Award-Winning Author Jess Walter to Open DMACC Celebration of Literary Arts Festival

WHO: Novelist & Journalist Jess Walter

WHAT: Jess Walter, the first featured speaker for DMACC's Celebration of Literary Arts Fall 2025 series, will hand out free, signed copies of his latest novel, So Far Gone, after a reading.

WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 11, 11:15 a.m.

WHERE: DMACC Ankeny Campus, Building 2, Room 25B (visitor parking in walking distance -- Lot L and Lot P)

DMACC will welcome acclaimed novelist, short story writer, and journalist Jess Walter as the first featured speaker in the Fall 2025 Celebration of Literary Arts Festival.

Walter, the best-selling author of Beautiful Ruins, The Cold Millions, and Citizen Vince, will present a reading (open to the public) at 11:15 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 11, in Building 2, Room 25B on the Ankeny Campus.

Walter began his career as a reporter for The Spokesman-Review and was a finalist for the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of the Ruby Ridge standoff, which inspired his first book Every Knee Shall Bow. Since then, he as written eight novels, two short story collections, and nonfiction, with his work translated into 34 languages. Walter's many honors include the Edgar Allan Poe Award and recognition as a National Book Award Finalist, among many other accolades. His book, Beautiful Ruins, was on the New York Times bestseller list for more than a year and his short story collection, We Live in Water, was named one of former President Barack Obama's favorite books.

The DMACC Celebration of Literary Arts, founded in 2022, brings national recognized authors to campus each year to share their work, interact with students, and engage with the community in conversations about literature. In addition to campus events, festival writers also hold evening readings at Beaverdale Books in Des Moines.

For more information, visit dmacc.edu/cla/

Contact: Marc Dickinson, Celebration of Literary Arts Coordinator

[email protected]; 515-964-6221