Wichita State Professors Debuted Four New Books
The Writing Now, Reading Now series hosted an English faculty panel at the Ulrich Museum of Art.
Updated on Oct. 10, 2026 in Books
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Wichita State University English professors presented four new books at the Writing Now, Reading Now series. The event held at the Polk/Wilson Gallery welcomed literary enthusiasts to engage with local authors.
Why it matters
The series aims to welcome literary enthusiasts to enter conversation with professional writers. It bridges the gap between the academic community and the general public through collaborative discourse.
Five English professors presented 4 new books during the session. Author Francis Connor noted his specific writing process involved achieving a 2,000-word count.
The players
Jason Allen
He is an English professor who wrote Boys Without Fathers: A Memoir.
Francis Connor
He is an English professor who co-authored No Choice But Action: The Kansas Postpunk Revolution.
Darren DeFrain
He is an English professor who co-authored No Choice But Action: The Kansas Postpunk Revolution.
Adam Scheffler
He is an English professor who wrote So This Is What It Feels Like: Empathy in the Poetry of James Wright.
Rebeccah Bechtold
She is an English professor who wrote The Sonic South: Nineteenth-Century Plantation Literature.
The details
Professors discussed their individual writing methodologies and experiences in the publishing world. Panelists shared anecdotes about their creative habits, including brainstorming in showers and writing in verse.
Timeline
October 6, 2026: Four new books were featured during the panel event.
Industry Dynamics
The Writing Now, Reading Now series facilitates an ongoing collaboration between the Ulrich Museum of Art and the Wichita State University English department. This program mirrors broader institutional trends of leveraging university presses to foster community-wide literary engagement.
Local readers gained direct access to the authors and were able to purchase copies of the featured works through Watermark Books. The event provided a platform for the public to interact with the creative processes of professional writers.
The takeaway
Authors often maintain unconventional creative habits to sustain their writing output. Readers interested in the craft of literature can find inspiration in these varied methodologies.
Further reading
Discover more local literary developments in our Books section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Sunflower.
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