The Hope College Visiting Writers Series will feature poet Honoree Fanonne Jeffers and novelist Patricia Sarrafian Ward on Thursday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m. at the Knickerbocker Theatre.

The public is invited. Admission is free.

Jeffers has published two collections of poetry, "The Gospel of Barbecue" and "Outlandish Blues." She has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Julia Peterkin Award for Poetry in 2002 and the Hill-Kohn Award in 1996.

Jeffers' work recently has appeared in "Black Issues Book Review," "Black Warrior Review," "Brilliant Corners: A Journal of Jazz and Literature," "Bum Rush the Page: A Def Poetry Jam," "The Kenyon Review," and several other journals and anthologies.

Ward was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and moved to the United States in 1987. Her novel, "The Bullet Collection," recently won the Great Lakes College Association New Writers Award. The novel describes the embattled landscape of Beirut through the eyes of a young girl, and shows the devastating effects of war on both the city and the child.

"This is a truly incredible novel about the scars of war that are left on the hearts of a family living in exile. . . . A stunning, insightful book that examines the tragedy of Lebanon - a window on the even greater catastrophe of war itself," noted "The Sanford Herald"

The Hope College Jazz Ensemble will offer pre-reading music beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The Knickerbocker Theatre is located at 86 East 8th Street in downtown Holland.