The Writer's Garret

A Conversation With Joy Harjo
2025-05-16 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Chicago) | Texas Theatre, 231 Jefferson Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Join us for an unforgettable evening featuring a conversation with Joy Harjo, the former U.S. Poet Laureate from 2019-2022, and moderator Jodi Voice Yellowfish.
Friday, May 16th, 2025
Texas Theatre | 231 Jefferson Blvd.
7PM
$30
Get tickets to Joy Harjo at Dallas Is Lit

About Joy Harjo
Photo by Shawn Miller/Library of Congress.
Joy Harjo is an internationally renowned performer and writer of the Muscogee Nation. She served three terms as the 23rd Poet Laureate of the United States from 2019-2022 and is winner of the Poetry Society of America’s 2024 Frost Medal, Yale’s 2023 Bollingen Prize for American Poetry, and was recently honored with a National Humanities Medal.
The author of ten books of poetry, including the highly acclaimed, Weaving Sundown in a Scarlet Light: Fifty Poems for Fifty Years, several plays, children’s books, and non-fiction works, and two memoirs, Crazy Brave and Poet Warrior, her many honors include the National Book Critics Circle Ivan Sandrof Lifetime Achievement Award, the Ruth Lily Prize for Lifetime Achievement from the Poetry Foundation, the Academy of American Poets Wallace Stevens Award, and a Guggenheim Fellowship.
Harjo delivered the 2021 Windham-Campbell Lecture at Yale, part of the virtual Windham-Campbell Prize Festival that year. That lecture was the basis for Catching the Light, published in 2022 by Yale University Press in the Why I Write series.
Her beloved poem, Remember, was illustrated as a children’s book by Michaela Goade and received a 2024 American Indian Youth Literature Honor Award by the American Indian Library Association.
As a musician and performer, Harjo has produced seven award-winning music albums including her newest, I Pray for My Enemies. She has edited three anthologies of Native literature, including When the Light of the World was Subdued, Our Songs Came Through — A Norton Anthology of Native Nations Poetry, Reinventing the Enemy’s Language, and Living Nations, Living Words: An Anthology of First Peoples Poetry, the companion anthology to her signature Poet Laureate project.
She served as a chancellor of the Academy of American Poets and Board of Directors Chair of the Native Arts & Cultures Foundation, and is the first Artist-in-Residence for Tulsa’s Bob Dylan Center. She lives on the Muscogee Nation Reservation in Oklahoma.
About Jodi Voice Yellowfish

Jodi Voice Yellowfish is Cherokee, Muscogee Creek, and Oglala Lakota. She was born and raised in Dallas, Texas and is a product of the Relocation Program. Jod is on the planning committee for the AT&T ICAE Powwow and her passion and heart work is as one of the Founders and Chair for MMIW Texas Rematriate. MMIW is missing and murdered Indigenous Women and People. She serves as the Arts & Culture Advisory Commissioner for District 6 of the City of Dallas. She is also a proud wife and adoptive parent.

Sponsored by SMU Project Poëtica and Activating Reading Communities Organization (ARCO).

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Hear Me, See Me Multilingual Poetry Performance
2025-05-15 19:00 - 20:30 | The Oak Cliff Assembly, 919 Morrell Ave., Dallas, Texas, 75203
Join us for an evening of powerful performances blending poetry, music and movement.
Thursday, May 15, 2025
The Oak Cliff Assembly | 919 Morrell Ave.
7pm
$25
About The Performers
Black Ceasar is a a poet, author, teacher, filmmaker, and artist. A Mississippi native, he is now based in Dallas, Texas, having performed with the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers, and having received special recognition from Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson. He holds a degree in Education from Texas A&M University at Commerce, and is actively involved in the Gifted & Talented program at Paul Quinn College, an historically black college and university (HBCU) located in Dallas.

Boaz Curry El is an experienced saxophonist with 35 years in the music industry. He has performed in various settings, including bands, stage productions, and solo gigs. Boaz holds a Master’s degree in Jazz Studies from the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA).
In addition to performing, he is dedicated to teaching and inspiring others through music. Boaz aims to share the joy of music with those around him, encouraging creativity and a love for the art form.
Dawn is a poet, musician, and content creator in Dallas, Texas. Passionate about holistic health and wellness, she aims to empower others through creativity and mindful living while building a platform as an entrepreneur to inspire balance and personal growth. She is a co-hosts of Now That’s Heavy, a podcast that provides perspectives about life and lessons to help educate and inform the next generation.

Broderick Lamonze Eggins is a seasoned percussionist and music educator from Fort Worth, Texas, with over 22 years of experience in performance, instruction, and ministry. A proud graduate of Grambling State University with a B.A. in Music (Percussion), Broderick has taught at Universal Academy in Irving, Dunbar High School, and Wilson Music Studio. He serves as the Minister of Music at Mount Hermon Missionary Baptist Church, and remains an active member of the Grambling State University Alumni Drumline.
Ofelia “MexMama” Faz-Garza is a mama, poet, and cultural promotora from Dallas’s Oak Cliff neighborhood, reflecting the layered experiences of Mexican, Tejanx, and Xicanx life in America. Her poetry and reflections have appeared in Women in Nature: An Anthology, Outrage: A Protest Anthology for Injustice in a Post 9/11 World, BASTA! 100+ Latinas Speak Out Against Violence Against Women, Voces Anthology, and more. She is the founder of Cascabel Group, an organization dedicated to building community through literary and cultural arts.
Favian Herrera Jr. and Madi Frampton-Herrera bring over two decades of dance experience and an impressive list of accolades to their performances. Both are graduates of Booker T. Washington HSPVA (2004 & 2015). Madi, a former competitive dancer, earned top titles and performed alongside Bollywood superstars, commissioned original work, while honing her craft throughout her dance journey, as well as teacher at Jesus Moroles Expressive Arts Vanguard. Favian, a former resident choreographer for the Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico, is a sought-after choreographer across the nation for stage/commercial, and currently pursuing his law degree. Their combined talents are showcased in the Herrera Dance Project, the name under which they collectively perform and teach.
Lyrik Hunter is a published author, singer/songwriter, actress, recording artist, host, teaching artist, mentor and more. Conquering her stage fright in 2020, she has since developed a significant following, traveling internationally to perform her work. She is the former CEO/Co-Owner of “The Brown Sugah Lounge,” and represents 1/3 of the Denton Black Film Festival’s Poetry Slam 2024 Champion Team, S.I.P. (SISTAS IN POETRY). Visit her linktree site for more info/booking details: linktr.ee/lyrik_hunter

Tanesiamusic is artist, singer, and songwriter. She is originally from Crystal Springs, MS, but moved to Houston, TX, where she lived for 14 years, first appearing on the Street 93.3 radio station with Ms. Fiyamediamogul. She now lives in Dallas/Fort Worth, and has released 3 EPs of music, the latest of which is entitled “Breaking The Silence,” available on all platforms.

