Senior Class: Regan Reviews Printers Row Lit Fest

Safe & Sound blog readers have been asking me lately if the memoir-writing classes I lead are starting up again now, and, if so, “Will you start publishing essays by your students on your blog again, too? I always like those.”

My answers? Yes, and yes!

Today is the first of October, I’ll be leading all three memoir-writing classes this week, and each class meets for six weeks. But wait–there’s more! I’m renewing our “Senior Class” feature today, too, with this essay Regan Burke (a writer in one of those classes) wrote about attending a presentation I did with Bindy Bitterman (a writer in another one of those classes) and Sharon Kramer (a writer from another class) three weeks ago.

The irrepressible Regan Burke, author of “In That Number.”

Mystery of the Matching Shoes

by Regan Burke

Chicago’s annual Printers Row Lit Fest is a red-meat feast of books. For two days bibliomaniacs don their Walgreen’s readers and shuffle from table to table in the two-block long chow-down of book delights. Lone readers never look up, never reply to vendors, never talk to authors. They’re intent on finding the books they need to satisfy an obsession that never ends — to be alone with their books.

Then there are the book lovers who hold vendors hostage, yakking about their favorite books and authors. And others with their dogs and friends, happy to be outside talking to neighbors, catching glimpses of book titles they may wander back to.

In 2021, my publisher asked me to stand behind the Tortoise Books display to promote my book, “In That Number.”

“Oh, you’re the author? What’s it about?” strangers asked.

“It’s a memoir about politics.” I answered.

The publisher interjected, “She was a hippie who worked for Bill Clinton. She met Putin.”

I had no idea how to initiate conversations about my book, never mind promote myself. I signed a few copies, but not many words passed between me and the buyers.

At the 2022 Lit Fest, memoir writing teacher, Beth Finke, organized and moderated a program called “Unlocking Memories and Uncovering Stories” with two of her students who had recently published children’s books.

I sat in the front row, soaking up the ethereal juice of a room of twenty-five or so people attracted to children’s literature.

The two presenters, Sharon Rosenblatt Kramer, and Bindy Bitterman, sat on either side of Beth Finke at a table covered by a floor-length black cloth. Beth, a published author herself, introduced her student-authors in her usual lighthearted manner, exuding pride in their accomplishments. She asked questions about how they got started and their publishing processes.

Look hard and you’ll see Luna’s paw pads as she snoozes.

Sharon Kramer’s book, “Time for Bubbe,” published by Golden Alley Press, blossomed from one of Beth’s memoir writing prompts, “Write about a grandparent.” It’s the story of her six-year-old grandson visiting his great-grandmother in her high-rise. He punches all the elevator buttons, and as the elevator car commences to stop at every single floor she responds, “Don’t worry boychik, we have all the time in the world.” Sharon is 83 years old, this is her first published book,and it comes complete with a glossary of Yiddish words at the end.

Bindy Bitterman’s Skiddly Diddly Skat is a self-published cat and mouse story written in limericks. Bindy is 90 years old, this is her first children’s book, and it comes accompanied with a QR audio code.

Halfway through the presentation, I noticed two sets of matching shoes sticking out from the tablecloth, under Sharon and Beth. Did Sharon and Beth coordinate their shoes? They looked like soft-souled, black canvas with round grey tips. The feet moved slightly every few minutes, always in unison. For a second I thought they might be mice.

I could not take my eyes off those shoes.

And then all at once the tablecloth ruffled! A black Labrador stuck her nose out from under the table, flopped her head back down and resumed her subservient posture at Beth’s feet. I’d forgotten that Luna, the Seeing Eye dog, uses those four black feet with grey pads to lead Beth around town.

Hmm. Would the mystery of the matching shoes make a good children’s story? I’m not sure, but one thing I did learn from Bindy and Sharon: it’s never too late to give children’s book writing a try.

An earlier version of this essay— appeared on Regan Burke’s Back Story Essays blog on September 24, 2022.