Author and poet, Gary Soto will be reading from his latest book at the Fresno City College Library Reference Room, the college said.

As part of promotion, Soto will be on campus on April 7 at 6:00 p.m., to read his latest book, “You Kiss by Th’ Book”.

Soto will read selected pieces from his new collection of poems inspired by Shakespeare. He said each poem starts off with a lines from famous writings like Shakespeare and Macbeth.

Soto said he took himself out of his comfort zone and brought Elizabethan writing into the present time.

“I am out of my comfort zone and I am doing something that is simply different from me,” Soto said. “This is a surprising adventure for me.”

Soto said he was inspired by excerpts from a Shakespeare book that was laying around his house. Soto used the lines as a device to start his own work and bring his writing to follow a similar style.

“I am not saying that I am as good as Shakespeare but [I] challenged myself to write to that standard,” Soto said.

It took him four months to complete the manuscript, which was started by his latest inspiration.

“The book has been sitting at the publishers for a year now and the writing part, does not take long because I am a very quick writer,” Soto said.

Soto said the publishers decided to release his book during poetry month.

Soto said he did not want to pass up the opportunity to do a book reading at his alma mater.

“My museums is there and I have a long history with the college so I chose it there,” Soto said.

The title was chosen by both Soto and his publicist.

There is will be a book signing at the end of the free reading.