{"id":5773,"date":"2013-11-26T00:18:59","date_gmt":"2013-11-26T00:18:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/solaceinabook.com\/site\/?p=5773"},"modified":"2013-11-26T15:25:26","modified_gmt":"2013-11-26T15:25:26","slug":"grateful-for-chicago-lit-scene","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/solaceinabook.com\/site\/2013\/11\/grateful-for-chicago-lit-scene\/","title":{"rendered":"Grateful for Chicago Lit scene"},"content":{"rendered":"

You may say that I am coming off a big bookfair high, and maybe I am.\u00a0 But this Thanksgiving I am thankful for the Chicago literary community. I am grateful to be part of a creative community where so many people are devoted to writing and working at making books. To be around literary thinkers is a heady experience\u2014there\u2019s a great vibe.\u00a0 And what is even better is that these people are nice and fun and supportive of each other.<\/p>\n

Since October I\u2019ve been part of three bookfairs:\u00a0 In Print Author Book Fair<\/a> <\/strong>in Rockford, the November 2 Indie Author Book Fair<\/strong> in Lake Forest, and yesterday\u2019s Chicago Book Expo<\/strong><\/a>, so I\u2019ve had a literary-filled autumn, learning about many great new homegrown books.<\/p>\n

Yesterday at St. Augustine College, which is the site of the old Essanay Studios, was the Chicago Book Expo <\/strong>and it was a huge success; big attendance at a accommodating venue with a superb slate of readings. Thanks to Emily Victorson<\/strong>, Vendor Relations Committee, John K. Wilson<\/strong>, Co-organizer, and Lynn Haller<\/strong>, Co-organizer.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>My tablemate yesterday was E. C. Diskin<\/strong><\/a>, whose legal thriller The Green Line<\/strong><\/em> is getting industry attention.\u00a0 As I spoke with E. C. (whose first name is Elizabeth) I had the sense that I was sitting with an author who will be an Amazon success story.\u00a0 Out since May of this year, The Green Line<\/strong><\/em> has garnered a lot of favorable reviews and reached a lot or readers.\u00a0 Keep your eye on The Green Line<\/strong><\/em> and watch a hometown book become a big success (better yet, buy it).\u00a0 When The Green Line<\/em> is the hit I predict it will be, it may be referred to as an overnight sensation, but Elizabeth, who is also a lawyer, has been working on the novel for eight years; she belongs to a small critique group where she honed the manuscript into the sharp thriller it is today. She lives in Oak Park.<\/p>\n

I also got to meet Dmitry Samarov<\/strong><\/a>, an artist from Beverly whose work I first became aware of when it was featured in The Labletter<\/strong><\/em><\/a>. I later connected with him on Twitter and learned he has a book out through The University of Chicago Press. Titled Hack<\/strong><\/em>; it is his collection of stories and drawings from a Chicago cab driver. His next book, Where to? A Hack Memoir<\/strong><\/em> is coming out in 2014 from Curbside Splendor<\/strong>, will also feature his visual art and writing.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
from Hack by Dmitry Samarov<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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There was a young woman I recognized from previous literary events and we re-introduced ourselves.\u00a0 She\u2019s Libby Walkup<\/strong>, a recent grad of the MFA program at the Art Institute. She gave me a copy of Collected 2013 (Integumentary<\/strong>)<\/em> which is the anthology of the MFA in Writing program (she edited it), and I also got two issues of Ginger Piglet<\/em><\/strong>, the literary magazine she edits. The next edition will be a Chicago one.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

My pal from AWP bookfair Susan Yount<\/em><\/strong> had the latest issue of Arsenic Lobster<\/strong><\/em><\/a>, a journal she lovingly edits; I say \u201clovingly\u201d because the journal keeps getting more beautiful.\u00a0 Susan started Misty Publications<\/strong><\/a>, which has come out with two books so far (Steve Davenport\u2019s Overpass<\/em> and Humbug<\/em> by Brenda Mann Hamack); forthcoming is Some Kind of Shelter <\/strong><\/em>by Sara Tracey<\/strong>.\u00a0 Susan shared a table with Kathleen Rooney<\/strong><\/a> representing Rose Metal Press<\/a>.<\/strong> (BTW, Kathleen\u2019s book O Democracy<\/strong><\/em> is just out.)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

At the end of our aisle were Susan Brauer<\/strong><\/a> whose true-account book Just Keep Dancing <\/strong><\/em> is about violence against women and\u00a0 GinaMarie Lobianco<\/strong><\/a> who is a writer, novelist, and poet who produces her own books.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Speaking of poetry, I finished the day with a reading to celebrate the publication of Journal of Modern Poetry (JOMP16)<\/strong><\/em>, edited and published by C. J. Laity<\/strong><\/a>, and got to hear poetry by Marcia Pradzinski <\/strong>(“Slipping Back”), Cordell M. Miles Jr.<\/strong> (“Ride”), Wilda W. Morris<\/strong><\/a> (“Workshop Words”) Jennifer Dotson<\/strong> (“Branded”), and many others.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Other books I got at the bookfair are Coming Out Can Be Murder<\/strong><\/em> by Renee James <\/strong><\/a>and a paranormal romance Mahogany Sin<\/strong><\/em> by Kellee Gilmore<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

