RADFORD – Selections from All There Is To Keep, a posthumous release of poetry by Radford University English professor Rita Sizemore Riddle, will be read by members of the Southern Appalachian Writers Cooperative on Thursday, April 24, at 7 p.m., in Martin Art Gallery, Powell Hall. The reading is sponsored by the university’s Creative Writing Committee and English department.

One of RU students’ most respected and beloved professors, Riddle (pictured at right) was affectionately called “Dr. Mama” because of her parental style of mentoring and teaching. Her own style of honesty in writing was prevalent in her books Soot and Sunshine and Aluminum Balloons. Riddle fought a lengthy and courageous battle with cancer and died in 2007, shortly after compiling more than 60 poems that she planned to publish. The Southern Appalachian Writers Cooperative, of which Riddle was a member, donated funds to publish the book.

Guest readers include Riddle’s fellow writers and friends Jack Higgs, Felicia Mitchell, Dana Wildsmith, Ron Houchin, Beto Cumming, Frankie Finley, David Hampton and Jim Webb.

RU faculty who collaborated with the SWC were Jim Minick, Parks Lanier, Laurie Cubbison, Theresa Burriss, Chelsea Adams and alumnus David Owens. Minick was the editor.

All There Is To Keep will be available at the reading. The cost is $14 and all proceeds will be donated to an RU creative writing student. To learn more, e-mail Minick at jminick@radford.edu.