BETH FINKE About Books Events Memoir Classes Blog Media Kit Masterclass Contact Beth Finke on Facebook Beth Finke on Twitter EVENTS March 25, Thursday, 2:00 to 3:30 pm, Ask About Access, Panel discussion via Zoom with Beth Finke, Chuck Gruman, Accessibility Consultant, and Susan Elizabeth Rangel, ASL Director and Teacher, Sponsored by the Illinois Cultural Accessibility Network (ICAN) and the Illinois Arts Council Agency. Opportunity to ask accessibility providers and users about making events accessible. Accessibility iServices’s Interpreted, captioning, virtual, free, but registration required: https://chicagoculturalaccess.org/event/ask-about-access-2/ March 22, Monday, 9:20 am, Safe & Sound Zoom visit with Third Graders, Braeside Elementary School, Highland Park, Illinois March 15, Monday, 10:30 am, Safe & Sound Zoom visit with Third Graders, Ravinia Elementary School, Highland Park, Illinois March 15, Monday, 3:30 to 5 pm, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Disability Awareness Training for Grantees, short talk demonstrating why accessibility matters. March 2, Tuesday, 9:50 a. and 2:05 pm, Safe & Sound Zoom visit with Third Graders, Oak Terrace Elementary School, Highland Park, Illinois February 26, 2021, Friday, 4 pm CT, Me, Myself and I Movie group, Zoom discussion on “Pick of the Litter” documentary film January 10, Sunday, 6:00 pm CT, Zoom discussion on Writing Out Loud and Long Time, No See, Daring Sisters: a virtual book club for women with visual impairments Postponed–to be conducted virtually. July 5, Sunday, 2:45 pm to 4:15 pm, American Council of the Blind 59th Annual Convention , Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center, Schaumburg, IL Panel Discussion on Chicago’s Audio Description Project, Chaired by Martin Wilde, Chicago audio describer and founder of Arts Access International, LLC. Information available at ACB Convention home page: https://acbconvention.org Cancelled because of coronavirus. April 21, Tuesday, 11 am to 12:20 pm, Guest Lecture: Companion Animals in Society, Illinois Department of Animal Sciences, Foellinger auditorium, Urbana, IL 61801 Postponed because of coronavirus. April 19, Sunday, 2 p.m., Emanuel Congregation, 5959 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL 60660, 773.561.5173, info@emanuelcong.org March 6, Friday, Multiple School Visits 9 to 9:30 am, Arbor View Elementary, 22W430 Ironwood Drive, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 10:30 to 11:30 am, Briar Glen Elementary School, 1800 Briarcliffe Boulevard, Wheaton, IL 60189 12:45 to 1:15 pm, Westfield Elementary School, 2S125 Mayfield Lane, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 2:15 to 3:15 pm, Park View Elementary School, 250 S. Park Boulevard, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 February 26, Wednesday, 9:15 to 11 am, Pritchett Elementary School, 200 Horatio Boulevard, Buffalo Grove, IL 60089 November 22, Friday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., StoryCorps Live: The Greatest Generation, Moderator, public listening event starring Chicago residents over age 90, Renaissance Court, 77 E. Randolph, First Floor North, Chicago, Illinois, Free Admission, Refreshments Served, RSVP at tinyurl.com/storycorpslive. November 21, Thursday, 8:45 a.m., Indian Trail School, 2075 St. Johns Ave., Highland Park, IL 60035 November 19, Tuesday, 12:30 to 1:50 p.m., ANSC 250, Guest Lecture, Companion Animals in Society, University of Illinois Department of Animal Sciences, Foellinger Auditorium, Urbana, IL 61801 November 5, Tuesday, 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 a.m., Disability Awareness Week Presentation for 3rd graders, Sherwood Elementary School, 1900 Stratford Road Highland Park, IL and 12:45p.m. to 1:45 p.m., Red Oak Elementary School, 530 Red Oak Lane, Highland Park, IL October 22, Tuesday. 