WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW

Right now I'm working on my next novel, Normal, ME, which is scheduled to come out Summer 2010 with Dutton, an imprint of Penguin.

I have finally given in and joined MySpace. Pay me a visit, won't you?

EVENTS

September 25 - November 8, 2008
A radio story that I co-reported with my husband, Jonathan Menjivar, will be part of an exhibit on Jack Kerouac's On the Road in Chicago. The opening reception is October 3. A+D Gallery, Columbia College.

And, as always, if you'd like me to speak at your school or local library, please contact me.

PRESS

SPRING 2008
My essay, "The Color of Monday," is in the Death Issue of Guilt & Pleasure. It's about one of my dad's best friends, who set himself on fire and died. The next day, my dad received a package from that friend with a suicide note and 17 rolls of undeveloped film.

March 27 - July 27, 2007
I have a short piece in the audio installation Wait for the Beep, which is part of Steppenwolf Theatre's production, Dead Man's Cell Phone. In the lobby there are cell phones. If you pick them up, you can hear stories unfold through voicemail messages. Mine is about two women who hatch a plan to punish an ex-boyfriend.

November 2007
I was interviewed for the Writers Webcast, a podcast about the craft of writing. If you're an aspiring writer, this is a great place to get tips.

FALL 2007
My essay, Me & MC, is in the Sound Issue of the Jewish literary magazine, Guilt & Pleasure. It's about what it's like to watch an old friend become a Jewish rapper. If you read the article online, I recommend downloading the PDF because it makes a whole lot more sense with the images. But more than that, I recommend picking up a copy at your local bookstore. It's beautifully designed and is one of those magazines that feels really great in your hands.

12 . 23 . 05
An excerpt from Hedonophobia and Other Shades of Fear is in the Chicago Reader's Fiction issue. Read "Arachibutyrophobia" and
find out what happens when the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of one's mouth and the fear of long words collide in a kitchen that reeks of lentils.

4 . 1 . 05
My essay "Next Train Back to Providence" is in the April issue
of Weston Magazine. Another version of this story previously aired on
This American Life.

11 . 12 . 04
Read Martha Bayne's article about me in the Chicago Reader's Fall Books issue. If you're looking for info on how I got started as a writer and
radio producer, this article's got it all!

10 . 27 . 04
Listen to Steve Edwards's interview with me on Chicago Public Radio's
10.27.04 broadcast of Eight-Forty-Eight.

10 . 1 . 04
I Can't Tell You is featured in Chicago Magazine's October issue.

1 . 4 . 03
Listen to Jason DeRose's National Public Radio story featuring
Better Than Running at Night.