Steven Tate is a skilled keyboardist, music producer, and audio professional with expertise in live performance, sound design, recording and mixing, audio editing, and MIDI programming. Specializing in genres such as Gospel, R&B, Soul, Blues, and Jazz, he is recognized for his precise ear and warm, approachable presence. Graduating in Audio Production B. S., Steven excels in collaboration and project management, ensuring seamless execution of creative music and audio projects.

Tyc Veronica is a poet, leader, event planner and more. She has been writing since elementary school and performing since 18. Veronica’s writing consists of Christian Filipino heritage and American culture. She strives to be an outlet for upcoming artists and hopes to use her talents to touch others on a national scale.

Trang Quỳnh Thị Vũ (she/her) is a spoken word artist with two published works: Inferno, Purgatorio, Paradiso and Poetree of Life. She began writing poetry at 9 years old and began performing in 2016, having hosted many events including Rising Voices Community Open Mic. Outside of poetry and writing, she works in Film & Commercial Production and runs Trang Vu Productions which offers photography, videography, and video editing services. She is currently a Programs Assistant for Pegasus Media Project.

Sponsored by Oak Cliff Cultural Center.

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Get tickets to Hear Me, See Me

Community Partner Event: Poetscape Hosted By Oak Cliff Society Of Fine Arts
2025-05-13 19:30 - 21:00 | Turner House, 401 N Rosemont Ave., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Get in the mood for Dallas Is Lit! with this sneak peek hosted by our friends and festival partners the Oak Cliff Society Of Fine Arts. Come out to the gorgeous and historic Turner House for poetry performances by Barbara Audacity Johnson, M. H. Clay, Hannah Elliott-Lindh and Opalina Salas.
For tickets and more information, please visit the OCSFA website

See & Say: Writing In Response To Visual Art with Joe Milazzo
2025-04-27 12:00 - 15:00 | Full City Rooster, 1810 S. Akard St. #100, TX, 75208, United States
Language, like paint or clay, is an artistic medium. Consequently, one of the best ways to explore language’s unique qualities – and the effects they can have on readers – is by writing about other forms of art. In this workshop, participants will:

Interact with the visual art on display at Full City Rooster.
Learn about the history of ekphrasis: the art of writing about art.
Experiment with a variety of approaches to putting their experiences looking, reacting to, and thinking about that art into words.

Participants will have an opportunity to share their original work and receive feedback on it during this session.

Joe Milazzo is a writer, editor, educator, and designer. He is the author of the novel Crepuscule W/ Nellie (Civil Coping Mechanisms) and two full-length poetry collections: The Habiliments (Apostrophe Books) and Of All Places In This Place Of All Places (Spuyten Duyvil). His most recent book, Words in Danger of Falling Out of the Vocabulary (Galileo Press), is a collaboration with poet and musician Eric Lindley and visual artist Miwa Matreyek.

You can also find Joe’s writings in the journals Black Warrior Review, BOMB, Denver Quarterly, Fence, Puerto del Sol, Texas Review, and elsewhere.
Joe is also the Founder/Editor-in-Chief of Surveyor Books. He lives and works in Dallas, TX, where he was born and raised.

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Show & Prove: Do It For You with Lyrik Hunter
2025-04-19 14:00 - 16:00 | The Writer’s Garret, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
It’s time to SHOW & PROVE: DO IT FOR YOU!
Are you seeking healthy practices that will assist you with your self-care and healing journey? Most times, we’re so busy catering to others that we forget about the importance of prioritizing our own well-being, which usually keeps us from being fully present for others when they need us most! This workshop is designed to highlight the need for intentional self-care routines that nurture our mental health, while also offering suggestions on how to consistently implement practices that cater to your personal self-love and healing journey. Showing up as your authentic self, and preventing burnout is essential to ensuring you don’t deplete your energy reserves while caring for others.
It’s time to show up for YOU! Join us!
THIS EVENT IS PRESENTED FREE THANKS TO THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THE CITY OF DALLAS OFFICE OF ARTS & CULTURE COMMUNITY ARTIST PROGRAM.
Lyrik Hunter, birth name “Krystal” is originally from Midland, Tx, and has been a resident of the DFW area since she was a teenager. Her educational background and training is in the legal and pharmaceutical fields, which she graciously stepped down from in 2023, to pursue her career, full-time, as an artist and entrepreneur. Since then, she has taken a huge leap of faith as she continues to walk in her God-given purpose and passion, as a traveling inspirational performing artist and mentor. Lyrik is a current artist on the City of Dallas Community Artist Program roster, and is also a published author, singer/songwriter, actress, recording Artist, event planner/curator/host, teaching artist, mentor, and full-time entrepreneur. Lyrik is 1/3 of the Denton Black Film Festival’s Poetry Slam 2024 Champion Team, S.I.P. (SISTAS IN POETRY) and FORMER CEO/Co-Owner of “The Brown Sugah Lounge” one of Dallas’s most loved and attended open mic platforms. Lyrik is well-known for her raw, riveting, and vivid works of art and is often referred to as the “singing storyteller” or the “heart healer” amongst her peers. She takes pride in supporting and showing love to others as well as maintaining and building strong relationships and connections with local organizations that purposely seek to extend opportunities for local artists to be seen & heard. Lyrik is a well-known community supporter and voice, who continues to make the world around her a better place, by simply spreading love & light in every room that she enters. Her motto is: “If you’re not healing, you’re not growing, and if you’re not growing, you’re dying.” Her goal is to remind the world that there is always light, even during the tough and dark times, all you have to do is go within, and find it! You may learn more about Lyrik and how you can support her journey, by visiting her social media platforms or via her link tree site at: https://linktr.ee/lyrik_hunter
RSVP for Show & Prove with LyriK Hunter

Lyceum Series: Lauren Brazeal Garza - Writing Our Memories As Poems
2025-04-19 10:00 - 12:00 | The Writer’s Garret, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Welcome to the lyceum. These free, monthly workshops are held on the third Saturday of the month, and offer writers of every genre and skill level an opportunity to learn, experiment and develop their craft. We hope you’ll join us!

Now more than ever, poetry allows us to speak of our own experiences on our terms. Unlike prose-based memoir, which is often preoccupied with the facts of an event, or when things take place on a timeline, the poetry of memory can instead focus on the feelings and senses of a memory’s architecture, and the unique ways our memories connect to one another.
In this two-hour generative workshop, we will study and discuss techniques used by a variety of poets who have written their own stories and experiences in interesting ways including Yusef Komunyakaa and Jenn Givhan. You will also draft one poem that experiments with sharing a memory or experience.
About Lauren Brazeal Garza:
Lauren Brazeal Garza is the author of five books of poetry and fiction including her memoir-in-verse, Gutter (YesYes Books, 2018), which chronicles her homelessness as a teenager. She earned her M.F.A in creative writing from Bennington College, and her Ph.D. in Literature from The University of Texas at Dallas. She teaches literature and creative writing at The University of Texas at Dallas.

