Alumni Publication: Time Under Tension by Jimmie Shields

The Queens Review Launch Party Thursday, May 21 | 6:30 pmThe Queensboro 80-02 Northern BlvdJackson Heights, NY 11372 We are happy to announce that The Queens Review is having its Spring 2026 launch party on Thursday, May 21, and you’re all invited! The launch party will take place at The Queensboro starting at 6:30 PM. This year, we received close to 190 submissions, from which we are publishing 52 wonderful writers and artists. In addition to our usual poetry, nonfiction, translation, fiction, and art sections, we also added a “Young Voices” category highlighting the work of 4 amazing High School students.  Come have a drink or snacks, talk to fellow MFA folks, and if you’re interested, learn more about joining TQR next year from our amazing editing staff (s/o to y’all)! We’ll be selling copies of our Spring issue and hopefully having some of our writers read their work.  See the attached poster for more details! Hope to see your wonderful faces there.  Kind […] “The Queens Review Launch Party”

Read the Latest Issue of English Matters! Every year, the English Department gathers all the information about what our faculty, students, and alumni have done over the past year […]

Lianna Lazaros – NYS Summer Writers Institute This just in– MFA candidate Lianna Lazaros has earned a scholarship to the New York State Writers Institute. The residency includes small workshops and one-on-one meetings with award-winning writers in residence; this year, Lianna will get a chance to work directly with poets Megan Fernandes and Elisa Gonzalez. Phil Lopate with students at the Summer Writers Institute, photo by Ashley Rutland. Since 1987, the Summer Writers Institute has offered students the opportunity to learn from an extraordinary faculty of distinguished writers in a supportive environment. The program, directed by Robert Boyers and Adam Braver, is an offshoot of the New York State Writers Institute on the Skidmore College campus in beautiful Saratoga Springs, New York. […] “Lianna Lazaros – NYS Summer Writers Institute”

Jason Tougaw – Grief, Storytelling, and Identity Our very own program director, Jason Tougaw, has a new article in his regular column for Psychology Today, about the revolutionary grief of Lynn Breedlove’s new album. Screenshot The album,  Why I Like Dead Guys, is a series of elegies about those how have passed from Breedlove’s life, including his father and step-mother, who were murdered by his step-brother. Jason Tougaw tracks how these songs aren’t bogged down in pure sadness but tap into larger creative storytelling. As Tougaw puts it: “Tragedy becomes the background for a song cycle focused on the emotional intricacy of relationships. Anger and resentment are part of the story, but so are love, admiration, and wily humor.” Most of us have lost people. Those of us who have, know how heavy that weight feels. Maybe this album, and Jason’s article, are for us–why not sta […] “Jason Tougaw – Grief, Storytelling, and Identity”

Vanessa Pérez-Rosario – Poets and Scholars to Know This Poetry Month In what is a short list, the CUNY Graduate Center is shining a light on our own Professor Vanessa Pérez-Rosario this month in their article “Poets and Scholars to Know This Poetry Month.” Professor Pérez-Rosario is working on the first comprehensive bilingual, English-Spanish collection of the poetry, essays, and letters of writer and activist Julia de Burgos, for which she has been awarded a research grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Congratulations to Vanessa! And please read the full article on the Graduate Center’s News p […] “Vanessa Pérez-Rosario – Poets and Scholars to Know This Poetry Month”

A Reading and Celebration of the Chapbook by Birdhouse Prize winner, Sonia Arora May 4, Monday, 7 pmRosenthal Library, Room 300iMoved to a larger room by popular demand! FREE Save the date for our last Writers at Queens event this spring: A celebration of MFA alum Sonia Arora’s chapbook, winner of the 2025 Birdhouse Prize from Ghostbird Press. Sonia will read from Rewinding the Home and the World and be in conversation with Subhra Prakash.  The event will be held at 7pm, Monday May 4, in Rosenthal Library, Tannenbaum Room, 300i. Ghostbird Press is a wonderful chapbook press founded by MFA alum Peter Vanderberg, and the Birdhouse Prize is offered each year to an MFA alum.   Come celebrate our M […] “A Reading and Celebration of the Chapbook by Birdhouse Prize winner, Sonia Arora”

