This event will feature superstar local authors Samantha Irby and Megan Stielstra. The event will begin with a short reading from Megan and Sam followed by a conversation about the culture and processes of working in literature in Chicago - writing, publishing, performing, circulating, and making space for diverse, independent work. This conversation, which will be moderated by W&CF co-owner Sarah Hollenbeck, is part of "The Humanities Plunge," an alternative spring break with the Kaplan Institute for the Humanities at Northwestern University, but is open to the public.
Megan Stielstra is the author of Once I Was Cool—a Best of 2014 at Chicago Magazine, the Chicago Tribune, and Salon—and her next collection, COME HERE FEAR, is forthcoming from Harper Perennial. Her work appears in the Best American Essays, Poets & Writers, Guernica, The Rumpus, and elsewhere, and she recently joined the New York Times as a contributing opinion writer. A longtime company member with 2nd Story, she tells stories for all sorts of theaters, festivals, and bars (many, many bars) including the Goodman, Steppenwolf, Neo-Futurarium, Museum of Contemporary Art, and regularly with The Paper Machete live news magazine at The Green Mill, as well as Chicago Public Radio, National Public Radio, and Radio National Australia. She teaches creative nonfiction at Northwestern University.
Samantha Irby is a Chicago-based writer, performer, author of the hilarious essay collection Meatym and the creator of the must-read blog bitchesgottaeat.com.
