We're proud to announce that our 2012 Fall Residents have arrived! Coming from far and wide, these incoming writers have spent this early part of the week getting acclimated to their new environment, have gone thorugh the IWP's orientation program, and have celebrated their arrival with a wonderful reception held at IWP Director Christopher Merrill's Iowa City home.

The opening reception featured remarks by University of Iowa President Sally Mason as well as Congressman Dave Loebsack. Each writer also took a turn at the microphone to introduce him- or herself to the audience of approximately 250 community members, friends, colleagues, administrators, and lovers of literature who had gathered to welcome them to Iowa.

In the coming weeks, we'll be posting regular updates here at the Shambaugh House blog as well as to our Facebook Page and our Twitter feed.

This Friday, our Shambaugh House Reading series will get its start with readings by Mohibullah Zegham (fiction writer, translator; Afghanistan) and Genevieve L. Asenjo (fiction writer, poet, translator; Philippines). The reading will begin at 5 p.m. and light refreshments (coffee, tea, bagels) will be served.

After the Shambaugh House Reading, two of our Fall Residents will be participating in the Anthology Reading series, which brings together writers from across writing programs and communities here in Iowa City. TJ Dema (poet; Botswana) and Bilal Tanweer (fiction writer; Pakistan) will read alongside Fatimah Espiritu, Thessaly La Force, and Deborah Taffa. 936 E. Bloomington at 7:30PM.

Then, on Sunday, Taleb Al Refai (fiction writer; Kuwait), TJ Dema (poet; Botswana) and Ariel Lewiton (from Iowa's Nonfiction Writing Program) will read at Prairie Lights at 4 p.m.

Check back every Monday for a look at that week's events (Mon. through the following Sun.), and be sure to visit us on Facebook and Twitter.