If you're wondering why this post took so long, it's because we literally had our minds blown by Tuesday Funk #72. And I mean literally literally. Okay, that's a lie. But still. It was an awesome show.

David Daskal set the pace with a nail-biter of a story about a man's last thoughts as he goes down in a fiery plane crash, followed by Christine Simokaitis, who read three interconnected short stories about dying and living and the patron saint of hypochondria. Co-host Andrew Huff took his topical haiku hyper-local by commenting on Mark the bartender's pasta dinner, and then we were all tickled by an excerpt from Leah Thomas's upcoming YA novel about a boy allergic to electricity and his penpal... who is electric.

We took a breather. We drank some drinks, thanks to Mark's swift, booze-pouring hands.

Co-host Eden Robins ranted about the Muppet Babies cartoon, and then Britt Julious had us all rapt as she talked about harassment, black female bodies, and self-confidence. And, finally, we rounded out the evening with Hannah Gamble's funny, bittersweet poems about women and sex and being vs. nothingness.

It was a doozy of a doozy. Doozies all the way down. We laughed, we cried, we bit our fingernails, we ate mussels cooked in Belgian beer. And we'll do it all again on September 2nd, with illustrious guests Scott Smith, Ryan DiGiorgi, Anne Holub, Jasmine Davila, and Holly McDowell.

Guys. GUYS. Words cannot describe how excited we are for this month's Tuesday Funk. So forget the words. Just be there.

Okay, we'll give you these words:

It's Tuesday Funk #72! Starring: David Daskal, Britt Julious, Hannah Gamble, Leah Thomas, and Christine Simokaitis. And, of course, Chicago's favorite co-hosts: Andrew Huff and Eden Robins.

Our readings take place at Hopleaf Bar, 5148 N. Clark St. in Chicago. We get started promptly at 7:30 pm in the upstairs lounge. Arrive early if you want a seat--but no earlier than 7:00 pm. Our readings are free, but only those 21 and over will be admitted. No food can be brought in from the restaurant. See you there!

Amelia Beamer's story about sexy zombie escapades brought the house down at Tuesday Funk #66, on Feb. 4 of this year.

If that sounded like your kind of party, the next edition of Tuesday Funk is this Tuesday, Aug. 5, and the upstairs lounge at Hopleaf will be nice and cool. Join us for readings by Hannah Gamble, David Daskal, Christine Simokaitis, Britt Julious and Leah Thomas.

Leah Thomas frequently loses battles of wits against her students and her stories. Because You'll Never Meet Me, her debut YA novel about oddball penpals, is forthcoming from Bloomsbury in Spring 2014. A graduate of Clarion 2010, more of her speculative fiction has appeared in Asimov's, Black Static, 3LBE, Pseudopod, and Ideomancer, among others. Tea is her lifeblood. When she's not huddled in cafes, she's usually at home pricking her fingers in service of cosplay. It's hard to be a dork, but she makes a good go of it.

Please join Leah and all our dorkalicious readers on Tuesday, August 5, 2014, upstairs at Hopleaf at 7:30 pm. This 21-and-older event is free.

Hannah Gamble is working on her second book of poems. She is the current artist-in-residence at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. Recent poems appear in The Believer, POETRY, and the American Poetry Review. She lives in Chicago where she performs with the band Everything's Alright, and, occasionally, Slurp's Up.

Please join Hannah and all our incredible readers on Tuesday, August 5, 2014, upstairs at Hopleaf at 7:30 pm. This 21-and-older event is free.

It is with deepest regret that we inform you that Lawrence Santoro, writer, podcaster and so much more, passed away July 25 after a brief battle with duodenal cancer. He was 71. Gapers Block has an obituary.

Larry read at Tuesday Funk twice, in January 2012 and June 2013. Here he is reading "Root Soup, Winter Soup."

Memorial services are set for Friday, Aug. 1, at Lakeview Funeral Home, 1458 W. Belmont Ave. Viewing of closed casket is from 5 to 7pm, followed by a short memorial service at 7pm. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the American Cancer Society, noting that you would like it to be earmarked for research into duodenal cancer, or to Imerman Angels, who provide one to one support for cancer fighters, survivors and caregivers. A toast and celebration of Larry's life is planned for sometime in September.

Christine Simokaitis' fiction and creative non-fiction has appeared in Calyx, Natural Bridge, Matchbook, Frigg, and many other print and on-line journals, as well as the anthologies, Are We Feeling Better Yet? Women Speak about Healthcare in America and Mourning Sickness. She earned her MFA from Goddard College in 2001. Her work has been shortlisted for, most recently, the Subito Press 2013 prose manuscript competition, and she was nominated for a 2014 Pushcart Prize. She currently teaches creative writing and composition at Northeastern Illinois University and lives in Chicago with her husband and two sons.

Please join Christine and all our accomplished readers on Tuesday, August 5, 2014, upstairs at Hopleaf at 7:30 pm. This 21-and-older event is free.

Britt Julious is a born and bred Chicagoan with a curiosity for weird, synthy music, shiny clothes, crappy television, and snappy pieces of really, really good writing. In 2014, Britt founded Inland, an online and print publication examining contemporary Midwest culture. She also writes for a variety of different publications and organizations including Vice, where she is the Chicago contributor, WBEZ, Pitchfork, Complex, and Rookie. In 2012, The Chicago Reader named her the city's "Best Local Writer Who Excels at Social Media." She is a champion for the underdog and a proud Black Hippie.

Please join Britt and all our excellent readers on Tuesday, August 5, 2014, upstairs at Hopleaf at 7:30 pm. This 21-and-older event is free.

David Daskal is a Writer, Salesman and Family Dude living in Chicago. He has written and starred in five one-man shows around Chicago including The Pursuit of Happiness, The Generic News Hour and Habitat.

Please join David and all our other fantastic readers on Tuesday, August 5, 2014, upstairs at Hopleaf at 7:30 pm. This 21-and-older event is free.

On one of the coldest days of the year, Jan. 7 2014, Tuesday Funk's show still went on -- and with a full house, no less. Author Ryan Bartelmay read an excerpt from his book Onward Toward What We're Going Toward, in which the protagonist, Chic Waldbeeser, begins to deal with the death of his son by writing haiku.

It might not be the hottest day of the year, but our next edition is Tuesday, Aug. 5, and the upstairs lounge at Hopleaf will be nice and cool. Join us for readings by Hannah Gamble, David Daskal, Christine Simokaitis, Britt Julious and Leah Thomas.