Tuesday Talks at CCA: Celebrating 25 Years of the MFA in Writing Program

This fall, the MFA in Writing program at California College of the Arts is throwing open the doors to our literary home for a very special season of Tuesday Talks—our signature reading and conversation series.

For twenty-five years, our program has been a gathering place for writers, artists, and cultural thinkers who believe in the power of language to move culture forward. In honor of our 25th anniversary, we’re celebrating the extraordinary creative community that’s grown here—by featuring our own faculty, alumni, and friends in conversation about craft, culture, and the art of making a life in writing.

Each Tuesday Talk is a one-hour event held in our Homeroom space in San Francisco, from 5–6 PM, and is free and open to the public. We’ll end every gathering with cookies, tea, and kombucha—because the best conversations often begin after the formal program ends.

This year’s lineup is a testament to the reach and impact of CCA’s MFA in Writing community. You’ll hear from novelists, poets, editors, translators, and interdisciplinary artists—each bringing a unique lens to the work of storytelling. Many are alumni who’ve gone on to publish acclaimed books and build meaningful careers in the literary world. Others are faculty who’ve been shaping writers here for years, pairing rigor with generosity.

You can expect:

• Intimate craft insights from both sides of the editorial desk

• Behind-the-scenes looks at how books are made and brought into the world

• Cross-genre conversations that connect literature to art, design, and activism

• Moments of connection that extend well beyond the hour we’re together

  
  

We hope you’ll join us in celebrating this milestone year. Bring your curiosity, your questions, and maybe a friend—Tuesday evenings in the Homeroom have a way of turning strangers into collaborators.

Fall 2025 Tuesday Talks Schedule

All events take place 5–6 PM in the H&S Homeroom, Double Ground, San Francisco campus. Free and open to the public

September 16 — Aimee Phan: The Lost Queen – A Celebration of Culture, Fantasy, and StorytellingAward-winning novelist and CCA faculty member Aimee Phan reads from her new YA fantasy, The Lost Queen, which melds fiction and Vietnamese mythology. Phan is the author of The Reeducation of Cherry Truong and We Should Never Meet, and her work explores Vietnamese-American identity, intergenerational trauma, and the politics of place.

October 14 — From Draft to Shelf: Tom Comitta in Conversation with Editor Lizzie DavisAlum Tom Comitta and editor Lizzie Davis of Transit Books discuss the creative, editorial, and collaborative journey behind publishing a book—from early drafts to final publication. Together, they explore the editor–author relationship, the mechanics of bringing unconventional books into the world, and how trust and vision shape both artistic experimentation and editorial strategy.

October 28 — Lit & Loud: Jessamyn Violet on Fiction, Music, and Finding Your VoiceAlumna Jessamyn Violet reads from her novels The Secret Rules to Being a Rockstar and Venice Peach, and shares how her work as drummer for Movie Club—a psych rock duo known for pairing live music with original short films—bridges her literary and musical worlds. A conversation about genre-crossing, building a creative life, and the power of voice.

November 11 — Blueprints for the Unspoken: A Night with Poet Kate ColbyPoet and alumna Kate Colby reads from her new collection Paradoxx and discusses intersections between poetic form, performance, and the creative process. Colby is also the author of I Mean, Reverse Engineer, and several other works, and has received awards from the Poetry Society of America and the Rhode Island State Council for the Arts.

December 2 — Translating Silence: Denise Newman on Poetics and PerceptionPoet, translator, and interdisciplinary artist Denise Newman shares work exploring the tension between language and reality. Author of five collections of poetry and translator of major works by Inger Christensen and Naja Marie Aidt, Newman reflects on the interplay between perception, silence, and the written word.