We don’t care that Monday is a school day, okay? Run away to the Book Cellar Cafe. Order a cafe au lait or a glass of cabernet (or beaujolais) and watch this lineup put on an essay display:
Eileen Dougharty has been stringing words together with some success since she moved here in 2009. She has been published in Reader’s Digest, Thread, and Consequence of Sound and she is grateful that Chicago has consistently been a most inspiring and supportive muse.
Lindsay Eanet (rhymes with “Senate”) can be seen reading around Chicago at shows like OUTSpoken, You’re Being Ridiculous, Story Jam and this one, and next to you at your favorite bar, skipping over all your songs on the jukebox. She has a weakness for reality competition shows and cries an average of four times during every episode of American Ninja Warrior. But enough about her, let’s talk about you.
Jeff Phillips is a washed up varsity cross country skier and storefront theatre method actor. His short fiction has appeared in Seeding Meat, This Zine Will Change Your Life, Metazen, Chicago Literati, and Literary Orphans. He is the co-founder of Zizobotchi Papers, a literary journal dedicated to the novella, and a regular contributor of short stories and essays at the site Drinkers With Writing Problems. You can find him on Twitter as @TheIglooOven.
Rachael Kossy is wrapping up her first year as an elementary art teacher. She has never regretted her life-long nail biting habit more than now, when she comes home daily with hands caked in kid sneeze bits and paint spatter. Still, it’s worth it to hear her 5-year-olds belt out Drake’s “God’s Plan” while they smash clay. This summer Rachael plans to reorganize her classroom, explore grad schools for counseling psychology, and read as many quirky novels as possible–suggestions welcome!
Erin Kahoa is honored to be returning to Essay Fiesta. Willy is amazing. Karen is equally, if not slightly more, amazing. You, audience, you’re pretty special as well. Erin is producing a podcast for the Adler Planetarium, so keep your eyes out for that. Gonna be pretty cool.
Essay Fiesta 