This is the story of Renn Ivins, a film actor of Harrison Ford–like stature, and the people whose lives are connected to his—girlfriends, children, ex-wives, and those on the periphery who long to experience the glow of his fame. In particular, Renn's grown children, Anna and Will, who live in their father's shadow and find it difficult to achieve personal and professional successes of their own, are both drawn to and repelled by him. Most of us can imagine the perks of celebrity, but Little Known Facts offers a clear-eyed story of its effects—especially on family members and others who can neither fully embrace nor ignore the superstar in their midst. Christine Sneed tells a story of influence and affluence; of forging identity, happiness, and a moral compass. Christine Sneed teaches creative writing at DePaul University, Northwestern University, and Pacific University. Her short story collection Portraits of a Few of the People I've Made Cry won AWP's 2009 Grace Paley Prize in Short Fiction and Ploughshares' 2011 first-book prize, the John C. Zacharis Award. Her stories have appeared in Best American Short Stories, PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories, Ploughshares, and a number of other journals. Refreshments will be served.