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Cake & Prose: Tatiana Obey
2025-04-12 18:00 - 20:00 | South Dallas Cultural Center, 3400 S. Fitzhugh Ave., Dallas, TX, 75210, United States
Cake and Prose is back! On Saturday, April 12th at 6 p.m., we’re featuring local acclaimed author, Tatiana Obey. Come join us at the South Dallas Cultural Center for a celebration of Black culture and Black women in fantasy and science fiction.

Cake and Prose is a unique, free literary event with a focus on genre fiction, local talent, and cake. The ingredients are simple:
Three stories. An author shares three stories — read by three different actors. These stories could be any genre. They could be short stories or excerpts of a longer work.
Three songs. A musical performance by a guest artist adds another layer to this night of entertainment. Themes can emerge between the stories and songs.
One cake. During the intermission, there is cake. Really good cake from a local bakery.
Mix together and enjoy! RSVP below!

ABOUT TATIANA OBEY
Tatiana Obey writes badass characters slaying dragons. She is the author of A Forging of Age Duology and Sistah Samurai: A Champloo Novella. She has published short stories in various anthologies and Fiyah Literary Magazine, and is also a contributing editor for Magic in the Melanin: A Black Fantasy Anthology. Learn more about Tatiana at www.tatianaobey.com.

PERFORMER BIOS
MIKAELA BAKER

Mikaela Baker is a SAG-E multi-hyphenated theatre artist here in DFW. Some of her most recent credits include A Streetcar Named Desire (WaterTower Theatre), Measure for Measure, Twelfth Night (Shakespeare Dallas), and you can see some of her directing work later this summer at Echo Theatre and Shakespeare Dallas.

JANEL AGBOR

Janel Agbor is delighted to be making her debut with cake and prose this evening. Janel is a recent graduate who received her BFA with a focus in acting and directing at Texas Woman’s University in Denton. Her recent roles include Sally Bowles in Cabaret, Circe in the Odyssey, Pearl in These Shining Lives, Mary Woolley in A Bull in a China Shop and Jacob Marley in Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol. Her favorite past roles include June/squish in Chicago, and Berthe in Pippin.

ANYIKA MCMILLAN-HEROD
Anyika McMillan-Herod is an actor, writer, and director. She is an alumna of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and Prairie View A&M University. She also studied Acting at CalArts. She is notably a co-founder of Soul Rep Theatre Company, Dallas’ longest operating theater company dedicated to the Black experience.

MUSICAL GUEST OB
Ob is an artist based between Dallas and Lagos. His debut EP, !love is filled with thoughtful references, daring arrangements, and heartfelt lyrics. Ob cuts across genres to deliver a body of work that calls for its title, both to ourselves and to others. His message remains clear: love wins in the end.

Cake and Prose is back! On Saturday, April 12th at 6 p.m., we’re featuring local acclaimed author, Tatiana Obey. Come join us at the South Dallas Cultural Center for a celebration of Black culture and Black women in fantasy and science fiction.

Cake and Prose is a unique, free literary event with a focus on genre fiction, local talent, and cake. The ingredients are simple:Three stories. An author shares three stories — read by three different actors. These stories could be any genre. They could be short stories or excerpts of a longer work.Three songs. A musical performance by a guest artist adds another layer to this night of entertainment. Themes can emerge between the stories and songs.One cake. During the intermission, there is cake. Really good cake from a local bakery.Mix together and enjoy!​
_Fill out my LGL Form!

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Baudelaire: A Guided Discussion with Gregg Thompson
2025-04-05 14:00 - 16:00 | The Writer’s Garret, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Join us for a conversation on the poetry of Charles Baudelaire, one of the greatest poets of the nineteenth century. Gregg Thompson leads the discussion.
Charles Pierre Baudelaire (1821-1867) was a French poet & essayist, and was a major influence on both French and English language literature.
Gregg Thompson makes his living as a real estate investor, having previously worked in investment banking and the printing industry. He has a BA in History from one land grant college and MAs in Literature and Philosophy. He writes poetry, some of which has been published, and has been engaged with The Writer’s Garret in one capacity or other over several years. Gregg is a father of three grown children.

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Ralph Ellison: The Soul Of A Marxist – A Talk By Quraysh Ali Lansana
2025-03-26 19:00 - 20:30 | Bishop Arts Theatre Center, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Ralph Ellison, author of what many consider to be the greatest American novel of the 20th Century, was a complicated man. Brilliant, yet complex. Born in 1914 in the deeply segregated neighborhood of Oklahoma City known as “Deep Deuce,” Ellison experienced the poverty and struggle of racism before he could read and experienced profound tragedy at two-years of age. A multi-talented, curious boy into young manhood, Ellison was immersed in both the second-hand welfare and first-hand rage of White people. As Ellison experienced success he possessed a seriousness, a soberness, and what some in the Black Arts Movement considered a pompous disposition. How could Ralph Ellison be both a socialist and an elitist at the same time?
Scholar and poet Quraysh Ali Lansana visits Dallas for a talk on the tension between Ellison’s private thoughts and history and his public success and renown. Read his interview on Ellison.
Quraysh Ali Lansana is author of over twenty books in poetry, nonfiction and children’s literature. Lansana is currently a Tulsa Artist Fellow and a Visiting Associate Professor of English/Creative Writing at the University of Tulsa. He was formerly a Lecturer in Africana Studies at Oklahoma State University-Tulsa where he also served as Director of the Center for Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation. Lansana is Executive Producer of KOSU/NPR’s Focus: Black Oklahoma monthly radio program, which is a recipient of a 2022 duPont-Columbia Award, a 2022 NAACP Image Award, a 2022 Oklahoma Society of Professional Journalists Award and was a Peabody Award nominee. Lansana is also the recipient of a 2022 Emmy Award, a 2022 Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters Award and a 2022 National Educational Telecommunications Association Public Media Award for his roles as host and consultant for the OETA (PBS) documentary film “Tulsa Race Massacre: 100 Years Later.” Lansana is a three-time International Regional Magazine Award-winning Contributing Editor for Oklahoma Today magazine. A former faculty member of both the Writing Program of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Drama Division of The Juilliard School, Lansana served as Director of the Gwendolyn Brooks Center for Black Literature and Creative Writing at Chicago State University from 2002-2012 and was Associate Professor of English/Creative Writing there until 2014. His most recent books include Killing the Negative: A Conversation in Art & Verse (with Joel Daniel Phillips), Opal’s Greenwood Oasis, the skin of dreams: new and collected poems, 1995-2018, The Whiskey of Our Discontent: Gwendolyn Brooks as Conscience & Change Agent) and The BreakBeat Poets: New American Poetry in the Age of Hip Hop.
Forthcoming titles include a children’s biography of Ralph Ellison, a memoir on the last decade of his mentor, Miss Gwendolyn Brooks, and a series of books on the Black Rodeo. Lansana’s work appears in Best American Poetry 2019. He is a founding member of Tri-City Collective and serves on the Board of Directors of the Philbrook Museum of Art, Oklahoma Humanities and the Tulsa Press Club. Lansana is a Curatorial Scholar for The Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art and a Curatorial Board Co-Chair for the Ragdale Foundation. He is a Cave Canem Fellow and a member of the first cohort of the Culture of Health Leadership for Racial Healing Fellowship.
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Community Conversation: Racism, the (Un)Making of Dallas, and Repairing the Damage with Dr. Michael Phillips
2025-03-22 10:00 - 12:00 | Apprentice Creative Space, 919 Morrell Ave. #110, Dallas, TX, 75203
Presented in partnership with the SMU Department of Human-Centered Interdisciplinary Studies, Community Conversations provide a forum for local discussion of relevant contemporary topics in the larger literary dialogue. Each conversation will feature a guest scholar who will facilitate the conversation, as well as contextual readings available prior to the event.
For its inaugural conversation, the series is focusing on Dallas itself, how racism has influenced the development of the city, and how we move forward together to build a more connected, equitable future. Guest scholar Dr. Michael Phillips will lead the conversation, and Dallas Poet Laureate Mag Gabbert has selected a set of poems to supplement.
Natasha Trethewey: “History Lesson”
Roger Reeves: “Cymothoa Exigua”
Claudia Rankine: Citizen: “You are in the dark, in the car…”
Terrance Hayes: “American Sonnet for My Past and Future Assassin [Probably twilight makes blackness dangerous]”
Marilyn Nelson: “Arachis Hypogaea”