4/29 – An Impromtu Reading by Ricardo Maldonado Wednesday, April 29 | 12:30-1:30Klapper Hall, Room 710FREE Earlier in the semester, Distinguished Professor Kimiko Hahn wanted to have a guest writer come speak to her undergraduate poetry workshop. Instead of keeping that reading small, however, she’s decided to open those doors to everyone! If you’re on campus on April 29th, come through to hear Ricardo Alberto Maldonado read from his award-winning poetry and translation work! Ricardo Alberto Maldonado was born and raised in Puerto Rico. A graduate of Tufts and Columbia University’s School of the Arts, he is the author of The Life Assignment (Four Way Books, 2020), a finalist for the Poetry Society of America’s Norma Farber First Book Award, one of Remezcla’s Best Books by Latine or Latin American Authors, and Silver Medalist for the Juan Felipe Herrera Best Poetry Book Award. He is also the translator of Dinapiera Di Donato’s Colaterales/Collateral (National Poetry Series / Akashic Books, 2013) and coeditor of Puerto Rico en mi corazón (Anomalous Press, 2019), a bilingual anthology that raised funds for grassroots recovery efforts in Puert […] “4/29 – An Impromtu Reading by Ricardo Maldonado”

3/23 – (UPDATED) On Collective Translation: Languages as Mirrors, with Amara Lakhous Monday, March 23, 4-6 pmZoom Our own Ammiel Alcalay will be in conversation with novelist Amara Lakhous about the process of translating his latest novel, The Fertility of Evil, with Drs. Stefania Porcelli (Italian) and Noran Mohamed (French) at Hunter College. If you’re free, then hop on to Zoom: Topic: On Collective Translating: Languages as Mirrors. Discussion with Amara Lakhous Time: Mar 23, 2026 04:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85222997202?pwd=Gp5cWRkTFiUKDSA9nAagsbyLzjzyc7.1Meeting ID: 852 2299 7202Passcode: 041308—One tap mobile+16465588656,,85222997202#,,,,*041308# US […] “3/23 – (UPDATED) On Collective Translation: Languages as Mirrors, with Amara Lakhous”

Tejas Desai Reads – April 15 Wednesday, April 15 at 7PMWORD, 126 Franklin StBrooklyn, NY 11222, USA MFA alum Tejas Desai will be releasing Part II of his groundbreaking pandemic novel with stories, Bad Americans, with a spectacular book launch at WORD Bookstore in Brooklyn. He will read from this new book and be in conversation with William J. McGee, author of Half the Child and Attention All Passengers. Published in two Parts, Bad Americans is a pioneering literary work–“a timeless masterpiece” that” tells the human tragedy of the pandemic era like never before.” Set during the 2020 Covid outbreak, mainly in New York City, the book presents the heartbreaking and hilarious stories of 12 diverse Americans quarantining at a mansion in the Hamptons run by an eccentric billionaire. Part Boccaccio, part Reality TV in prose, part satire and part tearjerker, the book is one of the most original and relevant fictional opuses of the decade. Books will be available for signing and sale after the Q&A. Tejas Desai is the author of the bestselling international crime trilogy The Brotherhood Chronicle (2018-2020), which has won 17 literary honors and has been acclaimed as “awe-inspiring,” “breathtaking,” “riveting” and “a must read that will keep you guessing.” His panoramic portrait of American society, The Human Tragedy, includes the award-winning Good Americans (2013), which was praised by Kirkus Reviews as “a solid collection of rare caliber” that “speaks volumes about the human condition and modern life in America,” and the multiple award-winning, groundbreaking pandemic novel with short stories Bad Americans, lauded by Publishers Weekly as a “powerful rendering of the human experience uniting a divided America,” and as a “timeless masterpiece” by Bestsellers World. The founder of The New Wei Literary Arts Collective & Movement, he has been profiled by numerous publications including HuffPost, Buzzfeed and The London Post. He attended Wesleyan University, University of Oxford and holds two Masters degrees, including a MFA in Creative Writing, from CUNY-Queens College. He was born, lives and writes in New York City, where he works as a supervising librarian for Queens Public Library. William J. McGee was born in New York City and received an MFA in Fiction from Columbia University. Among other pursuits, he teaches undergraduate and graduate Creative Writing; represents air travelers as a competition and consumer advocate for a Washington, DC-based nonprofit; and is an award-winning investigative journalist and columnist. McGee is the former Editor-in-Chief of Consumer Reports Travel Letter and also worked in airline flight operations management and served in the US Air Force Auxiliary. He is the author of Attention All Passengers, a nonfiction exposé of the airline industry published by HarperCollins, and is developing AirFear, a scripted television drama. McGee lives on Long Island, where he is a member of a boxing club, and is–of course–at work on another novel. He is al […] “Tejas Desai Reads – April 15”

