David W. Berner is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, author, and associate professor at Columbia College Chicago. His first book, Accidental Lessons (Strategic Publishing) was awarded the 2011 Royal Dragonfly Grand Prize for Literature. His memoir, October Song, won the Royal Dragonfly Award in 2017. His second memoir, Any Road Will Take You There (Dream of Things Publishing) won the 2013 Book of the Year Award from the Chicago Writer's Association for Indie nonfiction and was short-listed for the Eric Hoffer Grand Prize. The Chicago Book Review named his collection of essays, There’s a Hamster in the Dashboard, a “Book of the Year” in 2015. David has been published in a number of literary magazines, online journals, and in Clef Notes Chicagoland Journal for the Arts. He also writes a blog on the creative process at www.constantstory.com and another on his regular walks with his dog at www.walkswithsam.com. In 2011, David was named the Jack Kerouac Writer-in-Residence at the Jack Kerouac Project. He lived and worked in Kerouac's historic home in Orlando, Florida for three months. In 2015, David was named the Writer-in-Residence at the Ernest Hemingway Birthplace Home in Oak Park, IL. David is also a radio journalist, reporting and anchor for Chicago’s WBBM Newsradio and a regular contributor to the CBS Radio Network. David’s audio documentaries have been heard on public radio stations across America. David grew up in Pittsburgh but now lives with his wife outside Chicago where he plays guitar and cares for his dog, Sam.