If you’ve seen TWW Issues 1 and 2, you know we feature some very talented visual artists. In addition to being highly pleased and flattered to showcase such artwork, we believe it helps cast a wider net; Two With Water reaches a larger audience, not just the typical literary magazine reader, if she even exists!

So we are delighted to give a little back to the artists who spice up, enhance, and enliven our stories and poems with a visual art exhibition at New Wave Coffee, right here in Chicago. We are equally delighted to co-host the show with Graze, a Chicago-based food and literary magazine. Not only will TWW showcase some of the fine visual art from our two issues, we will be joined by many other participating literary magazines, book publishers, and even the Chicago Reader.

The exhibition goes up Wednesday, January 2 and runs through Friday, February 8, 2013.

We invite you to attend the opening reception on Saturday, January 5, 2013 from 6-9pm. The reception will be a great way to mingle with artists and writers, sip a little wine (after you buy a cup of Metropolis coffee, of course!), and peruse art from independent Chicago literature.

TWW Issue 2

We are excited to announce the release of Two With Water Issue 2!

No one has waited longer than our gracious contributors. Issue 2 presents a fantastic array of local (and even international) writers and artists.

We are beyond thrilled to celebrate with our release party on
Sunday, May 20 at Beauty Bar (1444 W. Chicago Avenue)
7-7:45 music by Michael Mroz
7:45-9:15 readings by Two With Water Issue 2 contributors and graphic novelist Jeffrey Brown
9:15-10 music by Panda Riot

PLUS a raffle of great prizes, Jack Daniels Honey hosted bar from 7-8, and more!

Truth is, AWP encourages writers from around the country to descend upon our fair city like a docile precursor to the NATO/G8 Summit Chicago will experience this May. Besides the amazing line-up of literary stars and scholars like Margaret Atwood, Nikki Giovanni, Irvine Welsh and more, many of the participants and presenters take part in “off-site” events around the city. A tad overwhelming, the conference boasts dozens of readings and stimulating presentations to entertain both conference-goers and freeloaders alike.

Two With Water recommends:

• Wednesday, Feb. 29, 8pm: The AWP Kick-Off Party at The Empty Bottle, featuring Ben Tanzer, Jesus Angel Garcia, TWW’s own Rebecca Roberts, and a fantastic line-up of talented writers. RSVP for no cover.
• Thursday, March 1, 5pm: Mutable Sound/ Artiface Magazine/ Smalldoggies !!! at Beef and Brandy (127 S. State Street), featuring AD Jameson, Colin Winnette, and many others. Free.
• Thursday, March 1, 7pm:  Convocation in Chicago at The Beauty Bar, featuring Jac Jemc, Robb Todd (published in TWW Issue 1), Tim Jones-Yelvington, and many others. Free.
• Saturday, March 3, 8:30am – 5:30pm: The AWP Bookfair is open to the public Saturday only.
• Saturday, March 3, 6:15pm: Chicago Detours Presents: Lost Chicago Drinking Poems, featuring Mandy Keifetz, Douglas Light, Sophie Grimes, and TWW’s Amy Ganser. Free but RSVP required.

Check out the line-up of all the off-site events. There is sure to be something to tickle your literary funny bone. We’ll check back in the next day or so to post about anything else we’ve forgotten. And certainly there are too many quality readings to recommend. It’s like Paris in the ’20s or something.

-Amy

Take yourself to the Annoyance Theatre: your prescription for a dull Tuesday night.

Two With Water is thrilled to be a part of the Preface Reading Series for the Chicago Book Expo, created by the Chicago Writers House Project. We’ve been invited to the stage at the Annoyance Theatre on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 6:30pm sharp (before two resident improv shows “Chicagoland and Fish Nuts” and “In a World…” take back their home court). In turn, we’ve asked five featured readers from past Rx Reading Series- James Tadd Adcox, Jacob Knabb, Muyassar Kurdi, Josh Sinason, and Mike Smolarek- to present an original piece of their writing centered on the theme “Take Two With Water,” the prescription moniker that serves as inspiration for our literary magazine.

The Preface Series showcases five unique presentations of Chicago-based reading series and the local writers that make them possible. We’re talking some serious literary companions here, including Artifice Magazine, Ear-Eater Reading Series, the Neighborhood Writing Alliance, and Write Club. Find more info about the Chicago Book Expo here.

A suggested $2.00 donation at the door will go toward the imminent printing of TWW Issue 2. RSVP on facebook!

Help Two With Water and Curbside Splendor occupy Beauty Bar, Sunday, Nov. 13 at 7pm.

Methinks thou won’t protest too much to hear our fine line-up of readers. Though protest of all (the literary) kind is most welcome.

Featuring: Julia Borcherts, Bobby Evers, Geoff Hyatt, Tanner McSwain, Delphine Pontvieux, and John Wawrzaszek

Starts with an open-mic. Arrive early to sign-up. Only so many spots available.

The theme this month is TMI –
T(otally)
M(aybe)
I (don’t know)

Featured Readers are:
Ben Tanzer
Lindsay Hunter
Richard Thomas
Brandon Tietz
Gina Frangello
Muyassar Kurdi

Open Mic sign-up starts at 7 pm!

Sunday · July 10 · 7pm 

Readings, drinks, manicures, and open-mic

RSVP on Facebook

You’ll hear from six top-notch writers presenting their spin on our patriotic theme. 

Featured readers include:

James Tadd Adcox, Cristina Correa, Lauryn Allison Lewis, Simon A. Smith, Susan Quesal, & Laura Yes Yes

Read their bios here.

