St. Mark's Literary Festival
About the Lit Fest
This student-planned and student-led festival happens in late January. A variety of writers, including novelists, journalists, songwriters, screenwriters and poets, spend two days at St. Mark’s, speaking to classes and engaging in a panel discussion. The visiting writers also judge a writing contest and provide feedback to the winning students.
Writer's Forum with R. F. Kuang
Friday, January 17, 2025
7:30-9:00 p.m.
Science Lecture Hall
Join R.F. Kuang and moderator David Brown, Director of the St. Mark’s Literary Festival, as they discuss the writer’s fiction, exploring such themes as imperialism, cultural identity, social media, and the publishing world.
Admission is free and open to the public. To reserve your seat, simply email SMLitFest@smtexas.org and include the names of those wishing to attend the Writer’s Forum.
7:30-9:00 p.m.
Science Lecture Hall
Join R.F. Kuang and moderator David Brown, Director of the St. Mark’s Literary Festival, as they discuss the writer’s fiction, exploring such themes as imperialism, cultural identity, social media, and the publishing world.
Admission is free and open to the public. To reserve your seat, simply email SMLitFest@smtexas.org and include the names of those wishing to attend the Writer’s Forum.
Past Guests (since 2013)
2025
R. F. Kuang ~ Bestselling novelist (Brent P. Johnson ’89 Guest Writer)
John Allman ~ Children’s writer
Arnie Holtberg ~ Young adult fiction author, former St. Mark's Headmaster
Rachel Kann ~ Poet
Max Marshall ’12 ~ Journalist and author
2024
Michael Chabon ~ Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and screenwriter (Brent P. Johnson ’89 Guest Writer)
Sara Hickman ~ Singer-songwriter
Jason Hinojosa ’99 ~ Author and novelist, English Department Chair at Sacramento Country Day School
Elisabeth Kincaid, Ph.D. ~ Theologian and essayist
2023
Rebecca Makkai ~ Pulitzer Prize-finalist novelist (Brent P. Johnson ’89 Guest Writer)
Josephine Decker ~ Screenwriter and filmmaker
Martín Espada ~ National Book Award-winning poet
Ben Mercer ’03 ~ Senior Editor, Criterion Collection
2022
Rhoda Janzen ~ New York Times bestselling memoirist (Brent P. Johnson ’89 Guest Writer)
Josh Harkinson ’95 ~ Investigative journalist
Sam Kean ~ New York Times bestselling non-fiction author
Christopher Boucher ~ Novelist and professor of literature
Sherrie Zantea ~ CEO, Dallas Poetry Slam Organization
2021
Masi Asare ~ Composer, Playwright, and Performance scholar
Lauren Groff ~ Novelist, 2021 Brent P. Johnson ’89 Writer
Bob Hass ~ Poet and Literary Critic
Rhett Miller ’89 ~ Singer/songwriter and Poet
Calvin Watkins ~ Sports Reporter, The Dallas Morning News
2020
Sandra Cisneros ~ Novelist and poet (The House on Mango Street)
Frederick Turner ~ Poet
Dawn Davies ~ Memoirist
Sharan Shetty ’09 ~ Associate Editor, The New Yorker
2019
Karl Marlantes ~ Author (Matterhorn)
Kimberly Willis Holt ~ Author (When Zachary Beaver Came to Town)
Amanda Petrusich ~ Journalist and Author
Joaquin Zihuatanejo ~ Poet
Montgomery Sutton ’05 ~ Playwright and Stage Actor
2018
Stacy Clark ~ Children’s author
Billy Crockett ~ Singer-songwriter
Evan Daugherty ’00 ~ Film screenwriter (Divergent, Snow White and the Hunstman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
Tony Earley ~ Fiction writer, essayist, and Vanderbilt University professor
Dana Goodyear ~ Poet, University of Southern California professor, and staff writer for The New Yorker
Mike Wilson ~ Editor of The Dallas Morning News
2017
Taylor Mali ~ Four-time National Poetry Slam champion
Tobias Wolff ~ Bestselling author of This Boy’s Life and Old School
Jake McAuley ’08 ~ France-based reporter for The Washington Post and founder of the St. Mark’s Literary Festival
Eliza Griswold ~ Poet and award-winning investigative journalist
Dianna Hutts Aston ~ Award-winning children’s author and illustrator
2016
Ana Castillo ~ Chicana Novelist, Poet, and Playwright
Kurt Eichenwald ’79 ~ Bestselling Investigative Journalist
Lisa Loeb ~ Grammy-nominated Singer-Songwriter
Hampton Sides ~ Bestselling Narrative Nonfiction Author
Graeme Wood ’97 ~ Journalist and The Atlantic Contributing Editor
2015
Blake Bailey ~ Biographer
Ed Mabrey ~ Poet
Ann Napolitano ~ Novelist
Annu Subramanian ~ Human-rights Advocate and Novelist
Robert Zorn ’75 ~ Non-Fiction Author
2014
Ron Koertge ~ Young Adult Novelist and Poet
Jill Sobule ~ Acclaimed Singer-Songwriter
Jim Holt ~ Mathematician and Nonfiction Contributor to The New Yorker
Lev Grossman ~ Author of The Magicians and TIME Magazine writer
