Best Denton Writers of 2016

While Denton as a whole is constantly remembered for its output in the musical and fine arts categories, we shouldn’t write off those who tell stories. These word weavers bring to life struggles and triumphs through fiction, poetry, and prose. 

Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam

Stufflebeam’s production volume alone is astounding. In about 5 years, she has had over 50 short stories published, and even more poetry, and is currently submitting a novel along with her agent. Recently, she and her partner Peter Brewer collaborated on “Strange Monsters.” In the album, her words on women who have to sacrifice and deal with abuse in all its forms to dedicate themselves and advance in their art are set to reflective and, at times, chilling music. Her dedication to mythical fiction and the avant-garde makes for beautiful reading, and her socially fitting commentary drives a message home beyond the fantastical.

Sample of work: The Stink of Horses (text transcript)

Courtney Marie

Spiderweb Salon co-founder, copywriter about town, co-host of Dallas’s Pegasus Reading Series, and host of the Salon’s podcast, Marie lives and breathes writing every day. Her writing is very ballad-like, odes reflecting on the many troubled lives involved in each piece. Marie sees her writing as a springboard to a more involved performance, and she generally previews her pieces alongside dance and music, in zines, and in art installations. 

Sample of work: {What Happens Next} and {This is How You Get Ants}

Isabel Crespo

Being a multi-talented singer, composer, and percussionist certainly lends a palpable musicality to Crespo’s writings. Her writing tends to be a reflection of events she witnesses, either directly or as a passerby. Her poetry is succinct, yet packs a punch; her imagery shows a depth of insight into the world she inhabits. Crespo is a vocalist and composer in four different projects currently, lending her upbringing and education to these four different permutations of jazz and classical music blends. 

Sample of work: Help

Joe Carr

Carr is a student of the humanities, delving into theology and philosophy and making them ever-present in his writing. His writing looks at what he knows and his struggles with what he does not, and maybe cannot, know — read “Genealogy of a Southern Boy” to see a perfect blend. His looks into mythology are a delight to read, as he shows a rooted understanding of these legends, and finds their common ground and morals applied to modern day people and tribulations.

Sample of work: Consider Icarus

Header image design by Mateo Granados