Literago.org welcomes our newest contributor, the lovely and expert Alba Machado of Literary Chicago! Woo hoo! — Eds.

If there is one lesson to be learned from Victoria Lautman, it is to never look back. Thursday, June 10th, marks the end of Lautman’s six-year run as the host of Writers on the Record, a monthly interview series that has drawn such prestigious authors as Louise Erdrich, Frank McCourt, Junot Diaz, and Michael Cunningham. But instead of waxing nostalgic and sharing highlights of her interviews, Lautman discusses the future of reading, writing, and publishing with three of Chicago’s important literary trendsetters: Elizabeth Taylor, the Literary Editor of the Chicago Tribune; Jonathan Messinger, the Books and Poetry Editor of Time Out Chicago; and Thomas Flynn, the Events Coordinator and Advertising Manager of the Seminary Co-op Bookstores. WFMT is on hand for taping and the one-hour show will be available soon on Lautman’s website.

Before WFMT begins taping, Lautman is beset with bouquets of flowers and heartfelt words of gratitude. She appears elegant in a short, sleeveless black-and-gold dress and strappy pumps. Even so, it is clear that she is not interested in emphasizing the end of an era. She’s ready to move on. “When I launched this show,” she says, “it was because I was a reader . . . and one of the reasons I’m stopping this show is because it’s ruined my life as a reader in ways I never would have imagined.” It may be hard to imagine how talking to great authors about their books could have a catastrophic effect on one’s reading life—that is, until you realize the amount of research and preparation Lautman undergoes before each interview. “I read every single thing they’ve ever written, which is why Joyce Carol Oates has never been on this show.”

Each of tonight’s interviewees could sympathize with Lautman, being themselves well acquainted with the challenge of balancing reading-for-work with reading-for-fun. A fan of short stories, Messinger admits that his wife sometimes needs to intervene in order to prevent collections of short stories from dominating the book pages of Time Out Chicago. “I am constantly having to rein in my own idiosyncratic reading tastes.”

For Taylor, who receives as many as 200 books a day, the bigger challenge lies in neither over- nor under-representing local authors. “I’m so worried about Chicago being depicted as ‘fly-over country’ . . . at the same time, I don’t want to be parochial and lose my critical edge because I push all things Chicago.” However much she might temper her pride in the city’s literary accomplishments with professionalism, there is no denying that she has helped to cultivate its reading landscape. After all, in addition to her regular responsibilities at the Tribune, she plays a major role in planning and executing the annual Printers Row Lit Fest, which took place last Saturday and Sunday.

It is no surprise, then, that Taylor is enthusiastic about recommending books for the audience, as are Messinger and Flynn. As far as Lautman is concerned, a big part of looking toward the future of reading is putting together an awesome reading list. Here are some of their top picks, in no particular order:

• The Passage by Justin Cronin (a science fiction vampire saga).
• A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan (a novel about a washed-up punk rocker and his klepto assistant).
• Kraken by China Mieville (a novel about a man who is attacked by cultists because they believe he’s a squid god).
• C by Tom McCarthy (an experimental novel dealing with technology and mourning).

Of course, in this day and age, no discussion about the future of reading would be complete without the obligatory mention of the e-book controversy. Messinger is quite optimistic about the new technology, comparing its effect on readership to the iPod’s effect on music consumption. The iPod has made it possible for him to hear a great many bands at a far cheaper cost, including those that do not make it onto large labels. He expects that the same will hold true for books. Lautman and Taylor are similarly receptive to the e-book, noting its convenience for travel.

But Flynn, the bookseller, as you might expect, is less open to the prospect of virtual libraries. In his opinion, “When something new and flashy and pretty comes along, we always think this is it and it will replace everything that has come before. That’s not true. That’s done more damage to bookstores than anything that’s been happening on the internet.” On top of e-books, independent bookstores like the Seminary Co-op must also contend with major online dealers that can offer greater discounts, like Amazon. Although Flynn does not believe new technology will eliminate books or bookstores, he speaks gravely about the online dealers, saying, “They can take a loss for quite a while. We can’t.”

In the end, it seems that Victoria Lautman is much the same person she was when she began the Writers on the Record series. She’s a reader. She understands that a good bookseller has as much to contribute to a discussion about the future of reading as do writers, editors, and publishers. And after the final interview is concluded, she transforms herself into a carnival barker for the Seminary Co-op, urging members of the audience to step up and purchase books Flynn brought with him. It is a good end to great series.

(img by Jane Mount)

Dalkey Archives and Stop Smiling Books present a reading and Q&A with authors Joshua Cohen and Jesse Ball. Cohen’s novel Witz was profiled by Literago’s own Mairead Case earlier today. Ball joined him onstage at the Stop Smiling storefront to read selections of their fiction and then to hold a Q&A session with Dalkey Archives editor Martin Riker. The fiction was strong and the discussion featured a symbolic articulation of the relevance of being an anteater and how the world really doesn’t need more of anteaters, as well as Martin Riker’s confession and innuendo that he had both played in a band on a cruise ship and that this experience had colored his understanding of the world. Tune in later on Chicago Amplified to stream the event in its entirety.

