Columbia College Chicago’s 18th annual Story Week Festival of Writers, returns March 16-21 with a focus on DiverCity: Urban Stories. In Story Week tradition, the festival brings established and emerging authors together to share their works in a variety of venues – including Revolution Brewery, Martyrs,’ Humboldt Park Fieldhouse, Harold Washington Library, Metro Chicago and the Chicago Cultural Center in addition to Columbia College.

Some of the highlights of the week-long festival include:

Featured reading and book signing with Cristina Garcia – author of six novels, including King of Cuba (Scribner’s, 2013), Garcia was the former Miami bureau chief for Time Magazine before becoming a novelist. She is the winner of the Janet Heidiger Kafka Prize and her novel Dreaming in Cuban (Knopf, 1992) was a National Book Award finalist. Harold Washington Library, Mar. 18, 6 p.m.

“Translation Matters” and “Noche de novelas/Night of Novels” hosted by the Guild Complex – features seven Latino authors, including Cristina Garcia and Valeria Luiselli. Luiselli, born in Mexico City and raised in South Africa, will share stories from her first U.S. published work, Faces in the Crowd and Sidewalks (forthcoming: Coffee House Press, May 2014).

This year also features a number of opportunities for aspiring writers to learn more about the publishing industry with bootcamps, readings and open mics. Please visit www.colum.edu/storyweek for a full listing of programs.