Here are some places I'll be reading soon - hope to see you there!

Jan. 09, 2016  |  Tiger Room Salon
A multi-genre lineup that includes Tim Hillegonds, Suzanne Buffam, Rachel Swearingen and yours truly, all reading our newest work. Lively, convivial, and BYOB. Doors open at 7:00 pm, reading begins at 7:30 pm. 1132 Oak Ave., Evanston, IL

Nov. 9, 2015  |  Brian Boru Irish Pub
Join me and wonderful Chicago poet Larry Janowski for The Traveling Mollys Literary Open Mic and Reading Series. Come early for the open mic, or even earlier for authentic Irish pub food!  7:30pm; open mic sign up at 7:00pm.  7652 W. Madison, Forest Park, IL

Sept. 26, 2015  |  Madame ZuZu's Reading Series 
Exotic tea and vegan treats! Oh, and poetry. Triple play! Featured reader (me, for instance) will be followed by an open mic so come on out and share your new work. Kicks off at 8:00 pm. 582 Roger Williams Avenue, Highland Park, IL

Workshops/teaching/etc.

February 16, 2016  |  NWCC Second Saturday Workshop, Palatine Public Library
Poetry and the Metaphor of Self. In the same way that poetry uses image as a metaphor for personal experience, it uses the self as a metaphor for human experience. We will look at a few poetic examples (including Walt Whitman) of how poets break the barrier of the self to resonate with readers, and discuss strategies for doing the same in our own poems.

November 16, 2015  |  Elk Grove High School Senior CAT/COM class
As a precursor to their Poetry Portfolio projects, I'll be talking to students about poetry in form: how learning about various poetic forms can offer insight into the poems we read and open up opportunities in the poems we write. We'll read a few poems in form and discuss the exciting new possibilities that understanding poetic form provides to us as readers and as writers.

May 27, 2015  |  EGHS Poetry Slam
For the third year in a row, I'm joining fellow writers Ryan Assmussen and Kate Hutchinson to judge the Student Poetry Slam at Elk Grove High School.  Every year these young writers surprise and delight us with the quality of their work — and their fellow students show up en masse to cheer them on. Go Gren Writers!