Windy City Writers

The Chicago Writers Association presented its second Book of the Year Awards on January, 19, 2013 at the Book Cellar in Lincoln Square. The winning books were "The Temple of Air" by Patricia Ann McNair, "Coming Out Can Be Murder" by Renee James, "Whiskey Breakfast" by Richard C. Lindberg, and "Grieving Dads" by Kelly Farley. Photos by Meagan Bowdy.

On August 11, 2012, CWA, along with our Rockford affiliate In Print and Author! Author! sponsored Writers Block Party - Meet the Presses at the Gail Borden Library in Elgin. The event featured a panel discussion with Chicago indie publishers Rick Kaempfer (Eckhartz Press), Emily Victorson (Allium Press), Mike O'Mary (Dream of Things Publishing) and Victor David Giron (Curbside Splendor), moderated by George Rawlinson (State Street Publishing).

The Chicago Writers Association presented its first Book of the Year Awards on January 14, 2012 at The Book Cellar in Lincoln Square. The winning books were “Portraits of a Few of the People I’ve Made Cry” by Christine Sneed, “Honk Honk, My Darling: A Rex Koko Private Clown Mystery” by James Finn Garner, “Three Wishes: A True Story of Good Friends, Crushing Heartbreak, and Astonishing Luck on our Way to Love and Motherhood” by Pamela Ferdinand, Carey Goldberg and Beth Jones, and “Giants in the Park: A Guide to Portrait Statues in Chicago’s Lincoln Park” by Krista August. Photos by Mark Thomas of Mark Thomas Photography.

Images from "Spring Into Writing," a writers' mini-conference featuring CWA authors Irene Stemler, Kelly O'Connor McNees, David W. Berner and Susanna Lang at the Beverly Library in Chicago on March 19, 2011.

The Chicago Literary Hall of Fame, a project of the Chicago Writers Association, inducted its first class (Nelson Algren, Gwendolyn Brooks, Lorraine Hansberry, Saul Bellow, Studs Terkel and Richard Wright) in a gala celebration at Northeastern Illinois University on Nov. 20, 2010. Rick Kogan served as host for the memorable night featuring relatives and close friends of the inductees and some of Chicago's greatest literary, musical and theatrical talents. Photos courtesy of 8 Eyes Photography. Behind-the-scenes photos by Carl Hertz.

Bayo Ojikutu, Donna Seaman and James Finn Garner joined Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Executive Director Donald G. Evans for a discussion of Chicago Literature: Past, Present and Future at the legendary Cliff Dwellers on October 27, 2010.

Under the CWA tent @ the 2010 Chicago Tribune Printers Row Lit Fest, June 12-13

The literary stars came out for a benefit concert for the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame at the magnificent Sanfilippo Estate. Among those in attendance were Poetry Slam founder Marc Kelly Smith and authors Elizabeth Berg, Joe Meno, Bayo Ojikutu, Achy Obejas and Rosellen Brown. The first six inductees into the Hall were announced at the ceremony. Photos by Roberta Richardson.

Digital images by Danny Smith of the Jan. 7 "Deck the Hall" benefit for the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame.

The Sanfilippo 'Victorian Palace' is known worldwide for its magnificent collections of beautifully restored antique music machines, chandeliers, art glass, the world's larges theatre pipe organ, the most spectacular European salon carousel in existence, street and tower clocks, steam engines and other functional mechanical antiques, displayed within a breathtaking French Second Empire setting. The primary motive behind this collection is the preservation and sharing of the experience of these marvelous inventions of the Western World. The Victorian Palace contains the largest collection of restored automatic musical instruments in the world, including over 200 music boxes and phonographs, approximately 65 coin-operated pianos, violin machines and photoplayers, 60 large American and European orchestrions, 25 dance organs, fairground and band organs and calliopes, and an 8,000-pipe theatre organ.

"Playing with the Enemy" author Gary W. Moore speaks to members of the Chicago Writers Association and DuPage Writers Group at Sonoma Cafe in Evergreen Park, November 14, 2009.

Nine Chicago area authors tell their stories at "Meet the Authors Day" at the sparkling new Beverly Library in Chicago on October 17, 2009. Authors of fiction, non-fiction and poetry books read from their works and told their personal writing stories. Participating authors, all members of the Chicago Writers Association, included: Cynthia Clampitt (Waltzing Australia); Michael Weeks (The Complete Civil War Road Trip Guide); Gracie Hill (Sorrows of the Heart and Where the Brothers At?); Susanna Lang (Even Now); Jeff Lyon (Bliss); Rachel Madorsky (Symphony of Your Karma and Create Your Own Destiny); Michael Gardner (American in a Sense); Mary T. Wagner (Running with Stilettos); and JoAnn Fastoff (Gordian Knot and The Pact).

The Chicago Writers Association at the Chicago Tribune Printers Row Lit Fest, June 6 & 7, 2009. Photos courtesy of Rachel Madorsky, JoAnn Fastoff and Michael Weeks.

CWA celebrated its newfound nonprofit status at its Spring Fling on Saturday, April 25, 2009, at Mad River Bar & Grille. Special guests included Rosellen Brown, author of the best seller Before and After and Sharon Woodhouse, publisher of Lake Claremont Press. Tony Maguire of the power alt-pop band, Farkus, played lived music, and CWA unveiled exciting new plans for the group, including a Chicago Writers Hall of Fame and a mentoring program for teen writers.