Patricia (Patty) McMillen

Poet

Chicago, IL
Illinois US

Author's Bio

Training/Education

            University of Illinois at Chicago. MA, English (Program for Writers), 2005

            Community writing workshops (fiction/poetry/CNF) with Mollie Ramanujan, Maureen Seaton, Reginald Gibbons, Barry Silesky, Sharon Solwitz and others

            University of Chicago Law School. JD, 1983

            Brown University, BA, Human Studies, 1974

Publications: Poetry

            Running Wild (anticipated March 2024, Finishing Line Press, Georgetown KY) - 70-page poetry collection     

            Knife Lake Anthology (June 2006; Pudding House Publications, Cincinnati OH) 20-page poetry chapbook [out of print]

            Individual poems have appeared in the following anthologies: Where I'm At (2022: Chicago, IL After Hours Press); Brute Neighbors (2011: DePaul Poetry Institute); A Writer's Congress : Chicago Poets on Barack Obama's Inauguration (2009: DePaul Poetry Institute); I Will Bear This Scar (2005: New York, iUniverse Inc.); Where we Live: illinois poets (2003: greatunpublished.com); Body: Landscape/mindscape (2003: Chicago, the fuzion project); and HerMark 2001 (2001: Chicago, WomanMade Gallery);

            and in the following journals/periodicals: AfterHours, Buckle&, Cimarron, Evening Street Review, Folio, Naugatuck River Review, /nor (New Ohio Review), Passager, Poetry East, Rhino, River Oak Review, Sanskrit, Spoon River Review, Squaw Valley Review, Third Coast

Publications: other

Opera Dramaturgy: program notes/glossary for "Two Remain," Chicago Fringe Opera, 2022)

 Journalism: Opinion, “Rodney Adkins: An American Tragedy” (on imposition of death sentence in local felony murder case), published 2007 in Wednesday Journal (Oak Park, Illinois); numerous articles/photographs in Brown Daily Herald (Providence, RI college newspaper) and Pioneer Press (Winnetka, IL), 1970-72

Women's History: Researched, wrote, co-edited and copy-edited Bar None:  125 Years of Women Lawyers in Illinois (Chicago Bar Association Press, Chicago, Illinois, 1998), a volume of biographical sketches of pioneer Illinois women lawyers; coprooduced (fundraised, co-wrote and coordinated) traveling graphical exhibit shown 1998-2000 at historical societies and other venues in Illinois

Fiction: Hellcoal Pamphlet Series Vol II No 2 (1972), "Triple Solitaire" (short story)

Performance/Teaching/Production

            Regular guest at Traveling Molly's open mic (online), 2000-present

            Producer, WBEZ-FM Radio, 2009-2010: Field produced and edited numerous soundmarks, short onsite interviews of local listeners used as statio IDs.

            Oak Park Temple (Reform Jewish Synagogue) - Co-wrote/produced "Interviews," a historical “radio play” (table read) for four characters and a narrator; wrote/played role of Esther, a fictional Chicago Jewish woman of the early 20th century

          Interview/reading: Featured poet on “Wordslingers with Michael C. Watson,” WLUW--88.7 FM, Chicago, March 2008:  archived at “Wordslingers Vox Café” (http://wordslingers.org)

          Lincoln Square Arts (Chicago) and Unity Temple (Oak Park, IL) - Wrote/directed “story theatre” staged reading of Knife Lake Anthology (original short poetry collection) and Reconciliation (documentary work-in-progress), January-June 2007

        Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center 2004-2005: Facilitated youth poetry workshops including visits from Li-Young Lee, Charlie Rossiter and others

        Northwest Cultural Council and RHINO Poetry Forums - led community (adult) poetry workshops at Northwest Cultural Council, Rolling Meadows, IL and RHINO Poetry Forums in Normal and Evanston, IL

         Other radio and live poetry readings include Dana Hall School for Girls, Wellesley MA (2010); LIP Series, Chicago (2007); Poetry Center of Chicago “American Poets Reading” series (2003); and WGLT Poetry Radio, Normal, IL (2002, 2007). Live reading (audio) archived at Poets Against the War (www.poetsagainstthewar.org).

       Producer, CBA Television Productions, Inc., “You’re Fired: A Legal Guide to Employment Terminations” (Chicago Bar Association, 1993); host, Law Day 1994 CAN-TV half hour call-in segment on employment law.

Awards and Honors

            Illinois Arts Council Fellowship in Poetry (2002-2003)

            Residencies at Ragdale Foundation, Lake Forest, IL (1999, 2004, 2006, 2007); at Mary Anderson Center for the Arts, St. Francis, IN (2002)

            Nominated for Pushcart Prize, October 2002 (for "Dark Night", published Folio 2002)

            Jo-Anne Hirshfield Memorial Poetry Awards (Evanston, IL): First and Third Place, Adult Category, 2004; First Place, Adult Category, 1997 and 2000

            1997: Chester A Jones Foundation, National Poetry Competitin, Commendation "The Epicenter"

Other Experience

                CEO, TAMPAM Farms, Inc., Glencoe, Illinois, 2002-2007.

                Founding member, Abolition in Illinois Movement (AIM), 2007-2011 (advocating abolitioin of Illinois death penalty). Member of founding board, Oak Park River Forest Area Walk-in Ministry, 2005-2006. Co-founder, Southeast Oak Park Community Organization, 2004.  Board member (1990-1992) and education committee chair (1989-1992), Chicago Foundation for Women.

          Attorney in private practice, 1983-1992

          Associate Editor, writer and photographer, Brown Daily Herald (Providence, RI), 1972-74. 

          Radio host and commercial copywriter, WBRU Radio (Providence, RI), 1970-71.

Publications & Prizes

Book:
Running Wild (Finishing Line Press, 2024)

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Identifies as: 
American
Prefers to work with: 
Any
Fluent in: 
English
Born in: 
Chicago, IL
Illinois
Raised in: 
Chicago
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last update: Feb 12, 2024