Welcome to Friends of American Writers
The FAW 2023 - 2024 Literature Award Winners
Please join FAW for the 2023-2024 FAW Literature Awards on Friday May 10, 2024, at The Fortnightly of Chicago. Come Celebrate our award winning authors.
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Luncheon reservations and cancellations are due no later than 6:00 PM Tuesday April 30, 2024.
No reservations or cancellations will be accepted after this time. Call and check that your reservation has been placed if you are in doubt.
Call:
(Sorry - no reservations by email!)
• Pat Adelberg - (847) 588-0911 or
Peggy Kuzminski - (cell) 1-(773) 710-8637
• $45.00 Pay by check(preferred) payable to FAW at the door. Cash is accepted also.
• Vegetarian meals may be requested at the time you make your reservation.
• You must call to cancel your reservation, otherwise you will still be charged.
• Discounted parking is available two doors west of the Fortnightly at 100 Bellevue Place
• Group reservations - please only have one person make the group request to avoid confusion.
Seating Arrangements
Please mention any special seating arrangements when you make your reservation.
--Guests
--Seated with a Friend or group
--Disability seating
Every effort will be made to honor your request.
Do you have trouble climbing stairs? For a stair-less entrance to the Fortnightly call in advance to the
Fortnightly (312-944-1330) and staff will give you instructions.
Click here for a map to The Fortnightly
Adult Literature Awards
A.D. NAUMAN for Down the Steep (Regal House Publishing) $2,500
THAO THAI for Banyan Moon, (Mariner Books) $2,500
Young People's Literature Awards
JACK CHENG for The Many Masks of Andy Zhou, (Dial Books for Young Readers) $1,650
SONDRA SODERBORG for Sky Ropes, (Chronicle Books) $1,650
SHARI SWANSON for The Darling Duck of WWII, (Sleeping Bear Press) $1,650
Would you like to receive the FAW Newsletter? Sign up Here .
President's Message May 2024
May will be here soon and with it comes the last FAW luncheon, which is on May 10. At the April luncheon, members approved new FAW officers and enjoyed a lively presentation on the history of women's undergarments.
We also celebrated Pat Adelberg's retirement from taking reservations and arranging tables. The Fortnightly prepared a beautiful and delicious cake for Pat. Those present could write thank you messages to Pat in a memory book. The book will also be available at the May luncheon for those who want to sign it. Pat said that this was a job she thoroughly enjoyed, and we thoroughly enjoyed calling her.
At our May luncheon, we will award 5 authors a total of $10,000. We have enough in our Awards account because we have leftover funds from previous years, but our donations this year fell short of our $10,000 goal. If you have not contributed this year, please consider sending Diana Adams a check or contributing online or with Zelle. If you contribute at least $50, and do this soon, we will make every effort to put your name in the luncheon program.
In closing, I want to say that it has been an honor to be president of FAW these past two years. Thanks to all those who take on tasks to provide lovely luncheons and programs, book awards, scholarships, and to keep FAW running behind the scenes. A special thank you to Carol Eshaghy. As president, I was surprised to learn how much Carol does for our luncheons and our relationship with the Fortnightly. It's more complicated than you think. Have a lovely summer. ~ Ida
Click HERE to donate to the Patrons Fund
☛ FAW Literature Committees Adult Literature Committee has selected our prize-winning books for 2024! Thanks to the leadership of Karen Pulver and Carrie Brenner, and the careful efforts of Committee members Tammie Bob, Adrienne Bornstein, Karen Burnett, Mary Robb Clark, Dale Davison, Ida Hagman, Kathy Katz, Diane Miller, Kim Swartz, and Barbara Smith, two outstanding books have emerged as winners.
Young People's Literature Committee Many thanks to the hard work of the Young People's Literature Committee. There were so many great books submitted.
Please plan on attending the Awards Luncheon on Friday May 10th to celebrate both the books and their authors.
