by Allison Manley

I’m writing this post in January on one of those days when it’s colder in Chicago than in Antarctica. But the frost hasn’t deterred me, or our local lit lovers, from enjoying the events our city has to offer. In January, I stopped by the Feminists Creatives Society for some productive and supportive writing sessions in Zoom. I also attended the reading…

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By Jasminum McMullen

From shaping young minds as a teacher in Chicago Public Schools to authoring 12 books across seven genres and founding Pretty Nerd Publishing, Dr. Ariel Sylvester is a creative force who seamlessly blends education, artistry, and entrepreneurship. In this interview, she discusses her writing rituals, the role of faith in her journey, and how lived experiences fuel the authenticity and depth of…

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by Michael Antman

The Chicago Writers Association (CWA) Book of the Year awards ceremony, held on January 18 at the Warwick Allerton Hotel’s Tip Top Tap Ballroom, honored a highly eclectic group of books, ranging widely in subject matter and setting from a remote farm in rural Illinois to the “rooftop of the world,” the Tibetan Plateau in Central Asia.

The awards, presented annually since…

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by Allison Manley

One of my personal goals for 2025 is to attend more lit events. I usually only attend a handful a year, but that’s not for lack of opportunity. Each month in Chicago, there are dozens of events, including author events and book launches, literary lectures, live lit and readings, conferences, and more. We couldn’t possibly list them all, but each month, we’ll share…

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by Randall Albers

“An honest woman is a provocation to the meanness of the world.”—Dorothy Allison, “Spirit Healing,” Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Fuller Award Tribute to Sandra Cisneros

Gut punch.

Word came in a text from writer and longtime friend Megan Stielstra. “Do you know Sapphire?” she asked. “Yes,” I texted back. We had brought Sapphire to our Story Week Festival of Writers…

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by Donald G. Evans

A year is a super long time that is gone in a snap. You do, do, do, do some more…and then it’s done. Before we move on, we want to reflect on what 2024 meant to the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame and those we serve. This past year was our 15th as an organization, depending on how you do the math.…

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by Richae Mastrolonardo

When I log on to Zoom, it’s a Saturday morning, and I’m instantly greeted by enthusiastic questions from Mark Fishbein: “Tell me about you, what are you studying?” In an online world, it can feel hard to forge any kind of real connection, but this isn’t an issue for Fishbein. Before I ask any questions, we spend the first few minutes talking…

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by Donald G. Evans

Director Rana Segal’s documentary The Light of Truth: Richard Hunt’s Monument to Ida B. Wells will be screened on Sunday, October 27 as part of the 60th Chicago International Film Festival. The 66-minute film will be shown at the Chicago History Museum, starting at noon. According to the festival’s notice, the film “weaves together Hunt’s…

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by Rosellen Brown

It isn’t easy to make a mark in the world by being a good guy, a friend, an acute observer more kind than critical. Those qualities don’t sound dramatic enough to constitute a career but Alex K, soft-spoken and content to stay out of the limelight, has brought us a number of remarkable portraits made accessible by the way he watches, listens, sympathizes…

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