NYT Bestselling Author Jamie Ford to speak at Western GPCW Graduation

Ford will also visit classes during summer residency.

 

Western Colorado University’s Graduate Program in Creative Writing is proud to welcome New York Times bestselling author Jamie Ford to its summer residency. The internationally beloved author will speak at the GPCW’s graduation ceremony on July 26, 2024.

Jamie Ford is a Chinese American author best known for his multi-cultural novels that weave together rich historical details with captivating narratives of love, loss, and resilience. Born in Eureka, California, Ford grew up in the Seattle area, surrounded by a vibrant pan-Asian community, which would later serve as inspiration for his writing.

Ford’s debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, spent over two years on the New York Times bestseller list and garnered numerous awards, including the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. Ford’s subsequent novels continue to explore themes of historical injustice, cultural identity, and the complexities of human relationships.

His latest novel, The Many Daughters of Afong Moy (2022), tells the story of Afong Moy, the first Chinese woman brought to America in the 1830s. The novel was chosen by the Today Show’s Read With Jenna program and has been optioned for film.

Ford has been recognized for his literary achievements with numerous awards and honors, including the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, the Pacific Northwest Book Award, the Montana Book Award, the Arts Fund Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts, the Goodreads Choice Awards, and more. His work has been published in 36 languages.

At the GPCW’s summer residency, Ford will visit classes in the Genre Fiction concentration and give a speech at the GPCW’s graduation ceremony. This is an exciting opportunity for students studying Genre Fiction to learn from such an accomplished writer in their field, as well as an inspiring opportunity for GPCW graduates as they transition from graduate school to pursuing a career in writing and publishing.

“We are thrilled that New York Times best-selling author Jamie Ford has accepted our invitation to be the GPCW’s 2024 Graduation Keynote Speaker,” GPCW Director Dr. Tyson Hausdoerffer said. “Since we’ve already had the honor of hosting him as a guest speaker on Zoom, we know that he is the perfect speaker to honor our graduates and inspire our entire community of writers and publishers. What’s more, Jamie Ford will be with us at the Summer Residency for several days, giving all our students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to interact with him. I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say I’m excited to meet this great friend of our program in person at last!”

For more information, contact GPCW Program Coordinator Sarah Goettsch at gpcw@western.edu.

 

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Author Credit: Seth Mensing

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