HoCoPoLitSo welcomes all to the March edition of the Wilde Reading Series, proudly continuing its ongoing tenth season of highlighting local authors in Howard County. This month’s reading features Jean Burgess and Kris Faatz, hosted by Linda Joy Burke. Please join us at independent bookstore Queen Takes Book on Tuesday, March 10th at 7 p.m., at 6955 Oakland Mills Rd, Suite E, Columbia MD, 21045. Please spread the word— bring your friends, family, and students!

Our warm and welcoming open mic follows the featured authors and we hope you will let us hear from your stories, poems, or other piece. Please prepare no more than five minutes of performance time (about two poems) and sign up when you arrive. Books by the featured authors will be available for purchase.

Below, get to know Jean and Kris!

Who is the person in your life (past or present) that shows up most often in your writing?

Jean: Me— I guess I’m still at the “write what you know” stage of fiction writing.

Kris: I’m not sure if there’s just one person! For my fictional protagonists, I often draw on people I’ve worked with, sometimes colleagues in the music world, sometimes people I’ve briefly met in my day job at a local garden shop (retail work offers excellent people-watching). I often write about family relationships, particularly between parents and children, and find myself creating parent figures like the ones I wish I’d had. I do sometimes put myself into my work too, particularly if I’ve had an experience I’d like to process. “Giving” that experience to a fictional character lets me create space from it and gain some insight.

Where is your favorite place to write?

Jean: My office because I use a lot of visual stimuli.

Kris: My desk in my office. The window looks out over the back yard and a narrow strip of woods. It’s restful to have greenery to look at. There’s usually at least one cat in my office too, offering encouragement/advice.

Do you have any consistent pre-writing rituals?

Jean: Coffee, review yesterday’s writing— sorry, nothing very exciting.

Kris: I often need a little bit of physical activity to get myself in the right frame of mind. Sometimes that means doing some quick housework or going up and down the stairs a couple of times, or even just walking around a room. Sometimes I like to go for a short walk outside. The activity helps clear the “noise” out of my mind and let me focus on the writing project.

Who always gets a first read?

Jean: My sister— she is fabulous at providing stimulating questions.

What is a book you’ve read more than twice (and would read again)?

Jean: Christina Baker Kline’s The Exiles and Jamie Ford’s Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.

Kris: Pretty much anything by Terry Pratchett. I’ve read all of his “Discworld” books many times, and I revisit them regularly. NIGHT WATCH is a particular favorite: for my money, it’s the best of his books, though they’re all brilliant.

What is the most memorable reading you have attended?

Jean: Too many to limit to a single one. Sorry, is that a cop out?

Kris: When I was in high school, Maya Angelou came to a local university, and I was lucky enough to attend her presentation and reading. It was spellbinding. I remember how inspired I felt, discovering that words could have such power and create such depth of feeling. I could have listened to her for hours.

• Jean Burgess is an author, editor, playwright, and former theatre educator. She writes both nonfiction and fiction, enjoys presenting writing workshops and presentations, and volunteers as a facilitator with a local Teen Writing Club. Her next Retro novel, Navigating Her Next Chapter, will be released in April 2026 by Apprentice House Press. Jean holds a Masters in Theatre from Northwestern University and Ph.D. in Educational Theatre from New York University.

You can find Jean online at jeanburgessauthor.com.

• Kris Faatz (rhymes with skates) is a pianist and award-winning writer. Her short fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in journals including Atticus Review, Rappahannock Review, and South 85. Her third novel, Line Magic, was shortlisted for the Santa Fe Writers Project’s 2023 literary awards and released in 2025 by Highlander Press. Kris and her husband serve as staff to three cats and enjoy hiking and outdoor exploration.

Visit her online at krisfaatz.com, or check in on Facebook, @kristinfaatz, or Instagram, @krisfaatz.