To Report…

On Saturday friends and great writers gathered at The Book Cellar in Chicago’s Lincoln Square for what might be the last RAGAD reading for sometime. All came to celebrate the release of Ben Tanzer’s story, “What We Thought We Knew,” but folks were treated to much more. Having said this many times over the weekend, but still not tiring of it, I have to proclaim that among the many fine readings we’ve had over the last three years, this was one of the finest.

Jason Jordan arrived the day before via Pittsburgh–GO BACK TO OHIO! (inside joke). We ate and drank the night before and then he stormed The Book Cellar stage Saturday night with a story about a man’s encounter with death. A fine story, dry humor that went over with the packed house quite nicely. Thanks for coming out, man–we hope to see you back this way again soon.

Amy Guth, who’s heading up Pilcrow Lit Fest in Chicago in May, and who I had the pleasure of meeting for the first time, read a excerpt from her new novel. Gritty and fun, I can’t wait until the release of it. A nicer, more pleasant person to talk and drink with I cannot recall. Jordan, Guth, her fiance Justin, and myself all hit the town afterwards. I was given a hexagon made from straws that was supposed to have powers in picking up women. I didn’t try it, but Amy did get slugged in the arm in that same attempt by a drunken passerby–ah, nothing like Ricochets in Lincoln Square. Thanks for reading, Amy, you rock it!

Jill Summers is always great. Always. Her new website is kick-ass as well, and she’s got a story called ‘Larry’ on the first What to Wear During An Orange Alert Mixtape which will be coming out in RAGAD this summer. A fucking awesome story. Thanks, Jill, t’was sensational.

And last but never least, Ben Tanzer. Ben fucking Tanzer, a great reader and writer, an even better pod-caster and friend. Ben read a hilarious story about his past with drinking, the highs and sharp lows. Whole bookstore was laughing, each person. It was that good. Ben’s new novel, as it was announced, Most Likely You’ll Go Your Way and I’ll Go Mine, will be published by Orange Alert Books. No release date yet, but we’re so stoked for Ben. Congrats, man, you deserve it–we hope to get a shout out in the acknowledgements…:) 

Thanks to everyone who came out Saturday night. Many new faces there, but some ones I knew well and was happy to see: Spencer Dew, Jason Berhends, Tim Hall, and others. Thanks for making this last reading so extraordinary. I have you all, the readers and writers, to be indebted to.

Links:
Jason Jordan’s blog
Amy Guth’s blog
Jill Summers’ website
Ben Tanzer’s blog
What To Wear During An Orange Alert
RAGAD