Thomas Townsley, assistant professor of humanities at Mohawk Valley Community College, recently had a book of poetry published by SurVision Books out of Dublin, Ireland, and will give a reading and workshop on Thursday, March 12, at The Other Side, 2011 Genesee St., in Utica.

“Tangent of Ardency,” a collection of surrealistic poetry and prose, is part of SurVision’s “New Poetics” series. It is available for purchase online at http://survisionmagazine.com and www.lulu.com, and soon will be on Amazon, as well.

Townsley also will have copies available for purchase at his workshop and reading on March 12. The workshop, which begins at 4:30 p.m., will focus on surrealist-inspired writing techniques and is designed to encourage participants to tap into their “inner weird” and overcome writer’s block. The cost of the workshop is $5. At 7 p.m., Townsley will give a free reading of pieces from his new book, as well as some past and forthcoming work.

A prolific writer, Townsley has authored several books, the most recent being “Reading the Empty Page” and “Night Class for Insomniacs.” He also is a well-known blues musician and visual artist. Townsley teaches English, Creative Writing, and Art Appreciation at MVCC, where he has been honored with the Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities Award (2016), and the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities (2017).