Flowing Water, Falling Flowers by Xixuan Collins, a new tome from Midwest Writing Center Press + Xixuan Collins, will be released during a livestream from 7 to 9 p.m. tonight on Zoom and Facebook Live. The event is free. Local book fans are invited to join MWC  for the release of Xixuan Collins’s debut novel, Falling Water, Falling Flowers. The event will include a reading from the book, conversation between Collins and author Misty Urban, Q+A, and giveaways. Email sarah.elgatian@mwcqc.org to RSVP to the Zoom event! Xixuan was born in Hechuan, Sichuan Province, China, grew up in Kangding, on... Read More

A native of China, Xixuan Collins has lived in Iowa since 1997, but has only written in English since 2015. Her debut novel, “Flowing Water, Falling Flowers” from the Rock Island-based Midwest Writing Center Press, will be released in October. “I’m still not sure I actually have the confidence even now as a writer,” Collins, 52, said recently. “But I have taken a lot of workshops through MWC and have learned a lot about the craft of writing fiction. Through MWC, I also met some amazing writers and writing instructors, and their encouragement and affirmation have helped me greatly. “I... Read More

MACOMB, IL — The Multicultural Center (MCC) at Western Illinois University is highlighting two June national celebrations – the African-American community focused Juneteenth (Friday, June 19) and LGBT*QA community-focused Pride Month. Although the celebrations tend to give focus to a particular community, these are American celebrations by the diverse communities that comprise our nation. The MCC will host a virtual recognition of the commemorations on its webpage to bring additional light to the African American and the LGBT*QA tradition and celebration. “We invite you to learn... Read More

A group of local teenagers have spent the past year identifying promising opportunities and pressing needs in the Quad Cities area as part of the Quad Cities Community Foundation’s Teens for Tomorrow Program. The students immersed themselves in the grant process by learning about community needs, developing a grant opportunity, evaluating applications, visiting with nonprofits, and now, awarding grants. In recent months, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the region, the teens also adapted to virtual meetings due to stay-at-home and social distancing requirements, giving them experience... Read More

The Flamingo, the biggest openly gay event in the world, is moving from its usual destination of Las Vegas to the city of Moline, Illinois. The event features gay musical acts, clinics, and novelties, and is coming to Moline for the first time due to tax breaks and the fact that the mayor is the uncle of the one and only fabulous host, Spencer Gayman. Of course, this isn’t really the case; rather it is the plot to “Hello Fabulous!” the new audiobook from Rock Island author Jason Tanamor, the critically acclaimed author of “Drama Dolls” “The underlying story revolves around a straight... Read More

Jason Tanamor has written about sexual identity, prison relations and political humor, so it makes perfect sense that his latest book is for children. Tanamor’s new and interesting path involves a new stalwart, Superhero Kid, who dons a cape, grabs a teddy bear and flies out into the city with his bedhead to find new adventures in his new novel, “I Heart Superhero Kid.” It’s, as most Tanamor novels are, a little eccentric and off-kilter, and it’s directed towards, as he puts it, kids and middle aged kids. “The book is an epic story between good and bad, told in rhyming verse involving... Read More

According to Time Magazine, Chinese-American playwright David Henry Hwang, “has the potential to become the first important dramatist of American public life since Arthur Miller, and maybe the best of them all.” Hwang has been described by the New York Times as “a true original” is best known as the author of M. Butterfly. That enduring 1988 work, which won a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, John Gassner Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award, was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. During a public lecture, Wednesday, Feb. 12, Hwang will share his experiences as America’s most-produced... Read More

Born to a Chinese father and Jewish mother, and raised in the multicultural metropolis of Toronto, saxophonist Allison Au found music as a young child. Her work is a concoction steeped in the tradition of jazz but skillfully laced with elements of classical, pop, R&B/hip hop, Latin, and world music. From Oct. 28 through Nov. 2, Au will bring her quartet into schools and community sites to provide musical outreach through a residency with Quad City Arts Visiting Artist Series. The Allison Au Quartet won a JUNO Award (a Canadian GRAMMY) in 2016 for “Best Jazz Album of The Year: Group”... Read More

Looking for a catch of the week that doesn’t involve noodling the flooded Mississippi River? If you’re  jonesing for Japanese you won’t have to fish far for satisfying sushi and sashimi any longer. Osaka restaurants in Moline, Davenport and Muscatine offer fresh dishes from the land of the rising sun roll, and they’re a Godzilla-sized hit. While other local outlets have offered sushi as part of their broader menus, Osaka is unique in its sole dedication to Japanese cuisine, as well as its environment and presentation. Walk inside and you’re immersed in an expansive, warm crimson... Read More

After work on Friday the 13th I drove over to the River Center to pick up my badge and see some friends that were at the convention. I made a quick peek at the dealer’s room to see if what, if any, manga and anime dealers were at the convention this year. They did have a couple, so I looked through their wears and did find a couple series I was looking for. There was the complete series of Kat and Mouse, a Tokyopop original ‘manga’, in that it’s drawn in a vaguely manga style and was published by a company mostly know for publishing manga. My main interest in it was the... Read More