It's Story Week Time
By Jess D'Amico in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 13, 2008 8:00PM
It's that time of year once again. Spring is on the upswing, and the city is ready to brush the sleep from its eyes and starting to shake off the winter hibernation. This means lots of readings and festivals. And next week our alma mater Columbia College Chicago hosts its annual Story Week, a series of panels, discussions and of course, readings by authors from all over the country. All events are free, so call in sick to work and attend some events to awaken your inner great American novelist.
Here are our top picks:
Sunday 3/16: 2nd Story
Martyrs' hosts this performance of readings and music with storytellers Bobby Biedrzycki, Sheree Greer, J. Adams Oakes and Megan Stielstra. DJ White Russian and Seeking Wonderland provide musical accompaniment.
Martyrs' 3855 N. Lincoln Ave. 7 p.m. 18 and over.
Monday 3/17: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
This year's headliner was supposed to be the incomparable Norman Mailer, who passed away in November, and then somehow the organizers managed to book Joyce Carol Oates, but she canceled due to the recent death of her husband. So we have finally Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, reading from her latest The Palace of Illusions.
Harold Washington Library, Cindy Pritzker Auditorium. 400 S. State St. 6 p.m.
Tuesday 3/18: Christina Garcia and Aimee Bender
We'll be the squealing fangirls at this book signing. Aimee Bender's The Girl in the Flammable Skirt we literally drooled over a little (here's a taste), and Christina Garcia is arguably one of the most important Cuban-American writers of our time. Her Dreaming in Cuban a nominee for the National Book Award.
Harold Washington Library, Cindy Pritzker Auditorium. 400 S. State St. 6 p.m.
Wednesday 3/18: Panel: Beyond the Bookstore Tour, A Look at Guerilla Marketing for Authors
All dressed up with your self-published novel and nowhere to go? This panel lets you mine the wisdom of three publishers, one author and one bookstore owner who took the path less traveled.
Columbia College Chicago, Film Row Cinema, 8th Fl. 1104 S. Wabash. 11 a.m.
Thursday 3/20: Literary Rock & Roll
Junot Diaz, ZZ Packer, Colin Channer, and Hillary Carlip read with music by Mucca Pazza, a 30-piece "circus punk" marching band.
Metro. 3830 N. Clark St. 6 p.m. all ages.