On the other side of the table from me were Shari Brady<\/strong><\/a> and Mary Driver-Thiel<\/strong>.<\/a> Shari has a YA novel (Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye)<\/em><\/strong> about one family\u2019s struggle to cope after losing a family member to addiction. Mary\u2019s book The World Undone<\/em><\/strong> is a finalist for book of year award from the Chicago Writers Association<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 Mary was the driving force behind the Indie Book Fair in Lake Forest\u2019s Re\/Invent Gallery <\/strong>in November (thanks again, Mary).\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>I got to meet more authors whose self-published books cover various topics, including Navajo code talkers (The Rope Catcher<\/em><\/strong> by Larry Stillman<\/strong><\/a>), a cozy mystery in the cozy north shore town of Banner Bluff (The Lake<\/strong><\/em> by Deborah Rine<\/strong>), a tech thriller (Source*Forged Armor <\/strong><\/em>By Paul J. Bartusiak<\/strong>) and a captivating alphabet picture book (Animal Store Alphabet Book<\/strong><\/em> by Susan Bearman<\/strong><\/a>. \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Earlier in the fall I attended In Print Book Fair<\/strong> in Rockford. There I got kibitz with publisher Dave Gecic <\/strong>of Puddin\u2019head<\/a> Press<\/strong> and poet Christine Swanberg<\/strong><\/a> who read from her book of poems, The Alleluia Tree<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n

Solace in So Many Words <\/strong><\/em>contributor D. J. Lachance<\/strong> shared the good news: he\u2019s published his play, An End to War and An End to Peace<\/strong><\/em>, which draws his own experience and The Odyssey<\/em>.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I\u2019m grateful to live in a place with a literary culture\u2014I like the buzz. And I appreciate how inclusive it is here in Chicago. Victor David Giron<\/strong> and Jacob Knabb<\/strong> and all the Curbside Splendor<\/strong> <\/a>folk always make you feel part of the activities. Jason Pettus<\/strong>, from Chicago Center for Literature and Photography (CCLaP)<\/strong><\/a>, wears his passion for literature on his sleeve so it\u2019s impossible not to root for his publishing endeavors. It\u2019s always great to check in with local author Ben Tanzer<\/a> <\/strong>and usually he has several irons in the literary fires yet seems a little astonished by his readership and ever grateful. Randy Richardson <\/strong><\/a>and all the Chicago Writers Association <\/strong>people are fun to share exhibit space with.\u00a0 Thanks to all in literary Chicago<\/strong>. I\u2019ll be reading you.<\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You may say that I am coming off a big bookfair high, and maybe I am.\u00a0 But this Thanksgiving I am thankful for the Chicago literary community. I am grateful to be part of a creative community where so many people are devoted to writing and working at making books. To be around literary thinkers […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[741,1465,386,1831,1878,1560,1095,1863,1860,230,1872,1869,1846,1844,12,1841,1854,1850,23,1847,1840,1851,922,1842,1857,1856,1853,1523,1862,1871,1849,1843,1861,1858,1746,1228,1870,1094,1866,1864,703,1865,7,16,1855,1750,1852,868,1845,1868,1848,32,1859,1867],"class_list":{"0":"post-5773","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-uncategorized","7":"tag-arsenic-lobster","8":"tag-c-j-laity","9":"tag-chicago","10":"tag-chicago-book-expo","11":"tag-chicago-literary-scene","12":"tag-chicago-writers-association","13":"tag-christine-swanberg","14":"tag-coming-out-can-be-murder","15":"tag-cordell-m-miles-jr","16":"tag-d-j-lachance","17":"tag-dave-geci","18":"tag-deborah-rine","19":"tag-dmitry-samarov","20":"tag-e-c-diskin","21":"tag-ellen-wade-beals","22":"tag-emily-victorson","23":"tag-ginamarie-lobianco","24":"tag-ginger-piglet","25":"tag-gratitude","26":"tag-hack","27":"tag-in-print-book-fair","28":"tag-integumentary","29":"tag-jennifer-dotson","30":"tag-john-k-wilson","31":"tag-jomp16","32":"tag-journal-of-modern-poetry","33":"tag-just-keep-dancing","34":"tag-kathleen-rooney","35":"tag-kellee-gilmore","36":"tag-larry-stillman","37":"tag-libby-walkup","38":"tag-lynn-haller","39":"tag-mahogany-sin","40":"tag-marcia-padzinski","41":"tag-mary-driver-thiel","42":"tag-misty-publications","43":"tag-paul-j-bartusiak","44":"tag-puddinhead-press","45":"tag-reinvent-gallery","46":"tag-renee-james","47":"tag-rose-metal-press","48":"tag-sharie-a-brady","49":"tag-solace","50":"tag-solace-in-so-many-words","51":"tag-stellas-songs","52":"tag-susan-bearman","53":"tag-susan-brauer","54":"tag-susan-yount","55":"tag-the-green-line","56":"tag-the-word-undone","57":"tag-university-of-chicago-press","58":"tag-weighed-words","59":"tag-wilda-morris","60":"tag-wish-i-could-have-said-goodbye","61":"entry","62":"has-post-thumbnail"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/solaceinabook.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5773","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/solaceinabook.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/solaceinabook.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/solaceinabook.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/solaceinabook.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5773"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/solaceinabook.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5773\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5825,"href":"https:\/\/solaceinabook.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5773\/revisions\/5825"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/solaceinabook.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5773"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/solaceinabook.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5773"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/solaceinabook.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5773"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}