Wednesday, July 8, 6:30-8pm, this on-line event requires advance registration

Each summer, the Thurber House lawn plays host to a series of outdoor literary picnics and readings with authors who have an Ohio connection. While this year’s picnics might look a little different, join us for this long-running tradition of good friends and great books!

Rachel Wiley is a queer and biracial poet, performer, feminist, and fat liberationist from Columbus, Ohio. She has toured nationally, performing at slam venues, colleges, and festivals. Her work has appeared on Upworthy, The Huffington Post, The Militant Baker, and Everyday Feminism. She is a fellow and faculty member of the Pink Door Writing Retreat held each year in Rochester, New York for women and nonbinary writers of color.

Fat Girl Finishing School is a love letter to Wiley’s living body. When confronted with fatphobia, racism, misogyny, and shame, each poem chooses self-love, despite society’s expectations of conformity. This is a book steeped in experience — every story is striking, powerful, and unmistakably palpable.

Rachel Wiley has represented Columbus, Ohio at multiple National Poetry Slam Competitions and was a finalist twice in 2011. She is on staff at Writing Wrongs Poetry Slam and is the co-host/co-founder of the Columbus Queer Open Mic.

Picnicking begins at 6:30pm. We may be meeting on Zoom for this event, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t picnic! Grab a meal and drop in to the Zoom event early to picnic on the “lawn” with us. We’ll be rolling photos of the Thurber House lawn as you catch up with friends. The program begins at 6:45pm. You will have the opportunity to ask the author questions, after the event, and purchase a book.

General admission: $10 per person.

Tickets: thurberhouse.org/literary-picnics

Hosted by Thurber House.