☛ Calling All FAW Members The FAW Board Members plays an important role in making Friends of American Writers a premier literary organization. Our success depends on the volunteer work of our members to fill positions on the FAW board. We have our new slate of Board Members but we always welcome new volunteers. Please call or email Christine Spatara or Ida Hagman if you are interested, or send an email to info@fawchicago.org.
☛ FAW Scholarship Award At the November meeting, Friends of American Writers presented a $3,000 scholarship to Alexandra Riseman, an MFA candidate studying English and creative writing at Columbia College Chicago.
See the Friends of American Writers YouTube Channel for recordings of our virtual meetings.
Our mission shall be to encourage new, talented writers associated with the Midwest and to promote the arts, especially literature, among our members.
Friends of American Writers celebrated 100 years in 2022. Join FAW and help continue the mission of excellence in writing.
Friends of American Writers (FAW) was established in 1922 by Mrs. John Bohr of Oak Park and a group of literary minded women in the sixth district of the Illinois Federation of Women's Clubs. Friends of American Writers was legally organized on April 3, 1922 at the Oak Park Library with the purpose of specifically fostering good literature. The tradition of giving awards to outstanding contemporary writers began only seven months after the founding of FAW.
Over the years, FAW has honored and celebrated the accomplishments of many authors, by recognition at a Awards Luncheon and a monetary award. Among the many emerging adult authors recognized over the years are Sara Paretsky, Jane Smiley, Toni Morrison, Harry Mark Petrakis, Carl Sandburg, Kevin Fenton, Chad Harbach, Sara Gruen, Gillian Flynn, and Ruta Sepetys. We hope to see some of our new winners added to this list of outstanding and well recognized authors.
In 1960, FAW introduced awards for Juvenile Literature authors. Clifford Hicks won the first award for First Boy on the Moon. Recent winners range from delightful picture books to edgy YA novels.
Additionally, through the FAW Foundation Fund, students pursuing advanced degrees in writing are given recognition and cash awards to offset tuition.
FAW membership
Do you enjoy reading, writing, or supporting new writers who are starting their career? Join Friends of American Writers for one of our excellent programs at The Fortnightly of Chicago. Monthly meetings features a three-course luncheon and an interesting program. We hold a book group, Readers & Reviewers, which meets to discuss a selected novel. The Literary committees which select our award winning authors are always looking for new members to participate in the selection process. Membership for the full year is $50.00 . Download the membership application and send it in today. Our programs are open to members and their guests, but if you don't know a member and would enjoy trying a meeting, contact the Membership Chairman, and we can arrange for you to attend a meeting.
Membership Chairman:
Jennifer Zvi at info@fawchicago.org
Membership form (PDF file)
| President | Ida Hagman |
| Vice President | Karen Burnett |
| Secretary | Patti Smart |
| Treasurer | Diana Adams |
| Newsletter Editor | Tammie Bob |
| Foundation Fund Chair | Karen Burnett |
| Foundation Fund Trustees | Vivian Mortensen, Christine Spatara |
| Literature Awards | Karen Pulver/Carrie Brenner |
| Young People's Awards | Angela Gall |
| Luncheon - Social | Carol Eshaghy |
| Membership | Jennifer Zvi |
| Programs | Tammie Bob/Christine Spatara |
| Revisions | Ina Flink |
| Sustaining Clubs | Helene Madsen |
| Yearbook - Awards Program | Dale Davison |
| Website Manager | Karen Baker |
Board meetings are held at The Fortnightly at 10:30 a.m. the mornings of the luncheons.
We all love a good book. We also love our local book clubs! At the next meeting of your club, urge your members to consider becoming one of the Sustaining Clubs of Friends of American Writers. We have several local groups that are Sustaining Clubs.
The process of becoming a Sustaining Club is easy, and it costs only $50 per club per year.
Contact Helene Madsen at info@fawchicago.org for more information or download a membership form.
Bad Dog Book Club
The Woman's Reading Club of Riverside