Dr. Michael Phillips is a scholar of American race relations, Texas history, right-wing politics, and apocalyptic religions. His dissertation at the University of Texas was published in 2006 as White Metropolis: Race, Ethnicity and Religion in Dallas, 1841-2001. White Metropolis was awarded the 2007 Texas Historical Commission’s prize for best book on Texas history. His next book, co-authored with longtime journalist Betsy Friauf, is The Purifying Knife: The Troubling History of Eugenics in Texas. It will be published by the University of Oklahoma Press June 3, 2025.

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Lyceum Series: Maya Golden Bethany – What’s My Line? Selecting the Through Line in Personal Essays & Memoir
2025-03-15 10:00 - 12:00 | The Writer’s Garret, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Welcome to the lyceum.
These free, monthly workshops are held on the third Saturday of the month, and offer writers of every genre and skill level an opportunity to learn, experiment and develop their craft. We hope you’ll join us!
Life is complex and so are our experiences. We endure multiple defining moments in our lifetimes, but how do we weed through our personal or family histories to determine which stories are right for the page? Every event that shapes us is significant, but you don’t have to tell it all in one work. In this generative workshop, Maya will help writers narrow their focus and select the through line for the story they are trying to tell in personal essay or memoir.
Callynth Photography
Maya Golden Bethany is an Associated Press winning and Emmy-nominated freelance journalist in Tyler, Texas where her foundation, 1 in 3 Foundation, serves survivors of sexual trauma with little to no income. Her memoir, The Return Trip, will re-release in hardcover edition on March 4, 2025 from Rising Action Publishing. Her first novel, a political thriller, The Senator, will release April 15, 2025, also through RAPC. Maya has written for Newsweek, Salon, Insider and BlackGirlNerds.com. Maya recently received the Parent Writer Fellowship from the Martha’s Vineyard Institute for Creative Writing. She is a graduate of Texas A&M University.

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Lyceum Series: Jasmyn Huff – Creating The Truth: Essaying
2025-02-15 10:00 - 12:00 | The Writer’s Garret, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Welcome to the lyceum.
These free, monthly workshops are held on the third Saturday of the month, and offer writers of every genre and skill level an opportunity to learn, experiment and develop their craft. We hope you’ll join us!
What does “Creative” Nonfiction mean? This workshop will explore the truth behind creative nonfiction by looking at the creative essay by examining what makes an essay an essay and how much perceived “truth” it needs to contain.
Jasmyn Huff (she/her) studies Creative Nonfction at the Ph.D. level while also working as an IT specialist and coparenting her son. Her essays can be found in Black Warrior Review, X-R-A-Y, Bending Genres, Sweet Literary, Defunct Magazine, and SugarSugarSalt.

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Mining Your Life for Story: Writing Creative Nonfiction Essays Inspired By Your Life with Lynne Golodner
2025-01-11 14:00 - 16:00 | Apprentice Creative Space, 919 Morrell Ave. #110, Dallas, TX, 75203
Led by award-winning author and writing coach Lynne Golodner, this workshop guides writers in finding inspiration for writing, both nonfiction and fiction, from the people around you, the experiences you’ve had, the rooms of your home and more! You’ll learn how to write personal stories with universal appeal and how to cultivate a steady stream of writing prompts from the details of your daily life. Subject matter is all around you, all the time! We’ll try our hand at personal writing and banish the fears that keep us from putting real stories on the page.
COURSE TAKEAWAYS:

Find inspiration from daily life and create an endless list of subject matter for writing
Confront the fears that surround writing about real life
Build courage and confidence to write creatively and consider publishing
Harness memory, place and relationship to create compelling writing
Gain insight into what it takes to create cohesive, compelling writing

A former journalist and marketing expert, Lynne Golodner is the award-winning author of 10 books. With a degree from the University of Michigan and an MFA in Poetry from Goddard College, Lynne has taught writing and led retreats for more than twenty years. She lives with her archivist husband in Detroit, with a rotating roster of her four young adult children. Learn more at https://lynnegolodner.com.

