The last Tuesday Funk in 2018 was a lot like the year itself: a roller coaster of emotions. We got started with Funk founder Connor Coyne, who read an excerpt from his new book Urbantasm featuring a once-in-a-teenaged-lifetime laser show. Next, Dayna Bateman shared a touching story about her father and finding quiet places. Then Cesar Torres read a portion of one of his books, featuring a rather unusual form of artificial intelligence.

We took a break to refresh our drinks, then cohost Andrew Huff shared a few seasonal haiku, followed by an essay from Rosamund Lannin. Finally, James Gordon told a story about racism ruining a good deal.

Miss it? Video will be up soon. In the meantime, join us at the next show on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019, when we'll feature readings by Molly Dumbleton, Mike Puican, Sahar Mustafah, Jasmine Davila and our very own cohost, Eden Robins! See you there!

The product of nine years in San Francisco and eight years in St. Paul, Rosamund Lannin is pleasantly surprised to have lived in Chicago for over a decade. During that time, she has been published by Internet periodicals, performed stories around the city, and consumed many carne asada burritos. These days she's pretty into speculative fiction, co-hosting lady live lit show Miss Spoken, and trying to write essays that make you feel things, or at the very least laugh.

Please join Rosamund and our other amazing readers on Tuesday, December 4, 2018 in the upstairs bar at Hopleaf. Doors open at 7pm, and the show starts at 7:30. It's free, and 21-and-over. Please RSVP on Facebook.

Cesar Torres is a novelist, filmmaker and fashion designer. In 2014, novel 13 Secret Cities put him on the map as a genre-defying fantasist, and its brand-new sequel 9 Lords of Night just published this September. This book series is named The Coil, and it cuts across the genres of fantasy, sci fi and suspense, as his characters explore isolation, loss, and their elusive quests to discover the inner self. He is also the author of the How to Kill a Superhero book series, a saga comprised of four novels that has been embraced by queer and gay men, and which also journeys through the genres of thriller, horror, erotica and romance. He writes those books under the pen name Pablo Greene, and he can often be seen in cosplay at public appearances for the book series. He is currently at work on the third book in his Coil series, as well as a new spinoff novel spinoff from his How to Kill a Superhero universe.

Please join Cesar and our other amazing readers on Tuesday, December 4, 2018 in the upstairs bar at Hopleaf. Doors open at 7pm, and the show starts at 7:30. It's free, and 21-and-over. Please RSVP on Facebook.

Connor Coyne is a writer living and working in Flint, Michigan. The first installment of his recent serial novel Urbantasm has been praised by novelist William Shunn as "a novel of wonder and horror." Coyne has also written two novels - Hungry Rats and Shattering Glass - as well as a short story collection entitled Atlas. His essay "Bathtime" was included in the Picador anthology Voices from the Rust Belt and his work has been published by Vox.com, Beltmag, the Santa Clara Review and elsewhere. Coyne is a cofounder of the Gothic Funk Nation, director of Gothic Funk Press, and was a recipient of the 2013 Our Town Grant by the National Endowment for the Arts. You can find him at connorcoyne.com and urbantasm.com.

Please join Connor and our other amazing readers on Tuesday, December 4, 2018 in the upstairs bar at Hopleaf. Doors open at 7pm, and the show starts at 7:30. It's free, and 21-and-over. Please RSVP on Facebook.

Dayna Bateman is an ecommerce strategist who sometimes writes for obscure trade publications like MultiChannel Merchant and Integrated Solutions for Retailers. Every once in a while she tells true stories at live lit shows around Chicago, and once took home the Loving Cup of Deathless Fucking Glory from the Write Club stage. Dayna is currently working on a memoir about growing up with her dad while he was coming of age in the music industry of the 60s, 70s and 80s.

Please join Dayna and our other amazing readers on Tuesday, December 4, 2018 in the upstairs bar at Hopleaf. Doors open at 7pm, and the show starts at 7:30. It's free, and 21-and-over. Please RSVP on Facebook.

James Gordon is from the Southside of Chicago, which he still calls home. He is currently costarring in Amazon's The G as Detective Smiley and will appear in the plays Adult-ish and Behind the Scenes. James also appeared on Episode 20, Season 6 of Chicago Fire and will make an appearance on Comedy Central's Southside. He has written several award winning books across many genres and can be found on Twitter at gr8estpoetalive.

Please join James and our other amazing readers on Tuesday, December 4, 2018 in the upstairs bar at Hopleaf. Doors open at 7pm, and the show starts at 7:30. It's free, and 21-and-over. Please RSVP on Facebook.

The holidays are right around the corner, which means there's just one more Tuesday Funk this year. But it's a super good one! Please join us in the upstairs lounge at Hopleaf for readings by James Gordon, Dayna Bateman, Cesar Torres, Rosamund Lannin and Tuesday Funk founder Connor Coyne!

As always, admission to your favorite eclectic monthly reading series is free, but you must be 21 to attend. Doors open at 7pm sharp (don't dawdle if you want a seat!) and the show will start at 7:30pm. Please RSVP on Facebook -- and don't forget to like and follow our page so you get our announcements right in your stream.

As fall entered its more wintry season, and as the tallies began to roll in on election night, Tuesday Funk cohost Andrew Huff shared these topical haiku.

If you did not vote,
you do not get to complain.
You are self-silenced.

Anger and despair
take equal space in my mind
as I read headlines.

A rainy fall day
Wet leaves stick to the sidewalk
Black skeletal trees

Anticipating,
the squirrel builds its warm nest
to dream through winter.

And in honor of a couple of regular attendees' recent nuptials...

Brian and Laura
got married on Saturday.
Congratulations!

The weather turned more wintry on November 6, but Tuesday Funk remained cozy in its upstairs lounge at Hopleaf, ready to hear some great live lit. Alec Nevala-Lee got the evening started with a recently published essay on how Isaac Asimov's Foundation series mirrors current politics. Next, Tom Haley read a bit of dystopian sci-fi set in a future when we've given up the right to vote. Cohost Andrew Huff read a couple of his topical haiku, then Lily Be took us into the break with a story of how the selfish behavior of little boys turns into the entitlement of grown men.

Bartender Alex refilled our drinks, we talked about what we'd heard, and then settled back in for the second half. Cohost Eden Robins led it off with an essay about how the film The Witches of Eastwick is still relevant today, then Britt Julious told a harrowing story about her battle to overcome a debilitating health condition. Finally, Chelsea Fiddyment read — and sang — several experimental pieces to cap off the evening.

We'll be back for our last show of 2018 on Tuesday, Dec. 4, with readings by James Gordon, Dayna Bateman, Amar Taylor, Cesar Torres and Tuesday Funk founder Connor Coyne. You don't want to miss it!

To-dos for today:

1) VOTE! (Not sure where? Find your polling place here!)

2) Chill with your favorite live lit show to remember that life is more than stress and politics. (Also, we'll keep you updated on the results)

We've got a heckuva lineup: Lily Be, Alec Nevala-Lee, Tom Haley, Chelsea Fiddyment, and Britt Julious. And of course, co-hosts Andrew Huff and Eden Robins, who will be biting their nails to the quick just like the rest of you.

Our readings take place at Hopleaf Bar, 5148 N. Clark St. in Chicago. We get started promptly at 7:30 pm in the upstairs lounge. Arrive early if you want a seat -- but no earlier than 7:00 pm. Our readings are free, but only those 21 and over will be admitted. No food can be brought in from the restaurant. See you there!