Open Door Series: Olivia Cronk & Larry O. Dean

The Open Door series presents work from Chicago’s new and emerging poets and highlights the area’s outstanding writing programs. Each hour-long event features readings by two Chicagoland writing program instructors and two of their current or recent students. December’s reading includes Olivia Cronk and her student Kathryn Hudson, and Larry O. Dean and his student Natalia Rokita.

Olivia Cronk is the author of Louise and Louise and Louise and Skin Horse. Her recent criticism has appeared in The Collagist and Critical Flame, and with Philip Sorenson she edits The Journal Petra. She teaches writing at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago.

Larry O. Dean’s numerous books include Activities of Daily Living, Brief Nudity, Basic Cable Couplets, abbrev, About the Author, and I Am Spam. He is also an acclaimed singer-songwriter whose latest solo album is Good Grief.

Kathryn Hudson’s writing examines and challenges traditional notions of gender, sexuality, and the work of managed bodies.

Natalia Rokita is finishing her undergraduate degree at Northeastern Illinois University in English and Secondary Education with a minor in creative writing. She is currently the managing editor of Seeds Literary and Visual Arts Journal.