If that’s enough to get you off your over-worked American a$$ this Sunday evening, well, there’ll be drink specials, manicures, and DJ Jeremy Alvarez too! 

Thanks to our reading series partners and friends Curbside Splendor Publishing and of course, the Beauty Bar.

Talented featured readers Mike Smolarek, Susan Fox, Christine Sneed, and Keith Ecker read about Tiger MOMents in honor of Mother’s Day. You won’t want to miss this — they’ve torn up their manuscripts only to have them taped together again and fixed under plastic, then sat diligently reciting their work for hours without even a break for the bathroom.

If we don’t see you lining up for the Open Mic which starts at 7, we might have to burn your stuffed animals, and don’t expect any presents for your birthday, Christmas, or Hanukkah next year.

***tunes spun by DJ Jeremy Alvarez***

Moose had peed on every tree we had passed so far on our late night walk, which was good.  Hopefully he’d be done and have nothing left in the tank.  There were only three more houses left before we were back at ours but it was always Gladys Johnson’s house on the corner that was the problem.  Well, not the house, exactly, but the statue of the Virgin Mary that Gladys had installed on the side of the house next to the sidewalk.  The statue called out to Moose every time we walked past it and he responded.

By peeing on it.

On our morning walks I took us around the block the other way, croseds the street once we got to Gladys’s house, then crossed back just to avoid the statue.  It’s not that I am that religious, but this is a firmly Irish Catholic neighborhood full of O’Malleys and Marys and Patricks and no good could come from Moose’s indiscriminate bladder.  At the same time, he was a dog, and a dog — especially a male– will pee on anything sticking out of the ground.  If there were a jade statue of Buddha Moose wouldn’t discriminate; he’d piss a stream right onto the Buddha’s bulging belly then move on to the next thing he could find.

Gladys had already caught Moose peeing on her pussy willows once and blamed him for their stunted growth.  She opened her front door as we passed and shouted out in her meek, crackly voice, “You’re dog is ruining my bushes.”  She doesn’t hear well anymore so I didn’t bother saying the summer long drought could be what is killing her pussy willows.

Now Moose and I stood on the corner by Gladys’ house.  It was cold, raining and late and all I wanted to do was get back in the dry house so I could watch the end of Battlestar Galactica and go to bed.  There was no way we were crossing the street just to go around the statue tonight.  I tugged on his blue leash and we walked towards the statue.  Moose pulled towards it.  No matter how hard I tugged against him he was headed directly for it.  My only two options were to pull against him and let him drag me there, or just let him run to the statue and do his business.  Since he was a ninety five pound beast of a boxer, I chose the latter.

Moose got up to the statue, sniffed the Virgin Mary in the face like he does every time, then lifted his leg and fired….

…to be continued in TWW Issue 2

The Russian-built Volga sedan carried seven passengers—the usual number—and as Jo crowded into the back seat with three Afghans, she was a little annoyed with herself, wishing she had not been so impatient, so eager to hire the first available taxi. After all, she knew better. It would have taken only a few extra minutes at the taxi bazaar to find a car that was less crowded, and pay for two fares instead of one—an easy guarantee of extra space. It was a trick every Peace Corps volunteer learned by the second day in Afghanistan.

Jo suppressed a small, resigned sigh. It was too late now. Several of the men wrapped bulky chapans around themselves—heavy wool coats lined with thick quilted cotton, possibly to make up for thin drawstring tombans, or the fact they routinely went without gloves in winter. The extra space would have been nice, she thought, as she flattened herself against the door. At best, it was a five-hour drive to Kabul.

The men accepted Jo without question, as if she were one of them, seemingly unconcerned that she was the only woman, and the only westerner in the car, neither awkward in her presence, nor pressing uncomfortably close.

Jo too, was at ease with her fellow passengers—as comfortable as she could be in a subcompact car. At least there was no one in the trunk for this trip, she told herself. No one had pushed his way through the crowded bazaar at the last minute to haggle with the driver for a reduced fare. Jo had seen it happen many times; passengers climbing into the shadowy recess, crouching down, their grins disappearing like that of a Cheshire cat as they grabbed hold of a little handle on the inside of the trunk lid and pulled it down. There were no extra passengers today, however. It was too cold in the high mountain passes and the trip too long.

Jo wore a skirt and sweater in deference to the dress code for a Muslim country, and stuffed a jacket into the small space by her feet.

Unencumbered by the folds of a heavy chapan, the driver wore a wool jacket and simple prayer cap. He slid behind the wheel with a self-assured movement and waited for his passengers to get settled. Talking incessantly, he turned around every few minutes to make sure he had Jo’s attention, and nodded enthusiastically. “Balê, balê,” he said. “Yes, yes, I will get you to Kabul “zud, zud.”

Still talking, he adjusted the rear view mirror, setting in motion the glass beads and a red tassel that hung down as decoration.  Insha’Allah, if God willed it, they would have a safe trip. Turning around yet again, he grinned and raised his eyebrows at Jo. “Shomâ fahmided? Understand?”

The cocky, almost cavalier attitude of the driver made her smile in spite of herself. She nodded.

Satisfied, his grin expanded, and he turned back, put the car in gear and pulled out of the bazaar. With a quick movement, the Afghan passengers wiped their right hands over their faces and beards to disseminate Allah’s blessing.  Yes, if it was Allah’s will, may they have a safe trip….

…to be continued in TWW Issue 2