The nationally known Cabell First Novelist Award marks its 11th year. Justin Torres, winner of the 2012 Award, will read from We the Animals, which has received rave reviews in The New York Times. Torres grew up in upstate New York. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, Granta, Tin House, Glimmer Train and other publications. A graduate of the Iowa Writers Workshop, he is a Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. Following his reading, Torres will discuss the journey of his novel from idea to published book and take questions from the audience, which is usually filled with creative writers and other literary adventurers. A book sale, signing and reception will follow. This event is a partnership between the VCU Department of English and VCU Libraries. The widely recognized graduate program in creative writing within the VCU Department of English invented and manages the annual awards program. While this event is free and open to the public, registration is requested. Registration assists with planning and facilities seating. To register or for further details see http://novelist.library.vcu.edu/festival.html. To register by phone, please call Gregory G. Kimbrell at (804) 833-7418.