10:00 a.m to 11:15 a.m., Walden Elementary School, Disability Awareness Week, 630 Essex Ct., Deerfield, IL 60015 October 22, 1:30 pm to 2:45 pm, Wilmot Elementary School, Disability Awareness Week, 795 Wilmot Rd, Deerfield, IL 60015 October 11, Friday 9:00 am to 10:20, South Park School, Disability Awareness Week, 1421 Hackberry Rd., Deerfield, IL 60015 | October 10, Thursday, 5:30 pm, Chicago Public Library Foundation, Featured Author Guest, Carl Sandburg Literary Awards Dinner featuring George R.R. Martin, UIC Dorin Forum, 725 W.Roosevelt Road Chicago, Illinois October 1, Tuesday, 9 am to 10 am, Kipling Elementary School, Disability Awareness Week, 700 Kipling Place, Deerfield, IL 60015-4499 September 16, Monday, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Max and Benny’s Restaurant, Deli and Bakery, Max and Benny’s Jewish Literary Series, 461 Waukegan Rd, Northbrook, IL 60062, Book Bin, an independent book store in Northbrook, will have books available for purchase and signing. Seating limited, register here. August 17, Saturday, 2 p.m., Workshop: Getting Your Memoir Off the Ground, Northwestern Summer Writers’ Conference, Wieboldt Hall, 339 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60611 May 22, Wednesday, 9:50 a.m. Indian Trail School 2075 St. Johns Ave. Highland Park, IL 60035 1:10 pm Oak Terrace School 240 Prairie Ave. Highwood, IL April 26, Friday, 1:30 p.m., Admiral-by-the-Lake Goudy School Readers Intergenerational Program with Admiral Senior Living, Harbors Tenth Floor, 929 W. Foster, Chicago, IL April 24, Wednesday, 9:20 a.m., Red Oak Elementary School, 530 Red Oak Lane, Highland Park, IL April 24, Wednesday, 10:50 a.m., Wayne Thomas School, 2939 Summit Ave., Highland Park, IL April 23, 2019, Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 12:20 pm, Guest Lecture: Companion Animals in Society, University of Illinois Department of Animal Sciences, Foellinger auditorium Urbana, IL 61801 April 16, Tuesday afternoon, 9:20 a.m., Braeside Elementary School, 150 Pierce Road, Highland Park, IL April 16, Tuesday morning, 10:20 a.m., Ravinia Elementary School, 763 Dean Avenue, Highland Park, IL 60035 April 1, 2019, Monday, 10 a.m., Francis Xavier School, Old St. Patrick’s Campus, 120 South Des Plaines Street, Chicago, IL, March 22, Friday, 11:30 a.m., Peach Plains Elementary School, 15849 Comstock St., Grand Haven, Michigan 49417 April 1, Monday, 10 a.m., Frances Xavier Warde School, Presentation to 2nd graders, Old St. Patrick’s Campus, 120 South Des Plaines Street, Chicago, IL 60661, 312.466.0700 March 8, Friday, noon The Cliff Dwellers Annual International Women’s Day Luncheon, Keynote address, The Cliff Dwellers 200 S. Michigan Avenue, 22nd Floor Chicago, Illinois, Doors open for check-in at 11:30 a.m. January 7, 2019, Monday, 10:00 am, St. Andrews Episcopal School 8012 Oak St New Orleans, Louisiana December 14, Friday, noon to 1 p.m. ,Celebrations, Milestones and Moments: A Memoir Writing Workshop for Adults 55 and Better, Harold Washington Library Center (Chicago Public Library), 400 S. State St., Chicago IL 60605, 312.747.1606 November 27, Tuesday, 12:30 to 1:50 p.m. , Guest Lecture: Companion Animals in Society, University of Illinois Department of Animal Sciences, Foellinger Auditorium, Urbana, IL 61801 November 16, Friday, noon to 1 p.m., Harold Washington Library Center (Chicago Public Library), Family and Place: A Memoir Writing Workshop for Adults 55 or better, 400 S. State St., Chicago IL 60605 312.747.1606 November 16, Friday 1:30 p.m., Goudy School Readers Intergenerational Program with Admiral Senior Living, Admiral-by-the-Lake, Lighthouse Lounge, 929 W. Foster, 14th Floor, Chicago, IL October 18, Thursday, 1:30 to 2:45 p.m., Wilmot Elementary School, Disability Awareness Week, 795 Wilmot Rd., Deerfield, IL, 847.945.1075 October 11, Thursday, 7 p.m., Women & Children First book store, Beth Finke in conversation with author Jean Thompson about Thompson’s “A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl” 5233 N. Clark Street. Chicago, IL 60640 Contact: Sarah Hollenbeck, 773.769.9299 October 10, Wednesday, 9 a.m., Tenth Annual National Village Gathering — Models for Living: Today and Tomorrow, Panel Discussion, Developing and Assessing Village Programs September 7, Friday, 6:30 p.m., Access Living Disability Culture event with author Riva Lehrer, 115 W Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60654 August 21, Tuesday, 2 p.m., Perkins Braille and Talking Book Library, Library Without Walls: Virtual Book Club, www.perkinslibrary.org, phone 617.972.7683 to RSVP and Perkins Library will provide you with the call-in number. August 11, Saturday, 9:30 to 11 a.m., Smelling is Believing: Writing Using Your Other Senses, Northwestern Summer Writers’ Conference, Wieboldt Hall, 339 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60611, August 2 to August 4, 2018, Mendocino Coast Writers Conference, Mendocino, California, www.facebook.com/MendocinoCoastWritersConference, Contact Barbara Lee, info@mcwc.org July 9, Monday, Anacortes Public Library, 1220 10th Street, Anacortes, WA 98221, Phone: 