StoryStudio Chicago is proud to present a new author series, featuring your favorite writers. This Author Spotlight Series, hosted in the Fine Arts Building in downtown Chicago, aims to bring authors to Chicago for a night of mingling, discussion, and interviews, accompanied by wine and cheese and a book signing to wrap up the evening.

Unlike some of our other programs where we bring in well-known authors to teach writing, the Author Spotlight Series is as much for readers as it is for writers. The presentation from the featured author will cover topics outside the craft of writing, including their obsessions, hot takes, and inspirations. The series will also feature one of StoryStudio’s faculty members sitting down with the author and asking them questions, some of their own and of course some from the audience.

Because we’re partnering with our good friends at Exile in Bookville, we’ll have the author’s books for sale throughout the night, and after the on-stage portion of the evening is concluded, the author will sign books for everyone.

For our 2022-2023 series, we’re thrilled to announce our lineup.

Lidia Yuknavitch: September 21, 2022

Lan Samantha Chang: November 30, 2022

Courtney Maum: April 4, 2023

Mitchell S. Jackson: May 19, 2023

All four events will take place downtown in Curtiss Hall on the 10th floor of the Fine Arts Building, located at 410 S. Michigan Avenue. The evening will begin at 6pm CT, and last for 3 hours. See below for a breakdown of the event’s schedule.

Schedule just a guideline; subject to change based on length of discussion, conversation, etc.

6:00pm

Doors Open; Wine and Cheese is served. Author will be around to mingle and chat with attendees before event begins.

6:30pm

Author’s talk begins. Presentation to last about 40 minutes.

7:10pm

Author talk ends; Author sits down with faculty member on-stage for conversation and interview portion.

7:50pm

Questions from the audience.

8:10pm

On-stage portion ends. Book signing begins. Wine and cheese available again. Mingling and talking with author and attendees.

9:00pm

Event concludes. You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay at Curtiss Hall.