Bowling Green, Ky. - A short story written by Western Kentucky University graduate Ryan Clark is included in "Stories from the Blue Moon Café IV," an anthology featuring Southern writers.

Clark, a December 2002 graduate from Louisville, wrote "Like Kudzu" while in creative writing classes at Western. The short story describes the journey of a young man fulfilling his brother's dying wish.

"Stories from the Blue Moon Café IV" includes short fiction, poems and essays from writers such as Pulitzer-winner Rick Bragg and "Big Fish" author Daniel Wallace. The annual series is edited by Sonny Brewer, board chairman of the non-profit Fairhope (Ala.) Center for the Writing Arts.

Clark, who majored in print journalism with a minor in folklore, is a reporter at The Cincinnati Enquirer. He will be participating in a two-day reading and book signing event this weekend at Lemuria Books in Jackson, Miss.

Clark, who won Western's 2002 Jim Wayne Miller Fiction Writing award, credits the creative writing program for helping him develop his fiction writing skills. "They always gave me encouragement to keep writing, keep exploring characters and stories," he said. "My creative writing classes were wonderful."

Information on the book is available online at www.overthetransom.com or www.lemuriabooks.com. The book also will be available at other bookstores.

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you'd like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For information, contact Ryan Clark at (270) 841-9528.