PORTLAND — As the University of Southern Maine’s graduate creative-writing program gets under way in January with its 10-day residency, the public is invited to the series of poetry and literary readings presented by faculty, student and guests.

Students and faculty with USM’s Stonecoast MFA in Creative Writing program will gather Friday, Jan. 10-Saturday, Jan. 18, at the Stone House mansion and the Harraseeket Inn in Freeport for the Stonecoast winter 2014 residency.

During this period, students will attend writing workshops and meet with faculty members as they pursue their master of fine arts degrees. Writers in a number of genres, representing faculty, students and guests, will give public readings of their works throughout the 10-day program.

“These readings demonstrate some of the exciting creativity that is occurring within the Stonecoast community, both in Maine and nationally,” said Justin Tussing, Stonecoast interim director and USM professor of English. “USM and Stonecoast have a strong mission of public outreach, and we invite anyone who enjoys hearing the spoken word to attend these wonderful readings of new works.”

Details of the Stonecoast Faculty and Guest Readings at the Casco Room, Harraseeket Inn, Freeport:

7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10, Stonecoast MFA faculty members will share three minutes of their work. Presenters include: Rick Bass, Sarah Braunstein, Susan Conley, David Anthony Durham, Barbara Hurd, James Patrick Kelly, Debra Marquart, Dolen Perkins-Valdez and Suzanne Strempek Shea; free and open to the public.

7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, Popular fiction author Theodora Goss, introduced by Elizabeth Hand, both Stonecoast faculty, will present readings from her works; free and open to the public.

7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12, Stonecoast faculty Aaron Hamburger, fiction author, introduced by Dolen Perkins-Valdez, fiction author, and Cait Johnson, creative non-fiction author, introduced by Susan Conley, Maine novelist, will present readings from their works; Stonecoast students will organize three-minute-long readings; free and open to the public.

7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13, Stonecoast guest Robert Finch, American nature writer, will present readings from his works and engage in a question-and-answer session; he will be introduced by Barbara Hurd, creative non fiction author and Stonecoast faculty; free and open to the public.

7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14, Stonecoast faculty Martin Espada, a well-known Latino poet, will present readings from his works; he will be introduced by Amanda Johnston, Stonecoast poetry student; free and open to the public.

7:30 p.m. for the Flash Readings; 8-9 p.m. for Student Open Mic; Stonecoast MFA faculty members will share three minutes of their work. Presenters include: Jeanne Marie Beaumont, Breena Clarke, Boman Desai, Elizabeth Hand, Nancy Holder, Michael Kimball, David Mura, Alexs Pate, Elizabeth Searle; Students will read for three minutes; free and open to the public.

Alumni Reading, 7 p.m. Friday, Jan.17, Poet Quenton Baker, introduced by Cait Johnson, Stonecoast faculty, and professional writer and photographer Helen Peppe, introduced by David Mura, Stonecoast faculty, will present readings from their works; free and open to the public.

For more information, visit www.usm.maine.edu/stonecoastmfa.