SUNY Canton and NCPR Collaborate for Fall Living Writers Series

This fall, SUNY Canton will host three noted authors for its popular Living Writers Series and will feature NCPR’s Station Manager Mitch Teich as the guest moderator.

This fall, SUNY Canton will host three noted authors for its popular Living Writers Series and will feature NCPR’s Station Manager Mitch Teich as the guest moderator.

The first writer will be Chanelle Benz, who will speak at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18 in the Richard W. Miller Campus Center’s Kingston Theater.

Author Chanelle Benz speaks with North Country Public Radio Station Manager Mitch Teich on stage at SUNY Canton's Kingston Theater.

Benz will read from her new novel, “The Gone Dead,” which was highlighted on NPR’s “Weekend Edition.” The story follows a female protagonist, Billie James, who stumbles upon a mystery surrounding her father’s suspicious death thirty years prior.

“This novel keeps readers on the edge of their seats during Billie’s quest to discover the truth about her father and herself,” said Living Writers Series creator and Associate Professor Phil K. LaMarche. “We invite everyone to join us for this exciting event.”

Following the reading, Teich will facilitate a question-and-answer session with the audience. 

“Mitch has more than a decade of experience interviewing prominent authors as executive producer and co-host of Milwaukee Public Radio’s program, ‘Lake Effect,’” said LaMarche. “We are happy to welcome him back to our community and to SUNY Canton.” 

Teich was a reporter for NCPR from 1996 to 1998 prior to joining Milwaukee Public Radio. He assumed his duties as NCPR station manager in July.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of this series that brings remarkable writers to the North Country,” Teich said. “There’s really no better way to make a book come alive than by getting to hear from and speak to the people who write them.”

In October, the college will welcome back author Chris Fink at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 23. His most recent short story collection, “Add This to the List of Things That You Are,” will be released later this month. 

In November, SUNY Canton will host another Living Writers Series alum, Santee Frazier. He will speak at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20. His new book of poems, “Aurum,” will be published this fall.All events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit the Living Writers webpage.