What Happened Last Night at Maria’s
I wanted to keep playing Kick the Can, but the other girls said they were too hot, and it was getting too dark, and they were tired from running and didn’t want to be surprised like that anymore. We were sweating. So were the boys. It was an almost-summer Sunday Read more
GKS Waller
GKS Waller’s career path veered dramatically when, at age 10, she realized being a veterinarian would mean she'd have to put animals to sleep. Inspired by her cartoon idol, the savvy red-headed reporter Brenda Starr, she heeded the call to embark upon the life of a scribe and tale teller. A year later, Waller created her first job as sole founder, writer, editor, designer and salesperson of The Claremont Review, named so in honor of the Chicago avenue she called home. The literary and artistic experiences of her youth led her to pursue journalism, oral storytelling, photography, printmaking and teaching. She continues to find inspiration from seemingly everyday moments and views along the many roads she's traveled through the world. Waller was named a runner-up for the Chicago Tribune 2018 Nelson Algren Literary Award, a finalist in the 2018 Hemingway Shorts contest, and most recently has been published in The Timberline Review. She’s online at @GKSWriter but most days you will find her working on her short story collection and fine tuning the draft of her first novel, in a cozy workspace not far from Claremont Avenue.
