NIU alum Tatianna Salisbury released her debut poetry collection “words my heart needed to hear” in June. The collection features poems and short stories that express the ugly and dark side of the human experience and the cycle of love. 

Salisbury is making her way to DeKalb and Rockford in early October to promote her book and speak about her writing process. From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 5, Salisbury will be hosting a free book signing and author Q&A at Robin’s Nest Bookshoppe, 218 E. Lincoln Highway. The event is open to the public, and attendees will get the chance to have their book signed by Salisbury.

Free e-tickets can be found on EventBrite for those who want to reserve their spot. NIU students can use the code NIUSTUDENT to reserve a copy of the book to buy before the event.

For those who are interested in a gallery walk or an open mic event, Salisbury will be traveling north to Rockford to continue sharing her love for storytelling.

From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 6, the Rockford Area Arts Council, 713 E. State St., will have its annual ArtScene event which will feature an array of artists and writers. Salisbury will have a table with copies of her book and framed pieces of art that feature her work. Salisbury will also be hosting her first poetry open mic night from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Bennie’s, 126 N. First St., Rockford’s local dry cleaners who annually open its loft to host artist events. Both Rockford events are free and open to the public.