John Mistretta Finalist for the Witness Literary AwardsThis just in: MFA student John Mistretta was named as a finalist for the 2026 Witness Literary Award in Nonfiction. Although they only publish the winner of the award, being shortlisted for an award is a great honor! Here’s the official announcement from the magazine: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Witness Magazine (@witnessmag) Founded by Peter Stine in Detroit in 1987, Witness is best known for showcasing work that defines its historical moment; special issues have focused on political oppression, religion, the natural world, crime, aging, civil rights, love, ethnic America, and exile. For more […] “John Mistretta Finalist for the Witness Literary Awards”

New Book By Nicole Cooley! We’re very excited today to see the official announcement for Nicole Cooley’s new book of poetry, Trash, from Alice James Books. We don’t have a lot of information on the book yet, except that it revolves around grief, existential anxiety, and the things we throw away. As the editor of Alice James Books, Carey Salerno puts it: “The book is so intensely atmospheric. The landscape is drenched in emotion, while the syntax and structure of the poems is meticulous and crisp. Within are lamentations, isolations, a speaker reflecting on what we’ve taken and take for granted, her/our grief and loss, the mourning of the death of her mother, and mothering, helplessness, disillusionment…. We find instead of existential musings which trigger anxiety, the poet grounds herself in cataloging, in naming, in what is concrete and visible around her.” Founded as a feminist press, Alice James Books is committed to collaborating with literary artists of excellence whose voices have been historically marginalized by producing, promoting, and distributing their work, which often engages the public on important social issues. Alice James provides a platform from which to elevate exceptional literary artists and is dedicated to helping its writers achieve purposeful engagement with broad audiences and communities nationwide. Which is exactly why they are proud to have Nicole Cooley among their best and most urgent voices. To see what all our faculty are up to, check out our Faculty page, or keep a lookout for this blog! […] “New Book By Nicole Cooley!”

“Seeing Beyond What I Lost" – Jonathan Rubinov for The Glaucoma Foundation MFA student Jonathan Rubinov has a very heartfelt essay up on The Glaucoma Foundation website. The piece explores them losing their sight and what they gained by engaging the community around them. As they put it in their essay, “Seeing Beyond What I Lost, A Vision Faded — Then Emerged:” “I am feeling less like an outsider. Before, I felt like the only fish in the pond, but now I socialize with people who know the kinds of emotions I have been keeping inside for so many years now.” Jonathan’s thesis project delves into his experience as a high school student with visual impairment, and how schools were not prepared to offer him the technology or understanding he needed as a developing mind. The Glaucoma Foundation is a national nonprofit dedicated to advancing glaucoma research. They also empower patients through outreach and education. ( Clearly, Jonathan is doing […] ““Seeing Beyond What I Lost” – Jonathan Rubinov for The Glaucoma Foundation”

The Launch of The Cavalier – 2/6 February 6th | 7:30pmBlack Spring Books672 Driggs Ave. This Friday is the official Brooklyn launch of The Cavalier, which was translated by our own alum, Jonathan Larson. To celebrate, the author, Natalie Quintane, will be here from France to read in both English and French–that’s a recipe for a book launch that’s not to be missed! The Cavalier revisits an education scandal from 1968 in a small French town, where a high school philosophy teacher is fired for “corrupting the youth.” Quintane excavates this moment for reexamination, not just as an award-winning poet and writer, but also as a current high school teacher living in […] “The Launch of The Cavalier – 2/6”