Evan Daugherty ’00 ~ Film screenwriter (Divergent, Snow White and the Hunstman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
2013
Billy Collins ~ Former U.S. Poet Laureate
Curtis Sittenfeld ~ Novelist
Marion Winik ~ Author and NPR commentaror
Sid Balman ’76 ~ Journalist and Author
R. F. Kuang ~ Bestselling novelist (Brent P. Johnson ’89 Guest Writer)
John Allman ~ Children’s writer
Arnie Holtberg ~ Young adult fiction author, former St. Mark's Headmaster
Rachel Kann ~ Poet
Max Marshall ’12 ~ Journalist and author
2024
Michael Chabon ~ Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and screenwriter (Brent P. Johnson ’89 Guest Writer)
Sara Hickman ~ Singer-songwriter
Jason Hinojosa ’99 ~ Author and novelist, English Department Chair at Sacramento Country Day School
Elisabeth Kincaid, Ph.D. ~ Theologian and essayist
2023
Rebecca Makkai ~ Pulitzer Prize-finalist novelist (Brent P. Johnson ’89 Guest Writer)
Josephine Decker ~ Screenwriter and filmmaker
Martín Espada ~ National Book Award-winning poet
Ben Mercer ’03 ~ Senior Editor, Criterion Collection
2022
Rhoda Janzen ~ New York Times bestselling memoirist (Brent P. Johnson ’89 Guest Writer)
Josh Harkinson ’95 ~ Investigative journalist
Sam Kean ~ New York Times bestselling non-fiction author
Christopher Boucher ~ Novelist and professor of literature
Sherrie Zantea ~ CEO, Dallas Poetry Slam Organization
2021
Masi Asare ~ Composer, Playwright, and Performance scholar
Lauren Groff ~ Novelist, 2021 Brent P. Johnson ’89 Writer
Bob Hass ~ Poet and Literary Critic
Rhett Miller ’89 ~ Singer/songwriter and Poet
Calvin Watkins ~ Sports Reporter, The Dallas Morning News
2020
Sandra Cisneros ~ Novelist and poet (The House on Mango Street)
Frederick Turner ~ Poet
Dawn Davies ~ Memoirist
Sharan Shetty ’09 ~ Associate Editor, The New Yorker
2019
Karl Marlantes ~ Author (Matterhorn)
Kimberly Willis Holt ~ Author (When Zachary Beaver Came to Town)
Amanda Petrusich ~ Journalist and Author
Joaquin Zihuatanejo ~ Poet
Montgomery Sutton ’05 ~ Playwright and Stage Actor
2018
Stacy Clark ~ Children’s author
Billy Crockett ~ Singer-songwriter
Evan Daugherty ’00 ~ Film screenwriter (Divergent, Snow White and the Hunstman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
Tony Earley ~ Fiction writer, essayist, and Vanderbilt University professor
Dana Goodyear ~ Poet, University of Southern California professor, and staff writer for The New Yorker
Mike Wilson ~ Editor of The Dallas Morning News
2017
Taylor Mali ~ Four-time National Poetry Slam champion
Tobias Wolff ~ Bestselling author of This Boy’s Life and Old School
Jake McAuley ’08 ~ France-based reporter for The Washington Post and founder of the St. Mark’s Literary Festival
Eliza Griswold ~ Poet and award-winning investigative journalist
Dianna Hutts Aston ~ Award-winning children’s author and illustrator
2016
Ana Castillo ~ Chicana Novelist, Poet, and Playwright
Kurt Eichenwald ’79 ~ Bestselling Investigative Journalist
Lisa Loeb ~ Grammy-nominated Singer-Songwriter
Hampton Sides ~ Bestselling Narrative Nonfiction Author
Graeme Wood ’97 ~ Journalist and The Atlantic Contributing Editor
2015
Blake Bailey ~ Biographer
Ed Mabrey ~ Poet
Ann Napolitano ~ Novelist
Annu Subramanian ~ Human-rights Advocate and Novelist
Robert Zorn ’75 ~ Non-Fiction Author
2014
Ron Koertge ~ Young Adult Novelist and Poet
Jill Sobule ~ Acclaimed Singer-Songwriter
Jim Holt ~ Mathematician and Nonfiction Contributor to The New Yorker
Lev Grossman ~ Author of The Magicians and TIME Magazine writer
Evan Daugherty ’00 ~ Film screenwriter (Divergent, Snow White and the Hunstman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
2013
Billy Collins ~ Former U.S. Poet Laureate
Curtis Sittenfeld ~ Novelist
Marion Winik ~ Author and NPR commentaror
Sid Balman ’76 ~ Journalist and Author
Literary Festival Writer's Forum (2024)
St. Mark’s School of Texas
10600 Preston Road
Dallas, Texas 75230
214-346-8000
Dallas, Texas 75230
214-346-8000
About Us
St. Mark’s School of Texas is a private, nonsectarian college-preparatory boys’ day school for students in grades 1 through 12, located in Dallas, Texas. St. Mark’s aims to prepare young men to assume leadership and responsibility in a competitive and changing world.
St. Mark’s does not discriminate in the administration of its admission and education policies on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.
St. Mark’s does not discriminate in the administration of its admission and education policies on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.
