Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Summer Update!

 Hi all! Obviously, I have not been posting very much on here. It's been a very strange year-and-a-third! And still going!

However, I'm still keeping the Upcoming Events updated (98% of why this site exists), so check that out—by and large, the majority of clubs seemed to have adapted to virtual settings just fine, and some have started returning to in-person meetings. Author readings and other events have take

Bookstores, also, seem to be doing better than we might have feared. I have not gotten to too many in-person since the pandemic started, but with vaccination and my bike back in order, I plan on visiting more over the next couple months. A couple observations:

  • City Lit Books has reopened under new ownership. Full disclosure: I am working there! Doing my best to keep the SF section in good shape. Their book clubs and author events are starting up again.
  • Volumes Bookcafe has closed their Wicker Park location; their Gold Coast shop remains open. They are looking for a new Wicker Park location and have a crowdfunding drive to that effect.
  • Exile in Bookville now has a physical location: they've taken over the lovely space in the Fine Arts Building formerly occupied by The Dial, formerly occupied by Selected Works.
  • I'm not fully updated on all the Chicagoland bookstores, but a lot of the main city shops—Bucket O'Blood, Unabridged, Myopic, Women & Children First, The Seminary Co-Op/57th St.—seem to be doing okay!
Con News! Not too much to report, but, thus far—Windy Con is planning for an in-person weekend with streaming options; I hope to be there. I don't think I'll be attending WorldCon in DC this year, but it looks like there's a contingent of Chicagoans headed there via TrainCon and other methods. Chicon 8 is still a little over a year away, but I'm keeping my eye on it. Hoping to volunteer to bring some Chicago-scene focus to it, but we'll see!

That's about all the news for now.

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