Gulf Coast Reading Series Born from the Creative Writing Program at the University of Houston, the Gulf Coast Reading Series offers any hungry bibliophile a can't-miss opportunity to witness up-and-coming literati before they hit the big time. Organized by (and featuring) graduate students from the UH program, the Gulf Coast series has introduced many young writers -- including poet Cate Marvin and fiction writer Vikram Chandr -- who've gone on to publish award-winning work in books and in such publications as The New Yorker and The Paris Review. Unlike many chain-store-style readings, where the author tries to carry on amidst noisy and indifferent passersby, these readings are usually held on Friday evenings after Brazos Bookstore has closed its doors. They're intimate sit-down affairs where readers can really get into the tone, the pace and the subject matter of the writing, and audiences can enjoy words that may someday make Houston proud.