St. Mark's Literary Festival
This student-planned and student-led festival invites a panel of noted writers to campus each year. The guests, including novelists, journalists, songwriters, screenwriters, and poets, spend time at St. Mark’s speaking to classes and engaging in a panel discussion. Students are also invited to submit their poetry and prose to a writing contest, with the winners in three categories published in The Marque, the School's literary magazine.
Fall 2025 Literary Festival Guests
| Andy Weir (Brent P. Johnson ’89 Guest Writer), a former software engineer turned bestselling author, is known for The Martian, Artemis, and Project Hail Mary. A lifelong space enthusiast, he has won the John W. Campbell Award, was a Hugo finalist, and continues to explore physics and spaceflight history from his home in California. The film adaptation of Project Hail Mary, starring Ryan Gosling, is set to premiere in March 2026. |
 |
| Gopal Raman ’17 is an investor at South Park Commons and a graduate of St. Mark’s and Stanford. A published writer and former National Student Poet, he taught writing across the U.S. and served as student director of the St. Mark's Literary Festival before turning to startups. |
 |
| Angela Gulner is a Dallas-based award-winning screenwriter, director, and co-founder of Wicked Myth Films, known for her feature The Beldham and viral series BINGE. A Harvard A.R.T Institute graduate, her work spans Lifetime, Hallmark, and major festivals, with upcoming adaptations including The Oresteia and Kaet Might Die. |
 |
| Candace Fleming is the acclaimed author of more than fifty children’s and YA books, including Honeybee and The Enigma Girls. Her many honors include the Sibert Medal, YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award, Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Horn Book Award, and Sibert Honor. |
 |
| Joshua Davis is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and educator who blends folk, rock, and soul. He is the Director of Popular Music at Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan and co-founded the arts education organization On Stage 4 Kids. Joshua gained national attention as a finalist on NBC's The Voice (season eight) and has released eight albums. |  |
Writer's Forum with Andy Weir
Thursday, Nov. 13
7:30-9:00 p.m.
Decherd Performance Hall
Join Mr. Weir and moderator David Brown, Director of the St. Mark’s Literary Festival, as they discuss the writer’s fiction, exploring such themes as science fiction, space travel, and the power of perseverance despite overwhelming odds.
Admission is free and open to the public. Registration will open here in early November.
7:30-9:00 p.m.
Decherd Performance Hall
Join Mr. Weir and moderator David Brown, Director of the St. Mark’s Literary Festival, as they discuss the writer’s fiction, exploring such themes as science fiction, space travel, and the power of perseverance despite overwhelming odds.
Admission is free and open to the public. Registration will open here in early November.
Writer's Forum with R. F. Kuang
Recorded January 2025
Past Guests (since 2013)
2025 (Spring)
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
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.
