We’re only a few days away from a wicked post-Bastille Day hangover. After you’ve re-hydrated and eaten a stack of French Toast, come to the Book Cellar on July 15th, 7pm, and keep the Bastille Day festivities going with hosts Karen Shimmin and Willy Nast, as well as this group of literary revolutionaries:
Erin Diamond is a voracious reader and so-so writer who recently left her rewarding but consuming job in mental health in order to devote more time to write and tell stories. She formerly improvised on the iO Harold team Buck Range. Erin became an aunt for the very first time on July 9th and looks forward to growing old and becoming that crazy aunt with long white hair and lots of jingling bracelets who helps her nieces and nephews out of a jam.
Sheri Reda is a professional writer, editor and celebrant who creates custom wedding, funeral, and baby welcoming ceremonies. She’s told stories at Essay Fiesta twice before and has also appeared at Story Sessions, Here’s the Story, The Funny Story Show, That’s All She Wrote, This Much is True, and other places around town. She loves that we’re all here face to face.
Dana Norris is the founder and host of Story Club, a monthly open mic for stories. She once went on a lot of internet dates and she writes about those mistakes for the website Role Reboot. She has been published in McSweeney’s, The Rumpus, the Tampa Review, and her stories have been featured on WBEZ (91.5 FM) and Vocalo.org (89.5 FM).
Rachael Kossy is the official Essay Fiesta superfan. She hails from exotic Skokie, and is an aspiring writer. You can always spot her at our show because she’s usually in the front row. She’s also typically the youngest face in the crowd. (Except you won’t spot her very often anymore because she is leaving for college next month. And this makes us all very, very sad.)
Born and raised in Saint Paul, MN, Ozzie Totten has called Chicago his home for the past 7.75 years. He’s lived all over the North side, from Rogers Park, Logan Square, Uptown, Wrigley and now, all too stereotypically, in the heart of Boystown. He’s a proud company member at 2nd Story, where he produces events and runs their acclaimed podcast program. He’s very much so underemployed, so if you know anybody hiring, please let him know!
Essay Fiesta 