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Cake & Prose – Charles' Dickens A Christmas Carol
2024-12-13 19:00 - 21:00 | Apprentice Creative Space, 919 Morrell Ave. #110, Dallas, TX, 75203
Cake & Prose returns for the holidays!
In December, we’re celebrating the Charles Dickens’ masterpiece, A Christmas Carol. Our actors are reading a version of the story abridged by Dickens himself for public readings. And as always, there will be cake from a local bakery during intermission and a musical performance to conclude the evening. This event is family friendly.
Cake and Prose will take place in Dallas on Friday, December 13th at Apprentice Oak Cliff.
A Christmas Carol will be performed by Dani Chambers, Rob Clare, Shawn Gann, and Brina Palencia, with musical guest Ob. We look forward to seeing you there!
RSVP below, with a suggested donation of $10.
ABOUT CHARLES DICKENS
Charles Dickens is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. He wrote A Christmas Carol in six weeks and had to pay half the publication costs himself, since his publisher did not see the value of a Christmas story. The novella has never been out of print since its publication in 1843. A Christmas Carol was his first ever public reading in the Birmingham Town Hall on December 27, 1852. His first reading was such a success, he repeated it three days later. Dickens loved to perform A Christmas Carol. He continually edited and adapted the story as a performance piece for several years.
PERFORMER BIOS
DANI CHAMBERS
Dani Chambers is a voice-over actress who specializes in kid voices. She’s been honing her craft since she was just six years old, and her passion for acting has only grown with time. Dani particularly enjoys theater work, where she can fully embody a character and bring them to life on stage.
ROB CLARE
Rob Clare was originally an actor with the Royal Shakespeare Company, then a Staff Director at the UK National Theatre, and Associate Artistic Director of the major UK touring company, Compass. Becoming increasingly interested in differing approaches to working with Shakespearean texts, and especially verse, he completed a doctorate in the subject at Oxford University, and has since become an internationally recognized Shakespeare specialist.
SHAWN GANN
Shawn Gann is a proud Filipino-American ADR Director, Voiceover Artist, and Educator. For most of his career, Shawn has been a theatre maker in Dallas-Fort Worth that has performed on most major stages, started several companies, and has been a producing board/company member with many others; he has also toured nationally and internationally as an actor, which includes performing in Scotland’s 2019 Festival Fringe in Edinburgh.
BRINA PALENCIA
Brina Palencia is an actress working in Dallas and Los Angeles. She’s voiced… a lot of stuff. On camera she is best known for playing Sophia in the CW series Star-Crossed; Ana on Season 4 of The Walking Dead; Jody Evans on Season 7 of Castle; and Kayla Bates in the web series The Troubadoors. Brina can also be seen in several indie films and enjoys writing music.
MUSICAL GUEST OB
Ob is an artist based between Dallas and Lagos. His debut EP, !love is filled with thoughtful references, daring arrangements, and heartfelt lyrics. Ob cuts across genres to deliver a body of work that calls for its title, both to ourselves and to others. His message remains clear: love wins in the end.
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Cake & Prose – Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol (Fort Worth)
2024-12-12 19:00 - 21:00 | Arts Fifth Avenue, 1628 5th Ave., Fort Worth, TX, 76104, United States
Cake & Prose returns for the holidays!
In December, we’re celebrating the Charles Dickens’ masterpiece, A Christmas Carol. Our actors are reading a version of the story abridged by Dickens himself for public readings. And as always, there will be cake from a local bakery during intermission and a musical performance to conclude the evening. This event is family friendly.
Cake and Prose will take place in Fort Worth on Thursday, December 12th at Arts Fifth Avenue.
A Christmas Carol will be performed by Dani Chambers, Rob Clare, Marisa Duran, and Shawn Gann, with musical guest Elizabeth Wills. We look forward to seeing you there!
RSVP below, with a suggested donation of $10.
ABOUT CHARLES DICKENS
Charles Dickens is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. He wrote A Christmas Carol in six weeks and had to pay half the publication costs himself, since his publisher did not see the value of a Christmas story. The novella has never been out of print since its publication in 1843. A Christmas Carol was his first ever public reading in the Birmingham Town Hall on December 27, 1852. His first reading was such a success, he repeated it three days later. Dickens loved to perform A Christmas Carol. He continually edited and adapted the story as a performance piece for several years.
PERFORMER BIOS
DANI CHAMBERS
Dani Chambers is a voice-over actress who specializes in kid voices. She’s been honing her craft since she was just six years old, and her passion for acting has only grown with time. Dani particularly enjoys theater work, where she can fully embody a character and bring them to life on stage.
ROB CLARE
Rob Clare was originally an actor with the Royal Shakespeare Company, then a Staff Director at the UK National Theatre, and Associate Artistic Director of the major UK touring company, Compass. Becoming increasingly interested in differing approaches to working with Shakespearean texts, and especially verse, he completed a doctorate in the subject at Oxford University, and has since become an internationally recognized Shakespeare specialist.
MARISA DURAN
Marisa Duran has had the privilege of working with multiple professional theatre companies in the DFW area, and has landed on-camera roles in short films, web-series, and commercials. Marisa works with studios such as Crunchyroll and BangZoom, and lends their voice to various indie projects, video-games, and commercials.
SHAWN GANN
Shawn Gann is a proud Filipino-American ADR Director, Voiceover Artist, and Educator. For most of his career, Shawn has been a theatre maker in Dallas-Fort Worth that has performed on most major stages, started several companies, and has been a producing board/company member with many others; he has also toured nationally and internationally as an actor, which includes performing in Scotland’s 2019 Festival Fringe in Edinburgh.
MUSICAL GUEST ELIZABETH WILLS
Texas-based singer-songwriter and Americana artist Elizabeth Wills has a voice that Dallas Morning News compared to “female singer/songwriter greats such as Carly Simon, Shawn Colvin, and Sarah McLachlan.” Her songs – real and riveting – keep listeners engaged start to finish.

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Journal Writing: Exploring Your Inner Voice with Linda Jones
2024-12-04 19:00 - 21:00 | The Writer’s Garret, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
This workshop is ideal for anyone looking to expand their journaling practice and explore new writing methods for self-discovery and personal growth.
What You’ll Learn:

Various journaling and personal writing styles that can help deepen self-awareness and enhance your overall well-being.

How to develop a personalized journaling routine that supports mental, emotional, and creative wellness.

Linda Jones is a writing doula, transformational coach, journalist, author, certified grief recovery specialist, creative artist and owner of ManeLock Communications, LLC. She helps clients give birth to writing that helps them tell better stories, preserve legacy, and maintain their emotional health and well-being.
Linda has worked as a journalist for several daily newspapers (i.e., The Detroit News, Dallas Morning News, Ft. Lauderdale News and Sun Sentinel) and has contributed to several print and online publications (i.e., The Daily Beast, USA Today (Sunday), People, Heart & Soul and Essence magazines). Highlights of her news career included coverage of the Black Hebrew Israelites, the expatriate Black American community in Dimona, Israel, the historic U.S. tour of South African activist Nelson Mandela when he was released from prison after 27 years, and the historic 1994 election when he became that country’s first Black president.
She is author of: Family Scribes: Writing Memories for Your Family Tree, Final Story Obituary Planner, It’s Only Temporary: A Journal for Surviving Loved Ones and Nappyisms: Affirmations for Nappy-Headed People and Wannabes! Her work has also appeared in Chicken Soup for the African American Woman’s Soul, and Tenderhanded: A Comb-bending Collection of Hair Stories.