Two of Chicago’s more interesting poets, one a young up-and-comer and the other a nationally-known entity, read from their work on May 2nd at the venerable Myopic Poetry Series. After some finagling and promises to never photograph the books, I was allowed to take my trusty d90 up to the second floor of Myopic Books, located at 1564 N. Milwaukee Ave., and snap photos of the majestic and Appalachian-bred Philip Jenks, the enthusiastic and Texas-buttered Connor Stratman, and the debonair and razor-sharpened mustache of series curator Larry Sawyer.

Chris Bower’s super-secret word-of-mouth series is simply not to be missed as each installment features a new theme, some tremendous comedy writing, and, best of all, Ray himself. April’s version was dedicated to the theme of “Shame” and featured a hynotically addictive theme song penned by Alan of The Bitter Tears. Performances ranged from the straight-forward fiction of Natalie Edwards to the improvised riffs of Tim Racine and Chris Bower. When it was finished, we all crept forth into the rainy night unashamed and reeking of Ray’s.

P.S. Want details about the series? Contact Chris Bower at cbower54@gmail.com — he’ll hook you up.

Our favorite line from last night’s Quickies! (which ruled!) displayed at least two kinds of Aristotelian rhetoric. Amanda Marbais wrote it:  ”Does Barney Fife have a safe word? ‘Barney Fife’ is probably someone’s safe word.” Thank you, Amanda Marbais.

On Saturday, May 1st, Green Lantern Press hosted a release party for their current author Devin King’s book-length poem *CLOPS* and John Beer’s ‘best-selling’ Canarium Books release *The Wasteland and Other Poems*. A crowd of around 40 souls attended and were treated to Devin’s splendid singing, a nice sampling from CLOPS, and an experimental poem involving personal favorites Lux Interior and Skeeter Davis (among others). John Beer followed with a poetic cycle from his book (that originally appeared in Another Chicago Magazine #47) entitled “The Perfumed Crypt, or Four Quarters in Eight Bits,” which was accompanied by a slide-show featuring Uma Thurman and a ruinous castle. Afterward, drinks were had, conversations were held, and we were ushered forth into the spring night with red wine and Shiner Bock in our ‘broken mouths.’.

Caroline Picard introducing the readers to the assembled souls as faint strains of a Mayday Cinco de Mayo concert bleed through the plate glass windows

Caroline Picard wears rad shoes.

Inspired by the ambient sounds of the band next door, playing a melange of ska and salsa, Devin King hearkens back to his teen years spent in a Ska band devoted to singing about the goodness of music.

Devin King reads from CLOPS, his book-length retelling of *The Odyssey*, which uses 'lyrical language, repetition and abstraction,' ultimately, 'implicating the reader in the action of war.' Hearing it live was a powerful experience as the long lines and repetitions did indeed bleed into the subconsciouses of his listeners and compel them towards the bloody realities of his text.

Some of the gathered souls absorbing Devin King's *CLOPS*.

John Beer follows with 'The Perfumed Crypt, or Four Quarters in Eight Bits,' which features Lancôme, Uma Thurman, and, in this slide, a snowy scene involving our hero and perfumier Armand Petitjean's mad quest to give 'women the most beautiful things possible.'

'That light that shines from within, her ability to marvel, the zest for life that emanates from her smile all make Uma Thurman the ideal choice for the Lancôme Woman.'

'God in my broken mouth. / Imagine them dancing without light.'

Featherproof’s release party for The Awful Possibilities was held on April 26th at The Whistler. A crowd of over 50 souls attended and was treated to an evening with host Zach Dodson’s naked upper-lip (not pictured), who oversaw readings by: Christian TeBordo, Lindsey Hunter, Adam Levin, Tim Kinsella, and Jeff Parker.

The Whistler crowd looks on, awash in red.

Tim Kinsella (of Cap'n Jazz and Joan of Arc fame) kicks things off with a short story.

Linsday Hunter follows with a short entitled "Food Luck" that will appear in the forthcoming issue of ACM.

Adam Levin is third, reading his 'only story that is 3 pages long' which comes as no surprise given that his forthcoming novel is rumored to be over one-thousand pages long.

Jeff Parker reads from his new Dzanc Books release "The Taste of Penny"

The star of the show is Christian TeBordo, who reads a stunning and hilarious short story about a potential school shooter (which is in "The Awful Possibilities").

