The weather on Tuesday was great, and so were the stories at Tuesday Funk!

Juan Martinez led us off with a story from his book, Best Worst American, about the love not lost between family members. Next, Nadine Kenney Johnstone shared an excerpt from her book, Of This Much I'm Sure, followed by Elizabeth Gomez read an essay ranting about being questioned about "what she is," among other things.

We took a break to refresh our drinks, after which cohost Andrew Huff read a few of his topical haiku. Then Lori Rader-Day read a portion of her latest novel, The Day I Died. Finally, Scott Whitehair closed us out with a story about Niagara Falls.

We'll be taking a break in July since the first Tuesday happens to be the Fourth. But we'll be back on Tuesday, August 1 — stay tuned for news about our next stellar lineup! If you haven't yet, follow Tuesday Funk on Instagram for more photos from the shows. And hope to see you in August!

Come bask in the warmth of our summery readers tonight - Nadine Kenney Johnstone, Elizabeth Gomez, Scott Whitehair, Juan Martinez, and Lori Rader-Day! The evening will be capably co-hosted by Andrew Huff and Eden Robins, as is our custom.

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!

Scott Whitehair is an international storyteller, producer, and instructor. He is the producer of long running personal narrative series This Much Is True, creator of Story Lab Chicago, which has put 450+ new tellers on stage since 2011, and director of Do Not Submit, a citywide series of open mics with the goal of bringing neighbors together to hear each other. He tells stories anywhere someone will listen, including festivals, bars, bookstores, parking lots, and on NPR, Sirius XM, and the Risk podcast. His monthly independent class has been selling out consistently for over five years, and he works with a wide variety of individuals, non-profits, and companies to help them develop their voices as storytellers. Scott recently was the featured instructor at Hong Kong Story Worthy Week, headlined by David Sedaris, and taught an intensive at All Hallows College in Dublin.

Please join Scott and our other amazing readers on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 in the upstairs bar at Hopleaf. Doors open at 7pm, and the show starts at 7:30. It's free, and 21-and-over. RSVP on Facebook.

Please join Scott and all our talented readers for Tuesday Funk #106, Tuesday, June 6, 7:30 p.m. at Hopleaf in Chicago. Admission is free!

Lori Rader-Day, author of The Day I Died, The Black Hour, and Little Pretty Things, is the recipient of the 2016 Mary Higgins Clark Award and the 2015 Anthony Award for Best First Novel. Lori's short fiction has appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Time Out Chicago, Good Housekeeping, and others. She lives in Chicago, where she teaches mystery writing at StoryStudio Chicago and is the president of the Mystery Writers of America Midwest Chapter.

Please join Lori and our other amazing readers on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 in the upstairs bar at Hopleaf. Doors open at 7pm, and the show starts at 7:30. It's free, and 21-and-over. RSVP on Facebook.

Please join Lori and all our spectacular readers for Tuesday Funk #106, Tuesday, June 6, 7:30 p.m. at Hopleaf in Chicago. Admission is free!

Elizabeth Gomez is a comedian, writer, and a free bleeder. She performs all over the city, but you may have seen her on Check Please, which means she is Chicago famous now. She is the founding writer of Drinkers with Writing Problems, cast member of the Kates, founder of the Windy City Rollers, and possibly the reason your parents broke up. Catch her next at the Chicago Womens Funny Festival!

Please join Elizabeth and our other amazing readers on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 in the upstairs bar at Hopleaf. Doors open at 7pm, and the show starts at 7:30. It's free, and 21-and-over. RSVP on Facebook.

Please join Elizabeth and all our amazing readers for Tuesday Funk #106, Tuesday, June 6, 7:30 p.m. at Hopleaf in Chicago. Admission is free!

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is the author of the memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, about her IVF challenges and the healing power of hope. Her infertility story has appeared in Cosmopolitan, Today's Parent, and Chicago Health Magazine, among others. She teaches at Loyola University and received her MFA from Columbia College in Chicago. Her other work has been featured in various magazines and anthologies, including Chicago Magazine, The Moth, PANK, and The Magic of Memoir. Nadine is a writing coach who presents at conferences internationally. She lives near Chicago with her family. Follow her at nadinekenneyjohnstone.com.

Please join Nadine and our other amazing readers on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 in the upstairs bar at Hopleaf. Doors open at 7pm, and the show starts at 7:30. It's free, and 21-and-over. RSVP on Facebook.

Please join Nadine and all our world-class readers for Tuesday Funk #106, Tuesday, June 6, 7:30 p.m. at Hopleaf in Chicago. Admission is free!

Juan Martinez was born in Bucaramanga, Colombia, and has since lived in Orlando, Florida, and Las Vegas, Nevada. He now lives in Chicago. He's an assistant professor at Northwestern University. His work and has appeared in various literary journals and anthologies, including Glimmer Train, McSweeney's, The Rumpus, National Public Radio's Selected Shorts, and elsewhere. Small Beer Press released Best Worst American, his story collection, in February 2017. Visit and say hi at fulmerford.com.

Please join Juan and our other amazing readers on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 in the upstairs bar at Hopleaf. Doors open at 7pm, and the show starts at 7:30. It's free, and 21-and-over. RSVP on Facebook.

Please join Juan and all our spectacular readers for Tuesday Funk #106, Tuesday, June 6, 7:30 p.m. at Hopleaf in Chicago. Admission is free!

Only two haiku this month, due to Andrew's busy schedule at the end of April.

Civic engagement:
People talking in a gym
about libraries.

Sometimes, lost in thought,
I pause after exhaling
and forget to breathe.

Tuesday Funk, Chicago's favorite eclectic reading series, returns to the upstairs lounge at Hopleaf in Andersonville for its 106th episode! We know* the weather will be beautiful, so we've lined up Lori Rader-Day, Nadine Kenney Johnstone, Scott Whitehair, Juan Martinez and Elizabeth Gomez to draw you back inside! If that doesn't entice you to join us on Tuesday, June 6, we're not sure you're all that interested in good live lit.

As always, doors open at 7 pm (no earlier, but arrive as close to 7 as possible or risk not getting a table) and the show starts at 7:30 pm. Admission is free, but you must be 21 or older.

Please RSVP on Facebook -- and while you're there, like our page so you get our announcements right in your stream. Sponsored by the Chicago Review of Books.

*We hope.

The weather outside was not very May-like, but Tuesday Funk warmed the upstairs lounge at the Hopleaf with stories both funny and serious -- and sometimes both simultaneously.

Mikki Kendall started us off by reading a portion of a new urban fantasy set in an ominous version of Chicago, and invited the audience to suggest a title. Next Shanna Shrum told the story of a very bad day with her beloved dog. Cohost Andrew Huff read a couple of his patented seasonal haiku, then Mare Swallow described a bizarre "show piano" class she took recently, with the assistance of her friend Dan Epstein.

After a short break to refill our glasses, cohost Eden Robins read a micro essay, then Mary Anne Mohanraj shared a portion of a new piece of science fiction as well as a romantic poem. Finally, Anne Elizabeth Moore read an excerpt from her new book, Body Horror: Capitalism, Fear, Misogeny, Jokes.

We laughed, we cried, we vowed to do it all again on Tuesday, June 6, except with Lori Rader-Day, Nadine Kenney Johnstone, Ihssan Tahir, Juan Martinez and Elizabeth Gomez! See you there!