The City That Killed The President – A Reading By Author Tim Cloward
2024-11-22 19:00 - 20:30 | The Wild Detectives, 314 W 8th St, Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
The assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, shocked America. Instantly, Dallas was blamed for the killing, labeled “the City of Hate.” In the half century since the president’s murder, this city’s artists and writers have produced important, if often overlooked, work that speaks to the difficult burden of our civic shaming.
Here are the works of poetry, theater, journalism, art, the actions of our citizens and political leaders, all the fragments of our cultural life that address this tortured local history. The City That Killed the President is a window into the soul of Dallas, a city reluctant to grapple with its past.
“Tim Cloward has his nerve. The very idea of taking on the psyche of a city as rambunctious and complex—and troubled and tragic—as Dallas would be beyond the courage of most of us, but Cloward more than rises to the challenge he sets for himself. The City that Killed the President is a brilliant dissection of this most American of cities, a particular kind of history in which names, dates, and events are merely starting points for peeling back our collective id and ego. The City that Killed the President is one of the best books you will ever read about Dallas, but you won’t find it on the Chamber of Commerce reading list.”
Ben Fountain, author of Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk and Devil Makes Three
Tim Cloward is a writer/educator who lives in Dallas, Texas. He holds a Ph.D. in Aesthetic Studies from the University of Texas at Dallas. The founder of the poetry/performance troupe Dancing Tongue, he has also worked with Poetry Circus and Question Authority, both acclaimed multi-disciplinary performance ensembles. His work has been seen in a number of publications and he, along with Patty Turner and David Davis, published the influential chapbook Three Dallas Poets in 1986. A prominent arts organizer, he is the former board chair of the North Texas Literary organization, WordSpace. He teaches Theory of Knowledge classes at Uplift Atlas Academy, where he is helping establish an International Baccalaureate program for underserved urban students. The first volume of his The City That Killed the President: A Cultural History of Dallas was published by Deep Vellum Press in Sept. 2023.

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"A Deep And Human Look:" Gwendolyn Brooks' Annie Allen at 75 – Presentation By Quraysh Ali Lansana and Reading
2024-11-20 18:30 - 20:00 | South Dallas Cultural Center, 3400 S. Fitzhugh Ave., Dallas, TX, 75210, United States
Miss Gwendolyn Brooks offered a voice for Black women in literature in the early 1950’s at a time when Black women characters were relegated to maids and nannies. Annie Allen, her second book of poetry, is the groundbreaking work which made her the first Black person to win the Pulitzer Prize in any category. These poems introduce you to Annie Allen and her community as she grows from childhood to womanhood and is faced with poverty, despair, racial discrimination, war and, somehow, hope. October 2024 marks the 75th anniversary of Annie Allen. Lansana will share stories and anecdotes from ten years with Miss Brooks as her last protégé.
Quraysh Ali Lansana is author of over twenty books in poetry, nonfiction and children’s literature. Lansana is currently a Tulsa Artist Fellow and a Visiting Associate Professor of English/Creative Writing at the University of Tulsa. He was formerly a Lecturer in Africana Studies at Oklahoma State University-Tulsa where he also served as Director of the Center for Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation. Lansana is Executive Producer of KOSU/NPR’s Focus: Black Oklahoma monthly radio program, which is a recipient of a 2022 duPont-Columbia Award, a 2022 NAACP Image Award, a 2022 Oklahoma Society of Professional Journalists Award and was a Peabody Award nominee. Lansana is also the recipient of a 2022 Emmy Award, a 2022 Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters Award and a 2022 National Educational Telecommunications Association Public Media Award for his roles as host and consultant for the OETA (PBS) documentary film “Tulsa Race Massacre: 100 Years Later.” Lansana is a three-time International Regional Magazine Award-winning Contributing Editor for Oklahoma Today magazine. A former faculty member of both the Writing Program of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Drama Division of The Juilliard School, Lansana served as Director of the Gwendolyn Brooks Center for Black Literature and Creative Writing at Chicago State University from 2002-2012 and was Associate Professor of English/Creative Writing there until 2014. His most recent books include Killing the Negative: A Conversation in Art & Verse (with Joel Daniel Phillips), Opal’s Greenwood Oasis, the skin of dreams: new and collected poems, 1995-2018, The Whiskey of Our Discontent: Gwendolyn Brooks as Conscience & Change Agent) and The BreakBeat Poets: New American Poetry in the Age of Hip Hop.
Forthcoming titles include a children’s biography of Ralph Ellison, a memoir on the last decade of his mentor, Miss Gwendolyn Brooks, and a series of books on the Black Rodeo. Lansana’s work appears in Best American Poetry 2019. He is a founding member of Tri-City Collective and serves on the Board of Directors of the Philbrook Museum of Art, Oklahoma Humanities and the Tulsa Press Club. Lansana is a Curatorial Scholar for The Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art and a Curatorial Board Co-Chair for the Ragdale Foundation. He is a Cave Canem Fellow and a member of the first cohort of the Culture of Health Leadership for Racial Healing Fellowship.
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Lyceum Series: David Hopkins – 32 Ways To Add A Little Shakespeare To Your Story
2024-11-16 10:00 - 12:00 | The Writer’s Garret, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Welcome to the lyceum.
These free, monthly workshops are held on the third Saturday of the month, and offer writers of every genre and skill level an opportunity to learn, experiment and develop their craft. We hope you’ll join us!
Succession drama, high stakes tension, and fascinating characters! There’s a lot we can learn from the Bard—especially if you write long-form fiction. In this workshop, we’re going to cover 32 ways you can enhance your stories with some Shakespearean flair.
DAVID HOPKINS is a fantasy novelist with an interest in Shakespeare (hence the workshop), medieval history, fairy tales, and myth. He is the author of The Dryad’s Crown, a story set in the vast world of Efre Ousel. David is married to artist and designer, April Hopkins. They have two daughters, Kennedy and Greta, and a dog named Moose. David is a full member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association and founder of Cake and Prose. David teaches classes through WritingWorkshops.com.

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Poetic Expression: Discovering Your Voice Through Verse with Linda Jones
2024-11-13 19:00 - 21:00 | The Writer’s Garret, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Designed for both beginners and seasoned writers, workshop will introduce you to unique styles of poetry that allow you to express your emotions, thoughts, and experiences in creative and impactful ways.
What You’ll Learn:

Techniques for crafting poetry that captures emotions and ideas in powerful, concise forms.
How to use structured poetic forms to enhance creativity and focus your expression.

This workshop is perfect for anyone looking to explore the expressive potential of poetry and deepen their writing practice.

