Meetings
reetings from the President ~
Dear FAW Members,
The time has come for our major FAW event, The Annual Awards Luncheon, on May 10th. This year the meeting has been changed to Friday. All year the two committees (adult and juvenile) meet monthly to read, discuss and choose the recipients of our awards.
Since 1922, FAW has dedicated its support to the creative word and to those so inspired with the gift to share it for our own mental adventures.
Many thank-yous to the award committees and their chairmen, Roberta Gates and Tanya Klasser, whose enthusiasm for their choices we will celebrate on May 10th.
Linda Gustafson, the Award Luncheon Chairman, will accept your reservations up to May 3rd along with your $45.00.
It has been an honor to serve you as President these past two years. Best wishes to our new President, Chris Bern.
Corene Anderson
FAW President
Presentation of the Prizes
Please join us when we present these authors with their prizes at a special end-of-the-year luncheon on Friday, May 10 at the Fortnightly of Chicago. In addition to hearing the winners speak, you'll also have an opportunity to buy their books and have them signed by the authors.
Read more about the 2013 Winners.
About the Awards
Friends of American Writers has been awarding prizes to new and promising authors from the Midwest since 1928. Winners have included: Carl Sandburg, William Maxwell, John Gardner, Toni Morrison, John Casey, Jane Smiley, Mona Simpson, Deborah Eisenberg, Larry Watson, and Richard Yates. The juvenile awards were initiated in 1960.
- 2013/2014 Dues form- Sign up Now
- Congratulations to Mary Belle Harwich for 25 years as a FAW member
- 2013/2014 Slate of officers
- Award Winner recap
For more upcoming, and past FAW programs, see our programs page.
MAY 10th Program -Annual Literary Awards Luncheon
There is still time to sign up for the FAW Literary Awards Luncheon on May 10th, 11:00 AM at the Fortnightly Club of Chicago. Sign up by May 3rd.
Click here for a map to the Fortnightly Club
Send in the Reservation Form with a $45.00 check
Questions? Call Linda Gustafson at 815-872-9181 or email her at rlgus@comcast.net
$15 parking is available two doors west of the Fortnightly at 100 Bellevue Place
Membership
FAW membership dues are currently forty
($40.00) dollars a year. For further information about membership in Friends of
American Writers, please contact Membership Chairman
Carol Eshaghy at membership@fawchicago.org
Membership form (PDF file)
It's Time to think about a contribution to our Annual Awards Fund. You are investing in the career of emerging writers, and since 1929, this has been the goal of FAW. Twenty-five dollars entitles you to have your name listed as a PATRON in the Annual Awards Luncheon program. Any amount of a contribution is appreciated, and all donations are tax deductable. You may give "in memory of" or "in honor of" a specific family member or friend.
Annual Award Fund Donation Form (PDF file)
FAW Officers
| President | Christine Bern |
| Vice President | Corene Anderson |
| Secretary | Christine Spatara |
| Treasurer | Eileen McNulty |
Committee Chairmen
| Awards Luncheon Chair | Linda Gustafson |
| Bulletin Editor | Shirley Baugher |
| Foundation Fund Trustees | Angeline Higginson,Lorraine Campione,Betty Angelos |
| Literary Awards Chair | Tammie Bob & April Nauman |
| Juvenile Literary Awards Chair | Tanya Klasser |
| Luncheon - Social Chair | Peggy Iska |
| Membership | Carol Eshaghy |
| Program Chair | Roberta Gates |
| Publicity - Historian | TBA |
| Revisions Chair | Edith Riley |
| Sustaining Clubs Chair | Roberta Schaffner |
| Yearbook - Awards Program | Pat Adelberg |
Board meetings are held at the Fortnightly at 10:30 a.m. the mornings of the luncheons.
Sustaining Clubs
Flossmoor Book Club
Ogden Dunes Book Club
Renaissance Art Club
Women's Reading Club of Riverside
FAW History
Our mission shall be to study American literature, to encourage high standards and to promote literary ideals among American writers.
Friends of American Writers (FAW) was established in 1922 to study American literature, to encourage high standards, and to promote literary ideals among American writers. Members are invited to attend the luncheons, serve on committees that help run the organization or participate in the selection of the award-winning authors.
Over the years, after an annual lengthy screening process, FAW has honored Midwestern authors or those whose novels or non-fiction are set in the Midwest, by recognition and monetary awards. Those honored are invited to address the FAW membership at the Awards Luncheon.
Among the many emerging adult authors recognized over the years are Sara Paretsky, Jane Smiley, Toni Morrison, Harry Mark Petrakis and Carl Sandburg. Kevin Fenton and Chad Harbach won awards for the 2011 year.
In 1960, FAW introduced awards for Juvenile Literary authors. Clifford Hicks won the first award for "First Boy on the Moon". Recent winners include Brynne Barnes delightful picture book and Delia Ray's book for young readers.
Additionally, through the FAW Foundation Fund, students at local universities, recommended by their writing professors, are given recognition and cash awards to offset tuition.
Dorothy Gwynn has published a short booklet, "Friends of American Writers: Encouraging Writing and Thoughtful Reading", which describes in more detail the formation and proceedings of FAW.
