(Tucson, AZ) Local author Courtney Gustafson will kick off the Fall 2026 Writer in Residence program on Tuesday, September 1. Her residency will run through Tuesday, November 10.
Courtney Gustafson is an author, community organizer, and cat rescuer who lives and works in Tucson, Arizona. A former academic, Courtney especially values writing communities that are accessible outside of academia, and has led writing workshops in prisons, refugee communities, and women’s shelters. Outside of writing, she organizes community-based animal welfare and mutual aid projects.
Courtney’s first book, Poets Square: A Memoir in Thirty Cats, explores themes of care and community-building through the lens of animal welfare. Poets Square debuted on the New York Times bestseller list and was named an NPR 2025 Books We Love pick, and has been translated into six languages.
The Writer in Residence program brings local authors to the Library to consult with writers of any age, experience, or genre. This program, generously funded by the Arizona State Library, is a favorite among local writers.
One-on-One consultations
Courtney can help writers generate new ideas, edit existing writing, work through writer’s block, explore questions about publishing, and more.
She will be available for eight 30 minute one-on-one sessions per week at Martha Cooper Library, 1377 N. Catalina Ave.:
- Tuesdays from 4:30 to 6 pm
- Fridays from 10:30 am to noon
Registration opens one week prior to each consultation. Please note, sessions tend to fill up quickly. There is a limit of one sessions per week. Writers under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Workshops
Registration is not required for the following three workshops:
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Writing About Animals
Saturday, September 19 from 10:30 am to noon
Martha Cooper Library, 1377 N. Catalina Ave.
From furry paws to scaly tails, animals of all kinds take up a special place in our lives. The dog you had throughout childhood? The birds you watch each morning from the kitchen window? In this generative workshop, we’ll have fun writing sensory descriptions of animals and exploring how writing animal perspectives can illuminate human characters in both fiction and nonfiction works.
There may be live animals present at this workshop!
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Mapping Tucson Through Memoir
Saturday, October 17 from 10:30 am to noon
Martha Cooper Library, 1377 N. Catalina Ave.
Which parts of Tucson feel like home to you? Which intersections hold memories? Where were you when you last watched a Tucson sunset? In this workshop, we’ll talk about the importance of place and geography in memoir, and generate new personal writing about memories in Tucson.
Participants will have the option to publish a portion of their writing from this workshop in a collaborative blog post that uses memoir to map locations across the city.
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Making Social Media Work for Writers
Saturday, November 7 from 10:30 am to noon
Martha Cooper Library, 1377 N. Catalina Ave.
It’s no secret that social media has changed the landscape for writers, but it doesn’t have to be a scary change. Whether it’s marketing to your ideal readers, connecting with other writers, or building a platform that will appeal to publishers, this workshop will help participants identify their social media goals and set concrete steps to reach them. We’ll discuss different social media platforms and how to make them work for you as a writer.
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About Pima County Public Library
For more than 100 years, we've been here for people just like you. Today, in our libraries, online, or out in the community, our dedicated staff and volunteers are always looking ahead to help you find what you're looking for. Every day, we're making our mission a reality by educating and connecting people and inspiring ideas.