SUNY Potsdam Alumnus Ethan Shantie '10 Offers Public Reading from Newly Published Poetry Collection

SUNY Potsdam Hosts Poetry Reading by Ethan Shantie '10 from New Book, 'We Meet by Accident,' Published by Ghost City Press

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Ghost City Press of Syracuse, N.Y., recently published the debut collection of poetry by SUNY Potsdam alumnus Ethan Shantie ’10.

POTSDAM, NY (11/29/2016)(readMedia)-- SUNY Potsdam will host a free poetry reading by recent creative writing graduate, Ethan Shantie '10, on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. in Hurley's Nightclub, located in the Barrington Student Union.

The Potsdam writer and musician will read from his debut collection of poems, "We Meet by Accident," which was released today, Nov. 29, by Ghost City Press of Syracuse, N.Y. The volume was three years in the making, blending traditional free verse and image macro poetry. "We Meet by Accident" was heavily influenced by the work of Shantie's mentor, Dr. Maurice Kenny, and also draws on the author's travels across the East Coast and his involvement in the Northern New York punk rock scene.

"'We Meet by Accident' is a collection of poems about the types of relationships we have with other people - mentors, friends, lovers, family. Each poem serves as a conduit, an expression of joy, grief and sorrow, reflecting on the difficulty of people entering and leaving our lives. While incredibly personal, these poems have a universality that every reader can connect with," said Ghost City Press publisher and editor Kevin Bertolero.

Shantie is a graduate of SUNY Potsdam's creative writing program, and was the recipient of both the Sylvia Angus Creative Writing Award and the Maurice Kenny Creative Writing Award. A chapbook of his work was released by Many Moons Press of Saranac Lake, N.Y., in 2013.

The poetry reading is free, and the public is invited to attend. Signed copies of the book will be available for $10. Shantie will be joined at the event by fellow Ghost City writers Ghost City writers Kevin Bertolero, Carter Jones, Grown-Up Mike and Alexandra Kesick, as well as Potsdam poet Kayla French '04.

"We Meet by Accident" is available for purchase through Ghost City Press, at gumroad.com/l/wemeetbyaccident#.

The SUNY Potsdam Department of English and Communication challenges students to complete a core of courses that explore the varied ways that people speak, write and read. The department offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as SUNY's only Bachelor of Fine Arts program in creative writing. For more information, visit www.potsdam.edu/academics/AAS/Engl.

Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of only three arts campuses in the entire SUNY system. SUNY Potsdam's arts curriculum offers the full palette: music, theatre, dance, fine arts and creative writing. No matter the discipline, people from all backgrounds can find their creative compass at Potsdam, with myriad arts immersion experiences available for both campus and community.

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