Chattanooga State Community College invites students, faculty, staff, and members of the greater Chattanooga community to a series of free literary events celebrating award-winning author Lorrie Moore from April 22-24, 2025. 

The author of four short story collections, four novels, and a children’s book, Moore will make three appearances later this month to discuss her literary background, display her approach to the craft of writing, and share excerpts from her published works. 

Moore’s presentations are organized by Writers @ Work, a literary celebration of Southern American authors born from a 2011 push to enhance literary analysis in ChattState’s Composition II classes. The project grew and is now supported by several local and statewide partners: ChattState Humanities Department, the ChattState Foundation, the Tennessee Arts Commission, SouthArts, SoLit, and The Book & Cover. 

This year, the partners behind Writers @ Work joined forces to distribute 350 copies of Moore’s books to 40 Chattanooga-area book clubs in anticipation of her visit to The Scenic City. “We’re so excited about the community’s response to our book-club-in-a-bag giveaway.” said Erica Lux, ChattState English faculty member and Writers @ Work Co-Director, “We hope to make it a regular feature of the Writers @ Work program for years to come.” 

A New York native-turned-southerner, Moore now teaches in Nashville as the Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Professor of English. She has won the O. Henry Award, The Irish Times International Fiction Prize, the Rea Award for the Short Story, the PEN/Malamud Award for Short Fiction, and the Finn Zinklar Award for the Short Story given by the Karen Blixen Society in Copenhagen and has been a finalist for many other literary prizes. Today, she continues writing and contributing to The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Guardian, and other notable publications. 

What is Writers @ Work?

Writers @ Work exclusively features Southern authors who share readings, craft talks, interviews, and community discussions throughout Chattanooga. “In a media-driven world that shows a limited, and often stereotyped, view of the South, W@W actively works to showcase and celebrate the diversity and rich culture of the Southern people,” its website reads. 

Students and community members, regardless of whether they received a book distribution, are invited to attend three upcoming talks from Moore. While all events are free to attendees, seats are limited. You can reserve seats on the Writers @ Work website. 

Inside the Mind of Lorrie Moore: The Behind-the-Writer Interview 

• Tuesday, April 22, 6:00-8:00 p.m., ET
• The Hunter Museum of American Art | 10 Bluff View Ave., Chattanooga, TN 37403 
• Enjoy beautiful views of the Tennessee River from the lobby of the Hunter Museum during Writers @ Work's annual interview night. Ray Bassett, host and producer of Scenic Roots on WUTC, will interview Lorrie Moore about her life as a writer, her move to the South, and her experiences in the classroom. Join us at the Hunter Museum of American Art to ask questions, get your books signed, and mingle with other readers from the community while enjoying a selection of delicious desserts at our author’s reception. This in-person event is free to the public, but registration is required. 

The Craft of Writing with Lorrie Moore 

• Wednesday, April 23, 6-7:30 p.m., ET 
• ArtsBuild | 301 E 11th St #300, Chattanooga, TN 37403 
• W@W and SoLit invite you to visit ArtsBuild for a craft talk with Lorrie Moore. Her writing ranges from short stories to novels to nonfiction. (She’s even written a children’s book.) Come listen to her discuss how she balances a writing life with a teaching career, what brings her inspiration, and what she’s working on now. Bring your questions and be prepared to take notes! Light refreshments will be served. This in-person event is free to the public, but registration is required.  

Last Stop to Nashville 

• Thursday, April 24, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., ET
• ChattState’s Kimball Site | 2100 Main Street, Kimball, TN 37347
• On her last stop as she makes her way back home to Nashville, Lorrie Moore will share her work with students and the public at the ChattState Kimball site. Listen to the author read from her various works and come prepared with questions and to have your books signed. This in-person event is free to the public, but registration is required.