If this debate season has taught us anything, it’s that some presidential candidates are really bad at talking in front of groups of people. So how about you come see us on Monday night, February 15th, 7pm – at The Book Cellar, where you’ll hear from lineup of writerly American heroes who are much, much better at saying words in front of people:
Stephanie Douglass is a performer, farmer, writer, and trainer who tells stories and plays on stages all over Chicago. She is a Moth GrandSLAM Champion, a co-founder of the New York theatre company The T.E.A.M, was the head writer for OLN’s “Outside Magazine’s Ultimate Top Ten,” and a staff writer for The Paper Machete. When not onstage, she serves as the Farm Enterprise Director at Growing Home, growing organic vegetables and training people with barriers to employment. She is also a co-founder of Cyahafi Blooms, where she develops sustainable programming for rural women and communities in southwestern Uganda.
Megan Kirby has written for places like The Chicago Tribune, The Chicago Reader, Bitch Magazine and The Frisky. You can also find her reading all over town at various live lit shows. Plus, she self-publishes a few zines. One is about The NeverEnding Story.
Steve Gadlin is the host of Steve Gadlin’s Star Makers, the television show that brings you tomorrow’s stars of Hollywood and/or Broadway. He’s also a prolific cat artist, having sold over 19,000 pieces of original stick figure cat art on his website, IWantToDrawACatForYou.com.
Chad Peterson is a writer, arts marketer, fantasy sports guru and certified dog owner. He has written short fiction for several literary magazines and has been recognized for his poetry by the Jo-Anne Hirschfield Memorial Poetry Awards and by the Writers’ Institute at UW-Madison. He has completed two novels (provided that publication is not necessary to earn the label of “completed”), and edited the book “Brother of the Stones” by Eugene Baldwin, which is available for only $2.99 on Kindle and which you should all buy because Gene’s stuff is FREAKing great. He is a member of the Literary Writers Network of Chicago and the former Managing Editor of 10,000 Tons of Black Ink literary magazine. He does not have a blog or a podcast. Judge away.
Natasha Tsoutsouris is a performer and writer. She has told stories at various events throughout the city. Natasha hates writing bios. Normally, this would be an opportunity for us to make up a lot of things and laugh at her expense, but since she’s also a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, we are too afraid to make her mad.
Essay Fiesta 