Linda Jones is a writing doula, transformational coach, journalist, author, certified grief recovery specialist, creative artist and owner of ManeLock Communications, LLC. She helps clients give birth to writing that helps them tell better stories, preserve legacy, and maintain their emotional health and well-being.
Linda has worked as a journalist for several daily newspapers (i.e., The Detroit News, Dallas Morning News, Ft. Lauderdale News and Sun Sentinel) and has contributed to several print and online publications (i.e., The Daily Beast, USA Today (Sunday), People, Heart & Soul and Essence magazines). Highlights of her news career included coverage of the Black Hebrew Israelites, the expatriate Black American community in Dimona, Israel, the historic U.S. tour of South African activist Nelson Mandela when he was released from prison after 27 years, and the historic 1994 election when he became that country’s first Black president.
She is author of: Family Scribes: Writing Memories for Your Family Tree, Final Story Obituary Planner, It’s Only Temporary: A Journal for Surviving Loved Ones and Nappyisms: Affirmations for Nappy-Headed People and Wannabes! Her work has also appeared in Chicken Soup for the African American Woman’s Soul, and Tenderhanded: A Comb-bending Collection of Hair Stories.

Haiku & Senryu with Joan Canby
2024-11-10 14:00 - 16:00 | The Cultured Cup, 13731 Omega Rd., Farmers Branch, TX, 75244, United States
Most of us are familiar with the Haiku poetic form–or at least we think we are.
Haiku are 3 lined short poems about nature with a serious theme and have a Japanese kigo (seasonal word) or a kireji (a cutting word). Senryu are 3 lined short poems about the human condition, often humorous or cynical that do not use kigo or kireji words. In this 2 hour workshop, we’ll divide the time roughly in half between reading and composition, with the opportunity to share before the end of the workshop.
Joan Canby is a member of the Haiku Society of America. Her haiku/senryu have been published in Modern Haiku, Frogpond and Ouachita Life. Her website is: joancanby.com.

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Mina Loy's The Last Lunar Baedeker: A Guided Discussion With Gregg Thompson
2024-11-02 14:00 - 16:00 | The Writer’s Garret, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Join Gregg Thompson for a guided discussion of modernist poet Mina Loy’s The Last Lunar Baedeker.
Gregg Thompson makes his living as a real estate investor, having previously worked in investment banking and the printing industry. He has a BA in History from one land grant college and MAs in Literature and Philosophy. He writes poetry, some of which has been published, and has been engaged with The Writer’s Garret in one capacity or other over several years. Gregg is a father of three grown children.

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Lyceum Series: Lauren Kalstad – Splendiferous Travels! A Journey into the World of Writing Children’s Books
2024-10-19 10:00 - 12:00 | The Writer’s Garret, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Welcome to the lyceum.
These free, monthly workshops are held on the third Saturday of the month, and offer writers of every genre and skill level an opportunity to learn, experiment and develop their craft. We hope you’ll join us!
Let’s explore the many adventures and colorful characters we encounter through children’s literature. Participants will discuss favorite stories from childhood, and what makes for an unforgettable tale that stays with us for a lifetime. We will explore how to craft characters, themes, storylines, and develop style all by digging into your vision. Join us as we learn what it takes to weave our ideas into a beloved children’s book!
Lauren Kalstad is a poet, essayist, and author of the children’s book, To the Stars in Bumper Cars. Her poetry and essays have appeared or are forthcoming in Querencia Press, Thimble Literary Magazine, The Orchards Poetry Journal, and World Literature Today. Recently, she was a semifinalist for the Crab Creek Review Poetry Prize. She received her MFA from New York University and currently teaches at the University of North Texas. She lives in Dallas with her husband, daughter, and dog.

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Cake & Prose: Kate Khavari
2024-09-28 19:00 - 21:00 | Arts Fifth Avenue, 1628 5th Ave., Fort Worth, TX, 76104, United States
Cake & Prose is back!
Cake and Prose is a unique literary event celebrating genre fiction, local talent, and cake. The ingredients are simple:
Three stories. An author shares three stories — read by three different actors. These stories could be any genre. They could be short stories or excerpts of a longer work.
Three songs. A musical performance by a guest artist adds another layer to this night of entertainment. Themes can emerge between the stories and songs.
One cake. During the intermission, there is cake. Really good cake from a local bakery.
Mix together and enjoy!
This month, come hear the work of Kate Khavari, author of A Botanist’s Guide To Society & Secrets – a Saffron Everleigh mystery, performed by Katelyn Barr, Jenn Emerson, and Jacob Trevino, with musical guest Joe Rogers.

KATE KHAVARI (AUTHOR)
Kate Khavari is the author of fiction ranging from historical mysteries to high fantasy epics. She has her parents to thank for her fascination for historical mysteries, as she spent the majority of her childhood memorizing Sherlock Holmes’s and Poirot’s greatest quips. She lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas with her husband, two children, and a lovely garden that contains absolutely no poisonous plants.

JOE ROGERS (MUSICAL GUEST)
Joe Rogers is a native Fort Worth pianist and composer. He has master’s degree in music composition from the University of North Texas. A prolific composer, his work includes both jazz and musical theatre. Currently the resident composer at Hip Pocket Theater, he was music director and composer at Jubilee Theatre for 20 years. He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Tarrant County Live Theater League, and keeps up a busy schedule of jazz performances in Fort Worth and Dallas, including a recent concert of his original music with the Fort Worth Civic Orchestra. He has been an important part of Arts 5th Avenue with Gracey Tune since its inception in 2001.

KATELYN BARR
Katelyn Barr is a voice and stage actor local to Dallas. Some of her favorite anime voiceover credits include Mina Ashiro in Kaiju No. 8, Himeno in Chainsaw Man, and Ryukyu in My Hero Academia. In theatre, she has been seen in Luckenbooth Theatre’s Little Women (Marmee), Imprint Theatreworks’s The Doll (Alma), and as a member of the Folding Chairs Comedy Troupe. Katelyn is thrilled and grateful to be participating in her first Cake & Prose event!

JENN EMERSON
A sometime actor, sometime writer, sometime corporate drone, and full time weirdo, Jenn is super happy to be back reading for Cake and Prose. She’s looking forward to eating your words.

JACOB TREVINO
Jacob Trevino graduated from Texas Christian University with a BFA in Theatre with Emphasis in Acting in 2019. A DFW Native, Jacob works in Higher Education at Southern Methodist University. Jacob loves reading stories, playing board games, tabletop role-playing games, and supporting the arts. Jacob resides in Arlington, Texas with his Wife and Dog.

About A Botanist’s Guide To Society & Secrets
London, 1923. Returning from Paris, botanical researcher Saffron Everleigh finds that her former love interest Alexander Ashton’s brother, Adrian, is being investigated for murder. A Russian scientist working for the English government has been poisoned, and expired in Adrian’s train compartment. Alexander asks Saffron to put in a good word for Adrian with Inspector Green. Despite her unresolved feelings for Alexander, Saffron begins to unravel mysteries surrounding the dead scientist.