360.293.1910 July 6, Friday, noon, Brown Bag Book Club, Admiral-by-the-Lake, 929 W. Foster, Chicago, IL, Contact: Ora Jones, jonesorab@aol.com May 24, Thursday, 4:30 – 6:30, Perkins School for the Blind presents Beth and Robin Sitten, who narrated Writing Out Loud for the audio version. Beth and Robin will discuss their collaboration. There will be a reception with light hors-d’oeuvres from 4:30 to 5:30 PM preceding the discussion. Howe Building, 175 North Beacon Street, Dwight Hall, Watertown, MA, 02472. More information at the Perkins site. May 9 , Wednesday, 9 pm, WGN Radio 720, The Download, Radio interview with host Justin Kaufmann. Beth will be accompanied by her memoir-writing students Bruce and Anne Hunt. Writing Out Loud makes a great Mother’s Day gift! It’s a great read, and may just inspire your mom to finally get her story down on paper. Order now! April 19, Thursday, 11 am to 12:20 pm, Guest Lecture: Companion Animals in Society, University of Illinois Department of Animal Sciences, Foellinger auditorium, Urbana, Illinois 61801 April 11 , Wednesday, 9 pm, WGN Radio 720, The Download, Radio interview with host Justin Kaufmann. Beth will be accompanied by her memoir-writing student, Audrey Mitchell. March 22, Thursday, 11:30 a.m., Wm. Rall Elementary School, presentation to younger students, 761 Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst, NY. 1 pm, Daniel Street School, presentation to first grade, 289 Daniel Street, Lindenhurst, NY. March 23, Friday, Harding Avenue Elementary School, daylong presentations, 2 Harding Ave., Lindenhurst, NY March 15, Thursday, 12:30 to 1:45 pm, University of Illinois Chicago Department of Disability and Human Development, Vivette R. Rifkin Seminar, Keynote presentation Blind in the City: Not as Dark as it Sounds, Lecture Center, Building F, F006, 807 S. Morgan St., Chicago, Illinois, Free of charge, open to public, R.S.V.P. to keenanc@uic.edu. March 7 , Wednesday, 9 pm, WGN Radio 720, The Download, Radio interview with host Justin Kaufmann. Beth will be accompanied by her memoir-writing student, Bob Eisenberg. February 13, Tuesday, 9:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m., Kindi Academy, presentation to children about blindness and Seeing Eye dogs, 5801 Westview Lane, Lisle, Illinois 60532 February 7, Wednesday, noon to 3 pm, Glen Grove School Nora Project presentation, 3900 Glenview Rd., Glenview, Illinois January 31, Wednesday 9 pm, WGN Radio 720, The Download, Radio interview with host Justin Kaufmann, Chicago, Illinois January 16, Tuesday, 2018 1:15 pm, Shedd Aquarium, Guest Experience Team Accessibility Awareness Panel with Rachel Arfa, Brian Balcom, Laurie Viets. 1200 S. Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60605 December 7, Thursday, noon, The Admiral at the Lake, Memoir-writing workshop, 929 W Foster Ave., Chicago, IL 60640 November 28, Tuesday, University of Illinois Department of Animal Sciences, Guest Lecture Animal Science 250: Companion Animals in Society Urbana, Illinois November 17, Friday, all day, Clarendon Hills Middle School, memoir-writing workshop for 6th graders, 301 Chicago Ave, Clarendon Hills, IL 60514 October 27, Friday, 1:30 pm, Bethany Retirement Community, Writing Out Loud presentation, 4950 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago, IL 60640 773-.989.1503 October 17, Tuesday, 6:00 pm, Chicago Author’s Room, Writing Out Loud Presentation, reading including Wanda Bridgeforth, and book signing, Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State Street, 7th floor, Chicago, IL 60605 September 15, Friday, 1:00 pm, The Breakers at Edgewater Beach, Book Discussion and Signing, 5333 North Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL 60640 September 6, Wednesday, 7:30 pm, Women & Children First, presenting Writing Out Loud, joined by two of the members of her senior memoir-writing classes: Regan Burke and John Craib-Cox, 5233 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60640, 773.769.9299 August 24, Thursday, 7:00 pm, Trails Book Club, Writing Out Loud, Discussion and Q&A Urbana, IL July 29, Saturday 9 pm: WGN Radio Nocturnal Journal Live interview with host Dave Hoekstra. July 28. Friday, 1 to 3 pm Skyline Village, presentation and book signing, Ditka’s Restaurant, 100 East Chestnut, Chicago, IL, Fee: $5 per person, helps cover rental of room. Please RSVP: info@skylinevillagechicago.org July 19, 2017, The Book Cellar, Wednesday, 7 pm: discussion panel with authors Alex Higley (Cardinal and Other Stories) and Nicholas Aharon Boggioni (The Fundamentalist’s Daughter). 