ISSUED: 15 October 2025
MEDIA CONTACT: Hans Fogle
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — Shepherd University welcomed author Dr. Joshua Cross, writer of the 2025–2026 Common Reading Program selection Black Bear Creek, to campus on September 18 and 19 for a two-day visit. The author engaged students, faculty, and community members in a series of events exploring the craft of fiction and the power of Appalachian storytelling as part of Shepherd’s Common Reading Program, which unites all first-year students around one shared text and fosters meaningful conversation across campus and the local community.
Dr. Cross’s schedule included a Writing Craft Talk titled Revision in Fiction Writing, multiple classroom visits, and a keynote reading in the Frank Center Auditorium that drew more than 120 attendees.
The keynote featured a reading from the author’s new short story—shared publicly for the first time—and offered insight into his creative process. Guests enjoyed a reception following the keynote, where Dr. Cross signed books and spoke personally with students, faculty, and community members.
Students in English 101 and 102 courses also participated in a special Q&A session, giving them the opportunity to discuss Black Bear Creek and the writing process directly with the author. Dr. Cross also stopped by Four Seasons Books in downtown Shepherdstown to sign copies of his work for local readers.
Black Bear Creek is set in the fictional town of the same name in West Virginia and offers a contemporary portrait of Appalachian life. Nine interconnected stories reveal the struggles, resilience, and humanity of a rural community facing economic change, shifting identities, and the enduring bonds of family and place.
Dr. Cross’s visit was made possible through the generous support of Shepherd University’s Department of English, History, and Modern Languages; the Shepherd University Foundation; the Shepherd University Alumni Association; the President’s Club; and the Office of Development and Annual Giving.
Shepherd’s Common Reading Program promotes intellectual curiosity and community dialogue by inviting students, faculty, and the public to explore shared literary works and engage directly with the authors who create them.
For more information about Shepherd’s Common Reading Program, visit www.shepherd.edu/commonreading.
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