate glimpses into thecreative process and the worlds the authors craft through their words. Previous authors include Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Amor Towles, Erik Larson, Anne Lamott and Nicholas Sparks.

Tickets are free but required. They will be available in August at www.lr.edu/vws.

About the Visiting Writers Series

Established in fall 1988, the Lenoir-Rhyne University Visiting Writers Series invites authors to tell the stories behind their works in a relaxed environment before an audience filled with campus and community members. The Writers Series’ mission is to build a community of readers because a community that reads is a more creative, open and tolerant community. In addition, VWS believes the beauty and power of words helps people make sense of the world. Children’s writers, mystery writers, essayists, poets and novelists all celebrate the written and spoken word.

The Visiting Writer’s Series is made possible by support from the following sponsors and grant providers: Arts Culture Catawba through the North Carolina Arts Council, with funding from the State of North Carolina, National Endowment for the Arts and North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.