September marks the beginning of my third fall as a published author, and still, I find myself looking at my schedule in shock as August comes to an end. While I know I’m not nearly as booked as a lot of my peers, this is a lot of things for me, your friendly neighborhood introvert that takes several business days to recover from any amount of socializing.
That being said, if you end up seeing me toward October after weeks of appearances…just know I’m doing the best I can.
But where exactly am I going? Let’s dive in.
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
In conversation with Atima Omara on her new book, The Instigators: How Black Women Have Been Essential to American Democracy (And What We Can Learn From Them), at Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, VA at 6 PM ET. (In Person)
I’m looking forward to a rich discussion with Omara! Fountain has asked folks to RSVP in advance, which you can do here.
Thursday, September 10, 2026
In conversation with A. Van Jordan for a reading at Shelf Life Books in Richmond, VA at 7 PM ET. (In Person)
Event details here: https://shelflifebooksrva.com/event/2026-08-24/reading-and-book-signing-van-jordan-and-ravynn-stringfield
Saturday, September 12, 2026
PETERSBURG BOOK FESTIVAL, Virginia State University, Petersburg, VA
I’ll be running a paper craft activation from 2:45 to 3:45 PM in the atrium and I’ll be roaming around most of the afternoon. I don’t have an official signing time or table, but if you buy my books (which will be available on site), just stop me if you see me and I’ll sign them for you!
Petersburg Book Festival is free to attend, but they are asking that you RSVP, which you can do here. Also, I’ve been crying about the official festival t-shirt for an entire day at this point. On the back it has “honoring VA authors,” and I am a Virginia author being honored on the t-shirt. So if you, like the rest of my family and friends, would like to get said shirt, you can grab one here.
Wednesday, September 16, 2026 — 1 PM ET
This is a “coming soon” type deal. Just save the date. :)
But if you need a hint, this is all you’re getting:
Saturday, September 19-Saturday, October 10, 2026
Low-Stakes Creative Writing Essentials: Intro to Journaling, Blogging, and Zine-Making (Expanded Edition!), 4 sessions with Ravynn K. Stringfield
If you’ve been wanting to take a class with me, I’m doing an expanded version of my one off workshop I offered with Writing Co-Lab in January! For four weeks, we’re going to be diving deep into some low stakes writing. Think of it as yin yoga for creativity. We’re gonna be doing some deep stretching, getting you comfortable writing and sharing, with lots of prompts for in class and out of class work! It is $175 for the four weeks, and each class is 2 hours long, offered from 12-2 PM ET.
Saturday, September 26-Sunday September 27, 2026
JAMES RIVER WRITERS CONFERENCE
You can catch me around the conference all weekend (minus the two hours where I’ll be hopefully somewhere quiet teaching my Low-Stakes Creative Writing Essentials class) but specifically I’ll be on two panels:
Everything Matters: Writing Authentically for Young People
Editing for Publication
Books will be for sale and while I’m not scheduled for signing, if you happen to catch me running around, feel free to stop me! I’m always happy to sign books.
Remember I’m teaching my Writing Co-Lab class until October 10th, so that’s going on in the first part of the month, THEN
Saturday, October 24, 2026
CROZET BOOK FEST
Catch me in the mountains of Virginia this fall (which is one of my favorite places to be!) The line up is great, and if you like middle grade and YA, Cassidy Dyce, Nashae Jones and Pamela N. Harris will all be there, too!
Saturday, October 31, 2026
Here’s another opportunity to take a workshop with me! This one day course is $99 and we’ll doing another deep dive in craft, focusing on “building tension” and using Rita Dove’s short story, “Second-Hand Man” as a core text.
That’s what I’ve got for right now! But knowing me more will pop up, like for instance, I’m currently planning an author visit to my former middle school, that’s just not firmed up yet. I’m continuing on with some other teaching as well, my private independent study on contemporary Black American literature. I’ve been really enjoying that and we’re thinking about doing one on the Harlem Renaissance next year.
Last but certainly not least: I’ll be back in a university classroom this fall.
I’m just adjuncting one class, an introduction to creative writing, with units on nonfiction, poetry and fiction. Have an .edu email address again with university library access already feels like sliding into something comfortable and familiar. I was always wary of the university, but I’m even warier now, especially in the wake the media spectacle and then subsequent death of Dr. Jason Arday. Like anything else, I’ll be going into this with my eyes open and my brain on, as I often tell my students.
Even with all my wariness, I’m still somewhat excited. I’m one of my best selves when I’m teaching.
FUN SIDE NOTE: In case you missed it, volume 2 of Scrapwork went live! You can grab a physical or digital copy on my Ko-Fi!
If you’re new here and you don’t want to do all that clicking to find out what I’m about: I’m Dr. Ravynn K. Stringfield, a writer, editor, artist and former Peanut Fest Queen from Suffolk, Virginia. I am the author of two novels for young adults, Love in 280 Characters or Less (Feiwel & Friends, 2025) and Love Requires Chocolate (Joy Revolution, 2024). I am a product of Virginia public schools (Suffolk Public Schools) and universities (University of Virginia), all the way up to my PhD in American Studies from William & Mary. I’ve been published in a variety of venues for the last seven years—book collections, magazines, scholarly journals—but most importantly, I’m a life long reader and a maker of beautiful things.
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I just can’t get behind putting my Substack behind a paywall, but I do respect that sometimes folks want leave a little something in the plate for a good post.
Here’s my Ko-Fi. If you feel moved to leave a dollar or something, thank you! My personal blogs have been free for 10 years, I’m not interested in changing that now. You can also buy physical and digital copies of my zines there!
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