Recently, Willow Books of Aquarius Press held its 2nd Annual LitFest in Chicago, bringing together some of the top writers and innovators in the country for a day of workshops, panels, and readings. We were honored to have a great emcee, Jay Scott Smith, who really brought our Literature Awards Finalists’ Reading to life. Speaking of the Finalists’ Reading, we were beyond honored to have our finalists there in person to read from their works. The audience was moved from tears to laughter throughout the afternoon by the diverse works read; neither Randall nor I could have ever imagined the broad range of exemplary works presented that day. Several of the finalists also brought their families and friends to share in the festivities, which was moving as well.

There are countless thanks to go around, but we especially want to thank all of you who helped spread the word about the event and who tuned in for the live streaming broadcast of the awards. Your support is what enables us to continue to carry out our mission. If you didn’t get to join us this time, look for details about next year’s activities on this site or visit our Willow Books Facebook page.