Daven McQueen and Michael Fournier pose with their books (Ashley Ryan)
By Ashley Ryan and Noah Schmidt
The Bigger Boat Visiting Writers Series hosted a showcase on March 27 featuring two professors from the 4Cs Department of Language and Literature. Professors Michael Fournier and Daven McQueen read from their works.
Fournier, the author of four novels, read from his most recent book, The Impasse, which was released in November 2024. The novel follows Geoff and Alice as they navigate an impending apocalypse in a punk rock and fantasy world of their own making. Fournier, who writes every weekday, has also authored Double Nickels on the Dime, Hidden Wheel, and Swing State. He is married to Dr. Rebecca Griffin, a fellow professor in the department and the advisor of SeaChange and The Creative Writers Club.
McQueen, an author and educator, read from their debut novel, The Invisible Summer of Juniper Jones, a young adult historical fiction novel set in the 1950s. The story follows Ethan and Juniper, two teens who have been deemed outcasts by their community, as they form a friendship and navigate challenges together. After the reading, McQueen answered questions about their writing process. They shared that the character of Juniper was inspired by adventurous redheads like Anne of Green Gables.
“The first draft was written when I was a senior in high school,” McQueen said. “It was during National Novel Writing Month in November.”
McQueen also offered advice to aspiring authors: “Keep writing and write in a community. I wouldn’t have finished my book without the support of other writers.”
