After nearly 48 hours of Arctic windchills, we certainly weren't expecting a standing-room-only event, but that was what we got! Spectacular turnout for the first Tuesday Funk of 2014, and some spectacular readers to boot. Christopher Sweet started us off right with a funny and bittersweet story of the lasting effects of a repressive childhood, complete with references to both Job and Bluebeard. Kelly Swails followed with a compelling Depression-era story of loss, regret, and fortune-telling. Our regular feature Haiku by Andrew had us all chuckling at our weather woes. Christa Desir rounded out the inning with a dark sex scene from her edgy 'Sid & Nancy' YA novel, Bleed Like Me.

As Christa warned us, we all needed a drink after her reading. Following a brief intermission where we threw ourselves at Mark, we were introduced to new co-host Eden Robins' first micro-essay about fecal transplant follies. Jasmine Davila spoke from the heart about growing up in the foster system and struggling to find herself. Ryan Bartelmay finished us off with a couple of funny and pathos-filled excerpts from his novel Onward Toward What We're Going Toward, all about what it means when one's talent turns out to be haiku.

That's all she wrote! If you missed Tuesday Funk, don't do it again! It was an incredibly special evening, and we're doing it again on Tuesday, February 4th, 2014 with Mare Swallow, Cameron McGill, Tom Underberg, Amelia Beamer, and Chuck Sudo!

Don't forget--tonight is Tuesday Funk's 65th episode, featuring Kelly Swails, Christopher Sweet, Christa Desir, Jasmine Davila, and Ryan Bartelmay! Don't miss it! Unless you have the flu, in which case -- miss it! But know that we will miss 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!

G.P.A. shared the story of standing up to a school bully at our December 3rd edition of Tuesday Funk.

As it happens, it was a continuation of a story he told at our June 4 edition (video of which was unfortunately lost due to battery issues).

If you liked what you heard, please come out to our next event on Tuesday, January 7, 2014, which features readings from Ryan Bartelmay, Kelly Swails, Christa Desir, Jasmine Davila, and Christopher Sweet — as well as more haiku from Andrew and the debut of new co-host Eden Robins. See you there!

At the November 5th edition of Tuesday Funk, Rosamund Lannin shared the story of a seminal Halloween costume and the myths and origin stories of family.

And if you enjoyed that, please come out to our next show on Tuesday, January 7, 2014, which features readings from Ryan Bartelmay, Kelly Swails, Christa Desir, Jasmine Davila, and Christopher Sweet — as well as more haiku from Andrew and the debut of new co-host Eden Robins. Happy new year!

Ryan Bartelmay graduated from the University of Iowa in 1998, where he was a member of the Undergraduate Writer's Workshop, and then went on to Columbia University to receive an MFA in fiction writing in 2005. His debut novel, Onward Toward What We're Going Toward, was released in August 2013 by IG Publishing.

His short fiction has appeared in The Greensboro Review, Sycamore Review, Opium, Phoebe: A Journal of Arts and Letters, and Sweet Fancy Moses. Ryan has published non-fiction and other miscellanea in The Believer, Time Out: Chicago, Gadfly, and more. He is the Dean of General Education at Kendall College in Chicago and has been a member of the Gotham Writers' Workshop faculty since 2005. You can find him online at ryanbartelmay.com.

He lives in Chicago with his wife, daughter and two cats.

Please join Ryan and all our top-notch, cat-loving readers on Tuesday, January 7th, 2014, upstairs at Hopleaf at 7:30 pm. This 21-and-older event is free.

At the December 2013 edition of Tuesday Funk, co-host Andrew Huff read some of his patented seasonal haiku ...tinged with a little sadness.

O'Hare and Midway
I-90 and toll roads,
packed with travelers.

Football on TV,
Black Friday shopping plans made,
family's all here.

Roast turkey, stuffing,
green bean casserole and pie.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Tonight Tuesday Funk
loses co-host Bill Shunn
...to New York City!?

But we're not bitter.
We'll see him again. Meanwhile,
welcome Eden Robins.

And if you enjoyed that, please come out to our next event on Tuesday, January 7, 2014, which features readings from Ryan Bartelmay, Kelly Swails, Christa Desir, Jasmine Davila, and Christopher Sweet — as well as more haiku from Andrew and the debut of new co-host Eden Robins. Start the new year right!

Jasmine Davila started her first blog in 2000, and has been over-sharing on the internet ever since. She is a contributor for Gapers Block, the greatest Chicago-centric blog that ever blogged, and Asian pop culture blog Disgrasian.com. Jasmine has read essays about her non-existent love life (and her part-time cat-sitting business) at Solo in the 2nd City and That's All She Wrote, and recently performed in 20x2 Chicago.

Jasmine is a graduate of The University of Chicago, that little school on the South Side that originally brought her to Chicago almost 20 years ago. Despite this, Jasmine insists that she is still a New Yorker, and will buy you all the "soda" in the world to prove it.

Please join Jasmine and all our talented regional dialect aficionados on Tuesday, January 7th, 2014, upstairs at Hopleaf at 7:30 pm. This 21-and-older event is free.

Christa Desir writes dark contemporary fiction for young adults. Her first book, Fault Line, came out this fall. Her second book, Bleed Like Me, is due out in October 2014. She lives with her husband, three small children, and overly enthusiastic dog outside of Chicago. She has volunteered as a rape victim activist for more than ten years, including providing direct service as an advocate in hospital ERs. She also works as an editor at Samhain Publishing. Visit her at ChristaDesir.com.

Please join Christa and all our multi-talented readers on Tuesday, January 7th, 2014, upstairs at Hopleaf at 7:30 pm. This 21-and-older event is free.

Christopher Sweet worked in education for many years. He is one of those schoolers who has two advanced degrees - an MA in English and an MSJ from a now-defunct "School of Journalism." He learned to write in the Fiction Department of Columbia College, Chicago. But he bids that you do not hold that against him, stranger. His favorite "quote of the day" is, "Ecrassez l'infame!" Don't hold that against him, either.

Please join Christopher and all our fantastic, potentially Francophile readers on Tuesday, January 7th, 2014, upstairs at Hopleaf at 7:30 pm. This 21-and-older event is free.

Kelly Swails is a writer and editor who pays the bills by editing an online scientific journal. Her short fiction has appeared in several anthologies including Coins of Chaos and Boondocks Fantasy. She relocated to Chicago this past summer and has been busy exploring her new home. When she's not writing or working she watches geeky TV and pretends she's not a crazy cat lady. There's a rumor she sleeps on occasion, but that has yet to be proven. You can find her online at www.kellyswails.com.

Please join Kelly and all our awesome, potentially sleep-deprived readers on Tuesday, January 7th, 2014, upstairs at Hopleaf at 7:30 pm. This 21-and-older event is free.