Muldoon’s Picnic: Harold Schechter, Kimiko Hahn, and The Edna Project – Feb 25 Feb 25 | 7:30 PMButtenwieser Hall at The Arnhold Center92NY$30 in-person/$25 streaming Muldoon’s Picnic is back with another lively evening of words, music, and inspired literary mischief, hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon. This edition brings us readings from Harold Schechter — the acclaimed true crime writer behind 50 States of Murder: An Atlas of American Crime and Killer Colt — and Kimiko Hahn, one of America’s most inventive and influential poets, reading from her acclaimed collection The Ghost Forest: New and Selected Poems. The evening features music from Liz Queler and Seth Farber of The Edna Project, whose genre-defying songs move fluidly between folk and poetry, setting the lyric genius of Edna St. Vincent Millay to transcendent melodies. As always, Muldoon’s Picnic thrives on the pleasure of unexpected combinations: music beside murder mysteries, lyricism alongside laughter, and artists meeting one another — and the audience — in real time. Join us for a festive ev […] “Muldoon’s Picnic: Harold Schechter, Kimiko Hahn, and The Edna Project – Feb 25”

Brainstorm – 1/30 Fr […] “Brainstorm – 1/30”

MFA Open House – 2/4 Doing your MFA is both a commitment to your writing and a big risk. What if you choose the wrong program, and there’s no one who knows the kind of writing you do, and you’re trapped in a small town you hate, and you wind up in a huge amount of debt??? We’re here to help you chase your writing dreams. Just a few of our current MFA students chasing their dreams at the recent Hudson Valley Writers Center’s emerging writers showcase. We are an MFA Program that values community, encourages risks in craft, and promotes crossing boundaries through imagination and language. Situated in one of the most diverse communities in the world, we at the Queens College MFA Program in Creative Writing & Literary Translation play seriously with language. Small classes and conferences make for individually-guided work. Cross-genre classwork can make translation as much a metaphor for exploring one’s craft as it is a unique opportunity to learn. We offer financial aid and professional opportunities, including internships, residencies, publication awards,  and staff positions on our literary magazine, The Queens Review. Not only do we offer some of the lowest tuition of any MFA program in the country, but we were also able to give every student we accepted last year a significant amount of financial aid. That’s one less thing to worry about as you settle into one of the most diverse parts of one of the greatest cities in the world! Want to learn more? Register here for our virtual Open House, or visit our website […] “MFA Open House – 2/4”

Senia Hardwick on Writer's Block MFA alum Senia Hardwick has a piece on the ‘How To Poet’ section of the Poetry Society of New York website entitled “How to Unblock Writer’s (Poet’s) Block: A Three-Step Guide.” It tackles the hardest part of being a writer–revision–and starts with an exercise from our own faculty member Nicole Cooley, which just goes to show you that you learn so much about your craft when you do your MFA at QC. The things you learn here you take with you and grow on as you develop your own work, just as Senia has done here with this very practical craft piece! Take a read if you’re feeling stuck, or just want to support a fel […] “Senia Hardwick on Writer’s Block”

Brainstorm – Translation Edition – 1/30 Friday, January 30 | 7pmPete’s Candy Store709 Lorimer StreetBrooklyn, NY Brainstorm, the brainchild reading series by MFA students here at QC, is hosting a special translators’ reading on Friday, January 30 at the legendary Pete’s Candy Store in Brooklyn. Translation is one of things that makes our MFA program truly unique–other graduate programs might offer a single elective class in it, but Queens College is one of the only MFAs with a dedicated translation track of study–so you know we have some incredible translators to bring to the stage! Come through and see this lineup: Annmarie Drury Francesca Hyatt Richard Prins Rebecca Suzuki Plus, we always have open mic time after our headliners, so if you want to try out your own work or ask these translators […] “Brainstorm – Translation Edition – 1/30”

John Weir has an Epiphany […] “John Weir has an Epiphany”