As if a murder case weren’t enough, her best friend Elizabeth’s war-hero brother, Nick, arrives in town and takes an immediate interest in Saffron. Saffron learns Alexander has been keeping secrets from her, including a connection to Nick, who Saffron and Elizabeth begin to suspect is more than he seems.
When another scientist is found dead, Saffron agrees to go undercover at the government laboratory. Risking her career and her safety, she learns there are many more interested parties and dangerous secrets to uncover than she’d realized. But some secrets, Saffron will find, are better left undiscovered.

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Lyceum Series: Anthony Gabriel – Accessing And Assessing The Abstract: A Poetry Workshop
2024-09-21 10:00 - 12:00 | The Writer’s Garret, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Welcome to the lyceum.
These free, monthly workshops are held on the third Saturday of the month, and offer writers of every genre and skill level an opportunity to learn, experiment and develop their craft. We hope you’ll join us!
Poetry is a medium that relies on abstraction and dealing with abstract conceptions such as emotions and feeling, ideas, beliefs and concepts. Though poetry can and does rely on the concrete, it is rooted in places and spaces of introspection and reflection. In this workshop, participants will read and analyze examples of poetic abstraction, then apply these concepts in composition.
Check out the syllabus
Anthony Gabriel is a poet who received his MFA at New Mexico State University, where he also served as the poetry editor of the literary magazine Puerto Del Sol. He currently lives in Denton, Texas with his wife and two kids and is pursuing his Ph.D. at the University of North Texas. His work can be found in The Red Rock Review, Beaver Mag, Swamp Ape Review and The Shore, among others.

Lyceum Series – Janelle Gray – Ready, Set... Dialogue: Writing For The Stage
2024-08-17 10:00 - 12:00 | The Writer’s Garret, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Welcome to the lyceum.
These free, monthly workshops are held on the third Saturday of the month, and offer writers of every genre and skill level an opportunity to learn, experiment and develop their craft. We hope you’ll join us!
This two-hour workshop will explore the differences between screenwriting and playwriting in order to capitalize on tools that make a strong script for the stage. The class uses scripts that demonstrate how to create and develop setting through character and dialogue. Participants will learn to identify characteristics about their protagonist and setting that will help them develop authentic dialogue that makes a script stand out.
Check out the syllabus
Janelle Gray is a creative, scholar, and instructor from Dallas, Texas. Her portfolio consists of four books, an album, plays, short films, multiple TV series, and feature films. Gray holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Spanish from Stephen F. Austin and a Master of Liberal Arts in Creative Writing and Literature from Harvard University Extension School and is a doctoral candidate at The University of Texas at Dallas. Gray is a produced playwright whose interdisciplinary methodology explores the connections between creative works, history, and actions toward equity in creative and academic spaces.

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Lyceum Series - Hannah Smith - No Place Like Home: Poetry Of Place
2024-07-20 10:00 - 12:00 | The Writer’s Garret, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Welcome to the lyceum.
These free, monthly workshops are held on the third Saturday of the month, and offer writers of every genre and skill level an opportunity to learn, experiment and develop their craft. We hope you’ll join us!

A poem is a gesture toward home.
-Jericho Brown
As Brown suggests in his poem “Duplex,” the act of writing poetry can allow us to reach towards a sense of self & belonging. In this course, we will consider the relationship between place and home. We’ll look towards the material world around us, the people in our lives, our communities, nature, and systems of obstruction & oppression as avenues through which to interpret the concept of “home.” We will discuss a selection of poems interpreting “home” in different ways, and the course will end with a generative writing exercise.
Check out the syllabus
Hannah Smith is originally from Dallas, where she now works for Southwest Review. She was a 2023 National Poetry Series Finalist and Jake Adam York Semifinalist, and her poems have been published in Best New Poets, Gulf Coast, Ninth Letter, Image, and elsewhere. She received an MFA from the Ohio State University, where she served as the Managing Editor for The Journal. Her collaborative chapbook, Metal House of Cards, is forthcoming from Finishing Line Press.

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Lyceum Series: Bahar Momeni - The Graphic Novel Experience: From Concept To Creation
2024-06-15 10:00 - 12:00 | The Writer’s Garret, 215 S. Tyler St., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Welcome to the lyceum.
These free, monthly workshops are held on the third Saturday of the month, and offer writers of every genre and skill level an opportunity to learn, experiment and develop their craft. We hope you’ll join us!
The Graphic Novel Experience: From Concept to Creation will explore the dynamic world of graphic novels. Participants will explore the art and narrative techniques unique to this medium. Throughout the course, participants will analyze and discuss seminal works, including “Maus” by Art Spiegelman and “Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi. Participants can also create their own graphic novel concepts, focusing on character development, visual storytelling, and thematic depth. At the end of the course, learners will present their main storyline and portagonist and receive peer feedback, enabling a collaborative and creative learning environment.
Click here for syllabus

Bahar Momeni is an Iranian-American award-winning writer, poet, translator, and human rights activist. She’s working toward her Ph.D. in Literature at UT Dallas, where she teaches creative writing and literature.
She has published works in both Farsi and English. Her writings explore themes of women’s resilience and everyday resistance, contributing to ongoing conversations in modern literature. In 2023, Bahar received the “Outstanding Emerging BIPOC Creator Award” from UT Austin, highlighting her impact as a BIPOC creator. She also receives the “2024 Future Art Writers Award” from MOZAIK Philanthropy and San Francisco State University. Currently engrossed in her debut semi-autobiographical graphic novel, The Trees We Carry, Bahar aims to extend her discourse on identity, displacement, and resistance.

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The Common Language Project: Ascent - Reading
2024-05-19 19:00 - 20:00 | Turner House, 401 N Rosemont Ave., Dallas, TX, 75208, United States
Sunday, May 19th | 7pm
Free | RSVP Required
Born of a desire to bring the many members of the North Texas poetry community into conversation with each other, The Common Language Project places participants in the same room and turns them loose to dream. We hope you’ll join us for a reading of some of the poems from the anthology at the beautiful Turner House in Oak Cliff to officially close out this year’s Dallas Is Lit!
This year, we invite you to the ascent. Harrowing or halcyon, up the stairs or to the stars, scaling a mountain or soaring in your soul, humans have sought to rise, physically and metaphorically, since we first drew breath. Float into new levels of consciousness, climb a pyramid, or rocket beyond the safety of the atmosphere, then share your journey with us–the risks you brave, the horizons you’ve crossed, the view as it’s unfolding before you.
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29th Anniversary Celebration
2024-05-19 17:30 - 19:00
Help us celebrate twenty-nine years of connecting people through the power of language with a reception and gorgeous charcuterie spread from Grazing Dallas in the beautiful Turner House.
Presented by the R. L. & Phyllis Glazer Foundation.

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