February Featured Reader Casseola Rogers

Tamale Hut is please to announce that Casseola Rogers is our Featured Reader for the month. Join us on Saturday, February 15th at 7:00 when she will read from her latest work.

Cassie is a hopeless Romantic and is a strong believer in the power or words. Cassie currently resides in Chicago, IL with her husband and children. She has definitely mastered the art of multitasking. Cassie is an education addict. She obtained her Associates in Biological Science from Malcolm X college, her Bachelors and Masters from Kaplan University in Health Care Administration. She is currently in school working on her Doctorate degree while working full time. Finally living her dream, she has also found time to write fiction romance novels with a twist of suspense which is her passion. Cassie has been reading romance novels for years and started writing fiction romance while in high school as a hobby. Stepping out on faith, she decided to pursue having her work published. B Love Publications launched Cassie’s first published novel, Concealed Skill. There are 3 words to describe Cassie fun, determined and Sweet. She completely believes that being a Gemini allows her to play so many roles in life. While she has many favorite authors, she admires the late great Maya Angelou. A quote she stands by is, “The idea is to write it so that people hear it and it slides through the brain and goes straight to the heart” `Maya Angelou

After Cassie reads, we will open the mic for all who want to share their words. As always, there is no cover. THC– supporting the arts!

All Open Mic for January

To kick off our 13th season, the Reading Series will host an all open mic on January 18th. The fun begins at 7:00 and continues until all have been heard. This month also celebrates the start of THC’s 15th year in business!

If you’ve been thinking about sharing your work, this is a great time to do it. We guarantee a receptive audience and a safe space to spread your wings. Likewise, we love listeners so if you haven’t been to Tamale Hut in a while, come on down to encourage local voices.

As always, there is no cover. THC — Supporting the Arts.

 

Reading Series Short Story Contest Finalists as Featured Readers

Tamale Hut Café’ is excited to announce the top five short stories selected for this year’s Short Story Contest. They are:

Brendan Detzner – Strays

Aaron Longoria – When You Walk Your Dog

Matt Holmes – Tom Petty is Trying to Kill Me.

Harold Holt – Jazz Swagger

Gary Doherty – The Living Room

All writers will attend the Tamale Hut Café’ Presents event on Saturday, November 23th at 7PM at the Tamale Hut Café to read their stories and unveil the final rankings and be awarded the following prizes:
1st- $300
2nd- $200
3rd- $100
Two (2) Honorable Mentions- $25 each

About Jenny Seay Our Contest Judge:

Jenny has a 2010 MFA Creative Writing degree from Columbia and 2001 Creative Writing degree from Columbia College.  She is a native Chicagoan and currently works at University of California Berkeley as a Class Giving Officer.

Jenny is the founder of the Tamale Hut Café’ Reading Series.

Please join us on November 23^rd and support these writers. Thank you

October Featured Reader Matt Bieniek

Reading Series regular (and THC Writing Group coordinator) Matthew Bieniek will be celebrating the release of his latest novel, Barnstormers Book One: The Adventures of Kiki and Bridget, at the Tamale Hut Cafe on Saturday, October 19th.

Matt’s been entertaining us over the past two years with his tale of two women pilots as they face action and adventure in the early days of aviation, and now the first volume is complete! Join us at 7pm to hear Matt read another exciting chapter in his saga, then have him sign a copy of the book for you. Open Mic will follow for all who want to share their words.

As always, there is no cover and you are encouraged to BYOB. THC — Supporting the Arts.

September Featured Reader Christopher Krazmus

Join us on Saturday, September 28th at 7:00 as we welcome Christopher Krazmus to the Tamale Hut Cafe.

Christopher Krazmus continues releasing new editions from his coffee table story-picture book collection. This time he launches

“Evidence of Existential Alien Intelligence”

You can be pretty sure you’ll hear parts of some stories and themes like these: Science fiction? You bet. Mystery and romance. Check. Comedy? Next Question. If embarrassing stories about personal failures can be funny. If doing something half-assed is worth it, then you can say everything best comes from inspiration. That’s what this coffee table short story picture-book collection means to be. That’s sexy, spiritual, and mysterious.

After Chris reads, we will open the mic to any who want to share their words. As always, there is no cover. THC — Supporting the Arts!

August Featured Readers, the Tamale Hut Cafe Writers Group

Members of the Tamale Hut Cafe Writers Group take over the microphone on Saturday, August 24th. Starting at 7:00, they will regale you with stories about song lyrics, rewritten song lyrics, and maybe some new lyrics to new songs.

After the group is finished, we will open the mic to any others who want to share their words. As always, there is no cover. THC — Supporting the arts!

July Featured Reader Harold Holt

Please join us on Saturday, July 20 at 7:00 as we welcome Zora Neale Hurston-Bessie Head Fiction Award winner Harold Holt.

Harold, a Chicago area open mic favorite will read short stories that will make you laugh and make you think.

After Harold reads, we’ll open the mic for any who want to share their words.

May Featured Reader Brendan Detzner

 

 

Tamale Hut is pleased to welcome back one of our native sons, Brendan Detzner.  Brendan will be our featured Reader on Saturday, May 18th. The festivities begin at 7:00 when he will read from his brand spankin’ new novel, Charlie Harmer Takes a Ride .

Brendan writes in a big messy pile of different genres and formats. His work is sometimes funny, sometimes scary, and usually very strange. He lives in Forest Park, IL and runs the Bad Grammar Theater reading series in Chicago.

After Brendan, we’ll open the mic for all who want to share their words. As always, there is no cover. THC — Supporting the Arts!

Christina Fugate — April Featured Reader

Mark it on your calendar, folks! The next THC Reading Series will take place Saturday, April 27th at 7:00 pm. Our Featured Reader will be Christine Fugate.

Christine is a graduate of the Story Workshop method with a BFA in Fiction Writing from Columbia College Chicago. Her work has been published in various locales and focuses on the intricacies and nuances of relationships between people. She’ll be reading from her second book, a work-in-progress, a memoir about the life of her father, who was once a carnie, a truck driver and a rascal of a man.

After Christine reads, we will open the mic to all who want to share their words.

As always, there is no cover. THC — Supporting the Arts!

March Featured Reader Bernard Cox

 

Bernard M. Cox is a graduate of 2015 Class of Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers’ Workshop, and received an MFA in Creative Writing from Roosevelt University.

They have taught fiction writing, screenwriting, literature, and composition; curated an experimental music concert series called FeedBack; ran a staged reading series for screenwriters; served as Assistant Artistic Director for the Tamale Hut Café Reading Series in North Riverside, IL; served on the Board of Directors of the University City Arts League in Philadelphia; and volunteered in the San Diego LGBT community.

Bernie’s writing has appeared in A cappella Zoo, Blood and Lullabies, Collective Fallout, Crack the Spine, Five on the Fifth, Reckoning, Red Lightbulbs, and Up the Staircase Quarterly.

Nasty ice storms in January prevented us from enjoying Bernie’s work, so now that spring has sprung, there’s no excuse not to come out for a fabulous evening.

As always, there is no cover charge. THC — Supporting the Arts!