Jen Garfield was born in a suburb of Chicago and received a bachelor's degree in creative writing from The University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her poems have appeared in Karamu, The Wisconsin Academy Review of Sciences, Arts and Letters, Spout, Innisfree Online Journal, Artisan and Poetry Midwest. She has received awards from the George B. Hill Poetry Prize, The Illinois State Poetry Society, and The League of Minnesota Poets. Most recently, she was the recipient of a 2007 Illinois Arts Council Literary Award. Her chapbook, Excuses for Happiness, is forthcoming from Pudding House Press. This week, she likes Greek mythology, advice columns, and shih tzus.
