Banned Book Week program Oct. 2 at Belk Library

Award-winning authors Chris Crutcher and Lauren Myracle will speak Tuesday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m. as part of a Banned Books Week observance at Appalachian State University.

The presentation will be presented virtually through AETZone, the library’s 3-D immersive learning environment, in Room 421 Belk Library and Information Commons.

Crutcher, one of the most frequently banned authors in North America, is the author of 11novels, two short story collections and an autobiography. Prior to his work as an author, he taught school in Washington and California and was acting director of an Oakland alternative school for nearly a decade.

That academic history, coupled with 25 years as a child and family therapist specializing in abuse and neglect and 30 years as a Spokane Child Protection Team leader, has infused his literary work with realism and emotional heft. His signature blend of tragedy and comedy has made him a favorite with teen and adult readers.

Myracle, one of the most challenged authors in 2009 and 2011, is the author of many young-adult novels including “ttyl,” “ttfn” and “Shine,” all New York Times bestsellers. Myracle earned a B.A. in English and psychology from UNC Chapel Hill where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. Later, she earned an M.A. in English from Colorado State University, where she taught for two years, and an M.F.A. in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College.