We will also be giving away a limited number of author-signed bookplates for those who attend in-person!

The event will be chaired by the KU Big Read Director, Professor Alison Baverstock. We will begin with introductions, followed by an author-interview with a KU student. Then we will continue with a short reading, followed by an opportunity for your questions.

The event will be held in-person on the Penrhyn Road campus and online. The venue is TBD.

For those of you unable to attend in-person, please register here for the live Teams streaming of the event and we will send you the link:

(Link to be announced)

About the Author

Phil Stamper grew up in a rural village near Dayton, Ohio. He has a B.A. in Music from the University of Dayton and an M.A. in Publishing with Creative Writing from Kingston University.

When he first left his home state, he moved to Washington, DC. Soon after, he began his career in non-profit PR. In addition to the press releases and news stories, he began writing novels on the side.

Years later, Phil is now the bestselling author of The Gravity of Us, As Far As You’ll Take Me, and other books. Although his work is generally marketed as ‘young adult’, his books have a far wider audience. He works in author development for a major book publisher in New York City, where he lives with his husband, their child, and dog. Golden Boys, the first book in his upcoming young adult rom-com duology, came out in February 2022. Small Town Pride, his debut middle grade novel, will be published in Summer 2022.

Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok @stampepk

This is our eighth year of the KU Big Read and it was created as a way of making our incoming students as well as returning students, staff and alumni feel welcomed and included in the Kingston community. The Big Read gives people something in common before the first day. We hope to see you there!