Elizabethtown College Assistant Director of Academic Advising, Curtis Smith, recently published his latest book, “The Lost and the Blind,” which is scheduled for release this September.

“Publication is always nice, but the real joy comes from sitting down daily to create,” Smith said.

What originally started as a short story that Smith submitted to a literature journal eventually evolved into a full-fledged novel. Smith’s latest work revolves around themes of food insecurity and addiction.

The novel follows Mark Hayes, a high school senior whose mother is an addict and whose father is serving a life sentence. Mark is often hungry and trying to walk the right path with the limited resources that he has available. The military, which he once considered a possible escape, is feeling more uncertain and ominous as the country stumbles toward an ill-defined war.

This is currently Smith’s sixth published novel and his 14th published book. He has also published over 125 stories and essays in literary journals and magazines. With his knowledge and expertise, Smith will be teaching a new, year-long novel course here at Etown this academic year.

Smith will be providing a reading from the book, followed by a discussion with Etown Director of the English Creative Writing Program and Lecturer in English, Erica Dolson, at an on-campus event this October. Smith will also be leading a workshop on novel writing in Etown’s High Library this November.