Definitely definitely read Alba Machado’s awesome LDM Chicago write-up over at her awesome site, Literary Chicago. The piece is inspirational, and not just because it includes the words “lemonade-off” and “revolution.” Alba, please come write for Literago, too?

They came. They saw. They milk-chugged.

The Featherproof performance at the ACM/MAKE AWP Afterparty on Friday, April 9th began simply enough.

Zach Dodson and Patrick Somerville talked a bit. They'd come from the 'Shots & Shorts' reading elsewhere in Denver and seemed perhaps a little beat.

Until the milk emerged.

And then the music kicked in.

And things got a little bit seedy - sort of like a crusty milk mustache you passed out with that awakened you the next morning with its funky aroma

And rock star stances were struck.

And milk was chugged by Amelia Gray and Lindsay Hunter.

Oh milk, milk, milk!

And it was awesome!

We ♥ Featherproof!

But then the struggle to hold it down began!

By the time we got our bearings, Zach had dropped his pants.

This revelation was followed by still more singing and still more milk chugging.

And even more amazing rock star stances were struck.

We simply couldn't believe what we were seeing.

Zach kept slapping his inner-thighs until they turned bright red while the Patrick's banjo played on.

Those Featherproof boys kept to the rhythm, their facial-hair glistening in the gallery light.

One of the guys from Kneejerkmag tossed Zach a tambourine, so he slapped his thighs with that for a while

And then chugged milk as his inner-thighs purpled.

And the milk pooled on his shirt.

Amelia Gray had a Crystal Gayle moment.

This went on far longer than anyone expected.

It was the most awesome thing we saw at AWP.

You know that art project/novel/score/one-man-show you’ve been working on for years, but can’t seem to finish?  Well, there’s an answer to your problem, and it’s called an artist residency.

What’s an artist residency? It’s a place (think the famed Yaddo and MacDowell out east) where artists and writers go to shut out the rest of the world and zone in completely on their creative projects.  I recently had the extreme pleasure of doing an artist residency at the Ragdale Foundation, an artist residency program in Lake Forest, Illinois, and, I’m thrilled to say, finished three previously languishing stories for my short story collection.

Ragdale’s been around since 1976. It was founded by poet Alice Judson Hayes, the granddaughter of Arts and Crafts architect Howard Van Doren Shaw who built the beautiful, spacious place in 1897 as a summer home for his family. Thirty miles north of Chicago, it “overlooks 50 acres of prairie, now hosts over 200 emerging and established artists of all disciplines each year.” It has 8 writers studios (decked out with porches, libraries, copious writing desks) , two art studios (good light, spacious), and one composer studio complete with piano and minimal equipment.

Some famous alumni are Audrey Niffenegger, Wendy McClure, Jaqueline Michard, Sara Paretsky, Alice Sebold, Curtis White and Sandi Wisenberg.  Carl Sandburg and Vachel Lindsay were friends of the Shaws and are said to have attended plays there.

The nitty gritty: Not everyone gets in.  You have to fill out an application, write an artist statement and get a few people to recommend you for the program. Once you’re in, it costs $25/day (a meager fee considering that you’re provided with all meals plus housekeeping). Financial aid and fellowships are also available. Artist residencies include your own studio, access to a full kitchen stocked with breakfast and lunch stuffs, and full (delicious) chef-cooked dinner  every night with the other 11 residents. What’s funny is that although you go there ostensibly to be alone and completely in your thoughts, one of the best parts of the residency for many ends up being those lively dinners with 11 other people who’ve been creatively engaged all day, just like you.

After dinner, you can sneak away back to your studio with no guilt, or linger to discuss art and ideas with other residents.  (Among the spectacular residents in my session were a children’s book author writing a kiddie book on the life of the Buddha, a blind poet/performer who was there with his amazing seeing-eye dog, and Alice Hayes’ granddaughter Ramona, who wrote this wonderful story based on her grandmother and who I’m pretty sure I know from another life.)

Initially, having all that free time can send people into freak-out mode, so resident adviser Regin Ingloria wisely warned us that we might just sleep or spaz for a day or two (I did both) but would soon acclimate and start working. He was right: we all made more progress than we even thought possible-a groovy reminder that the human brain is innately creative, but that sometimes we need time and space away from practical concerns to get in that flow. (Incidentally, that’s Ragdale’s motto and the phrase on their t-shirts: “Time and Space”).

Ragdale is more than just a residency program; increasingly, their staffers Leslie Brown, Susan Page Tillett, and Regin Ingloria are holding public events and readings to step up Ragdale’s community involvement. (On May 10, Scott Turow will be doing an event for them; email l.brown@ragdale.org to register). So, I urge you: Get involved! Go to a Ragdale event! Get on their mailing list! But most of all: Apply! That novel’s not going to write itself. Photos from my stay are below, but if that doesn’t compel you to get moving on that novel/art project, this link might.

Stewie on novel writing