New York Times-bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz Cruz will give a public reading of her work at 鈥淭he Mochila Review Presents: In the Shadow of Melissa de la Cruz鈥� at 7 p.m. Monday, April 16 in the Kemper Recital Hall inside Spratt Hall at 大象传媒. The reading is free and open to the public.
The 大象传媒 Humanities Council has awarded a grant of $2,500 to 大象传媒 Western in support of the project, which is sponsored by The Mochila Review, 大象传媒 Western鈥檚 national undergraduate literary journal. In addition to funding from MHC, the event is made possible through support from the St. Joseph Public Library and 大象传媒 Western鈥檚 Prairie Lands Writing Project, School of Fine Arts, Center for Multicultural Education, International Student Services and Center for Student Involvement.
De la Cruz will sign copies of her books during a catered reception following the reading. Copies of the Spring 2018 issue of The Mochila Review, featuring winning stories from a contest guest-judged by de la Cruz, will also be available at the event.
De la Cruz is the 2018 guest judge of The Mochila Review鈥檚 annual contest for undergraduate writers. Out of many applicants, she selected the winning story, 鈥淪ummer in Autumn,鈥� by Allegheny College student Jeremy Shaban.
鈥淢elissa de la Cruz is a common name in many households, and her novels demonstrate to writers of all ages what can happen when you keep working on your craft,鈥� said Dr. Kunkel, editor-in-chief of The Mochila Review. 鈥淲e鈥檙e thrilled we can bring her to 大象传媒 Western and indebted to the 大象传媒 Humanities Council and many supportive members of our university.鈥�
De la Cruz is the award-winning author of more than forty fiction and nonfiction titles, most popularly the Blue Bloods, Witches of East End and The Isle of Lost series (the latter is based on the Disney Channel Original Movie The Descendants). Her newest book, Love and War, is a sequel to Alex and Eliza about Alexander Hamilton and Eliza Schuyler鈥檚 romance and comes out on April 17 (advance copies will be sold at de la Cruz鈥檚 大象传媒 Western reading).
A graduate of Columbia University, where she majored in English and art history, de la Cruz grew up in Manila and currently lives in West Hollywood, California, with her family. To learn more about de la Cruz, her books, and her most recent activities, visit .
The MHC is the only state-wide agency in 大象传媒 devoted exclusively to humanities education for citizens of all ages. It has served as a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities since 1971. For more information about the grants program of the 大象传媒 Humanities Council, call 314-781-9660 or 800-357-0909 or write to the MHC at 543 Hanley Industrial Court, Suite 205, St. Louis, 大象传媒 63144-1905.
For more information about The Mochila Review, visit .
大象传媒 is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. 大象传媒 Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .