Cameron University’s Visiting Writers Series, presented by the Department of Communications, English and Foreign Languages, will welcome author James Cooper, author of “Moonlit Massacre,” on Friday, August 22. He will read selections from the book, a work of historical non-fiction focused on the 1977 Sirloin Stockade mass murder, in Room 2060 of Nance-Boyer Hall starting at 7 p.m. The event is open to the public at no charge.
Cooper has a broad-based background. He formerly served in Oklahoma City Public Schools as an AVID middle school college preparation teacher. After taking the oath of office in April 2019 to begin his first term on the Oklahoma City Council, he taught as an adjunct English professor at the University of Central Oklahoma. Currently, Cooper teaches English and Film Studies as the Artist-in-Residence at Oklahoma City University. He also serves as a trustee on the Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority (COTPA) Board of Trustees.
His debut novel, “Moonlit Massacre,” arrived in bookshelves in October 2024 as Oklahoma’s number-one selling book.
A native of Midwest City, Cooper received a bachelor's degree in film studies with a minor in political science from the University of Oklahoma. He began his teaching career at Oklahoma State University as a graduate assistant, where the university’s English Department recognized him for Teaching Excellence in Composition. He holds a master of arts in English from OSU and a master of fine arts in creative writing from Oklahoma City University.
While pursuing his MA, Cooper received an award from The Society of Professional Journalists. Much of his writing is historical in nature. The Oklahoma Gazette published Cooper’s 2011 two-part article on the history of Oklahoma City’s LGBTQ community, “From Closet to Community.” He spent more than a year researching the story. His essay on the 2013 tornado that devastated Moore, “An Oklahoma Perspective on Tornado Alley,” appeared in the Huffington Post.
The Visiting Writers series is co-sponsored by Cameron University Lectures and Concerts, Sigma Tau Delta and the Writer’s Studio.
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