4736-38 N. Lincoln ave. Chicago, IL 60625, 773.293.2665 June 17, 2017, Saturday, 4 to 7 pm: Private celebration for Printers Row neighbors, The Grant, 1211 S. Prairie, Chicago, IL June 16, 2017, Friday, 1 to 3 pm: Private celebration with writers from the Grace Place “Me, Myself, and I” memoir classes, One Museum Park, 1211 S. Prairie, Chicago, IL 60605 June 11, 2017, Sunday, 10 am: Printers Row Lit Fest session: Getting Your Memoir off the Ground, with Anna Nessy Perlberg, Wanda Bridgeforth and Nancy Sayre, Jones College Prep HS., 600 S. State 4th Floor, Rm 4008, Chicago, IL June 10, 2017, Saturday, 11 am – noon: Sandmeyer’s Bookstore, book signing during Printers Row Litfest, sidewalk in front of store. 714 S. Dearborn, Chicago, IL 60605, 312.922.2104 June 9, 2017, Friday, 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm, presentation and book signing. Woman’s Athletic Club, The Drawing Room, 626 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL. June 3, 2017, Saturday, 1 pm – 3 pm: The Bookstore, 475 N. Main, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137. Beth will read from her new book Writing Out Loud, and sign copies of the book afterward. May 18, 2017, Thursday, 12:30 pm. Arlington Traditional School, 855 N. Edison Street, Arlington, VA. Presentation for second graders. May 16, 2017, Tuesday, 10 am: On the Table 2017 – Disability Inclusion at Work, 200 E. Randolph St. 3rd Floor, Chicago Room, Chicago, IL 60601 May 13, 2017, Saturday, 1 to 3pm: Mother’s Day book signing, Sandmeyer’s Bookstore, 714 S. Dearborn, Chicago, IL 60605 May 11, 2017, Thursday, 11:30 to 12:30 p.m., Center for Life and Learning, a learning community for adults 60 and more at Fourth Presbyterian Church. Book Presentation and signing. 126 E. Chestnut St., Chicago, IL 60611, 312.981.3387 May 4, 2017, Thursday, Hough Street Elementary School, 310 S Hough St., Barrington, IL 60010. Beth will speak to second-graders about how she travels with her Seeing Eye dog, and how she navigates life without being able to see. To be rescheduled in September. May 4, 2017, Thursday, School Presentation, Roslyn Road Elementary School, 224 Roslyn Road, Barrington, IL 60010. Beth will speak to second-graders about how she travels with her Seeing Eye dog, and how she navigates life without being able to see. To be rescheduled in September. April 24, 2017, Monday, keynote speaker for Wisconsin AER / Vision & Orientation and Mobility Professionals Conference, Holiday Inn Hotel & convention Center, 1001 Amber Ave., Stevens Point, WI. April 20, 2017, Thursday, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Guest Lecture: Companion Animals in Society, Foellinger auditorium Urbana, IL 61801 March 30, 2017, Thursday, 1 to 3 pm: Panelist, Accessibility and Inclusion, Shedd Aquarium Department on Planning and Design. Panel of 4 will share their experience with various disabilities. Chicago, IL 312.692.3315 February 24, 2017, Friday, 5:30 pm: Victory Gardens Theater Access project, Disability and the Arts Program. 2433 North Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, ILL 60614. 773-328-2130 February 6, 2017, Monday, 1:15 pm: Presentation to 2nd graders at Frances Xavier Warde School, Old St. Patrick’s Campus, 120 South DesPlaines Street, Chicago, IL 60661 312-466-0700. January 10, 2017, Tuesday, 10am – 11am: Presentation for preschoolers at Kindi Academy, 5801 Westview Lane, Lisle, IL 60532, 630-560-4900. November 29, 2016, 12:30 to 1:50pm, Guest Lecture, Animal Science 250: Companion Animals in Society: University of Illinois Department of Animal Sciences, Urbana, IL. October 21, 2016, Friday, 1:30 pm: Wilmot Elementary School, Disability Awareness Week presentation. 795 Wilmot Road, Deerfield, IL. Purchase Beth’s book here: Want more of Beth? Join her mailing list and receive a free chapter from her new book, Writing Out Loud. You’ll receive inside info, special sales, and behind-the-scenes stories. Worth reading, never spammy. First Name Email Media Kit Send Beth Fanmail Book Club Reading Guide Share this page on: Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Purchase Beth’s book here: Want more of Beth? Join her mailing list and receive a free chapter from her new book, Writing Out Loud. You’ll receive inside info, special sales, and behind-the-scenes stories. Worth reading, never spammy. 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