FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 17, 2000 CONTACT: Lisa Lacher, (515) 271-3119 WRITER SHAWN WONG TO SPEAK AT DRAKE FEB. 28 Shawn Wong, a poet, novelist and anthologist, will read from his work when he visits Drake University on Monday, Feb. 28. The reading, which is free and open to the public, will start at 7:30 p.m. in the Honors Lounge of Medbury Hall, 1317 28th St. Wong, professor and chairman of the Department of English at the University of Washington, is author of "American Knees" and "Homebase," which have been translated into German, Italian and Chinese. He also co-wrote a screenplay for "American Knees" for Celestial Pictures. Wong is co-editor of several anthologies of Asian-American literature. In addition to the publication of his poetry, fiction, essays and reviews, Wong has had his screenplays and a play produced. He is a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellowship and a Rockefeller Foundation residency in Bellagio, Italy. In addition, he was featured in a 1997 PBS documentary titled "Shattering the Silences." While at Drake on Feb. 28, Wong will lead two informal discussions about writing. The first, which will focus on American multicultural poetry and fiction, will start at 12:30 p.m. in room 102 of Meredith Hall, 28th Street and Carpenter Avenue. The second session, which will emphasize writing fiction, will begin at 2 p.m. in room 235 of Meredith Hall. The informal discussions are free and open to the public. Wong's visit to Drake is sponsored by the Drake Multicultural Studies Program. For more information, call Carol Spaulding at (515) 271-3969.