Both locations will be closed December 24 + 25. E-Library is always open »
Short Story Awards Ceremony & Reading
Writer's Workshop
Come listen to a dramatic reading of the top three community-submitted short stories and find out who will receive our grand prize for best short story in 2023!
Registration is encouraged.
- Sep 6, Where to Begin, 7 pm
- Sep 20, Story Elements: Description & Dialogue, 7 pm
- Oct 4, Story Elements: Plot & Prose, 7 pm
- Oct 18, Story Elements: Cliffhangers & Climax, 7 pm
- Nov 1, Finishing Your Story, 7 pm
- Nov 29, Short Story Awards Ceremony & Reading, 7 pm
- Dec 6, Open Mic Night, 7 pm
Interested in our Short Story Contest? Entries due Friday, November 10, 2023. Visit champaign.org/short-story for additional details.
About the judges:
Kallan Buss When she's not creating cocktails or brunch faire, Kallan Buss is the lead bookseller and General Manager of the Literary Book Bar in downtown Champaign. With years of hospitality experience as her background, and decades of reading (either for pleasure or obsessive research of food and beverage theory), she has been at the forefront of the newest chapter of the Literary. Through her work with the woman-owned bookstore, bar and brunch spot, she has aided in creating a welcoming, safe-space and third-space for anyone and everyone in town. Additionally, she has aided in hosting events with groups such as UIUC's English Department, Women in STEM, as well as coordinating countless book clubs with local non-profits in the community. In her youth, Kallan's work was selected by Northwestern through the Theatre and Interpretation Center at Northwestern University to perform on a stage production. Kallan's greatest passions are getting involved in the community, a great glass of Barolo and her two cats.
Maisie Sparks is the editorial director of The Sparks Group, a marketing communications firm she formed nearly 30 years ago. Her company provides magazine articles, executive speeches, and marketing brochures to corporations, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations. The author of 151 Things God Can't Do, she also penned Holy Shakespeare! 101 Scriptures that Appear in Shakespeare's Plays, Poems, and Sonnets; and the holiday devotional, Christmas Quiet. Her writings have appeared in three ground-breaking anthologies that share the contemplative journeys and practices of people of color. Maisie is a journalism graduate of the university of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a frequent contributor to The Christian Science Monitor.
Registration is closed.
Main Library, Robeson Pavilion Room A & B
The Library is committed to making events accessible for all. To request an Americans with Disabilities Accommodation, please complete this form, or contact us by email at info@champaign.org, by phone at 217/403-2000, or through chat. Learn more about accessibility at the library.
