On the Road or The Dharma Bums? Terry, a self-proclaimed “literary enthusiast,” was eager to help. He listened intently to the customer’s thoughts, asking probing questions to understand his preferences.
* Joyce Meskis, founder of Tattered Cover Book Store, played a crucial role in shaping Denver’s literary identity. * Meskis was a passionate advocate for the First Amendment and the freedom of expression. * Her bookstore became a hub for writers, readers, and thinkers, fostering a vibrant literary community. * Meskis’s legacy continues to inspire and shape Denver’s literary landscape.
These events highlight the power of storytelling and the importance of community engagement in fostering creativity. The Lighthouse Writers Workshop, a renowned organization dedicated to nurturing aspiring writers, will host its annual gala, Illumination, on September 19th. This event is a celebration of the craft of writing and a platform for emerging writers to showcase their work.
On the other hand, Canada-born Vauhini Vara — her “Immortal King Rao” was a Pulitzer Prize finalist — makes her home in Colorado; she teaches at Colorado State University. Peter Heller, author of the bestselling novel “Dog Stars,” lives in town. His most recent novel, “Burn,” was published last month. It’s not just an uptick in local luminaries or the parade of authors in and out of the city that suggest a sea change. It’s the cumulative effect of people rethinking how literature works in their lives. “Booksellers all over the state are more and more becoming community centers,” said Eastburn. “Where there’s writing instruction, places where there are book clubs and places where mothers can gather and let their kids go over to the children’s section and all kinds of things that they do.”
The city’s vibrant arts scene, coupled with its welcoming atmosphere, makes it an ideal location for artists to thrive. The city’s commitment to arts education and its diverse population contribute to its unique artistic identity. The city’s commitment to arts education is evident in its numerous public schools and community centers that offer art classes and workshops.
“To many who participate in Denver’s literary scene, I think the result is a feeling of freedom — to take risks in their writing, to embrace their feelings of struggle (Michael Cunningham called it, memorably, that “writerly feeling of ineptitude”), to get it right, Dupree stated. “I’ve seen so many writers find their support teams here, and so many of those teams cross generations, race, gender and walk of life.” Among the workshops, gatherings and retreats (the Writing in Color Retreat and the Queer Creatives Retreat), the organization offers its lauded Hard Times program, which provides space to writers experiencing — or who have experienced — homelessness, addiction, poverty or other challenges.
The event is a gala celebrating the work of the renowned author, Cheryl Strayed. The gala will be held at the Lighthouse Writers Workshop in Denver, Colorado. Tickets are selling well, and there will be a streaming option for those who cannot attend in person.
Word: A Storytelling Sanctuary is dedicated to promoting literacy and fostering a love for reading among children and adults. The Margins Book Festival is a yearly event that brings together authors, publishers, and readers from across the state of Colorado and beyond. The festival is known for its diverse range of genres, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and children’s literature.
The other bookish hub, The Bookworm, is a bit more of a traditional bookstore, with a focus on new releases and popular titles. The Bookworm is known for its friendly staff and its cozy atmosphere. Both bookstores, however, share a common thread: they are both dedicated to the love of reading and the joy of discovery.
The bookstore is adjacent to MATTER’s design studio, where graphics and printmaking whiz Griffith plies his craft and teaches others to do the same. The Shop has room for gatherings, screenings, readings and more. This Saturday, it will host the monthly installment of the Silent Book Club. Think of it as a foxy reading room with very cool people who zip in and read in what the founders of the global gathering call “companionable silence.” The Shop at MATTER, 2114 Market St. shopatmatter.com Reading Den One of the coolest watering holes in town — pour me another one of those Kinda Tropicals, why don’tcha? — the woman-owned Fort Greene bar on 45th Avenue in Globeville plays host to a reading series that has its own burgeoning identity as wonderfully hip. The brainchild of Adam Vitcavage and Sarah Ann Noe, Reading Den’s next installment (Sept. 25) mixes a potent cocktail of local and visiting writers: Stefanie Kirby, Danny Goodman, O.O. Sangoyomi, Johnny Redway and Isabella Welch. The Reading Den at Fort Greene, 321 E. 45th Ave. fortgreenbar.com
Rocky Mountain Reader Kathryn Eastburn modeled the new literary hub on Chapter 16, an online lit journal created in 2009 by the essayist Margaret Renkl (Reese Witherspoon’s beloved high-school teacher) and supported by Tennessee Humanities. Chapter 16’s tagline — “A Community for Writers, Readers & Passersby” — captures the expansive spirit of building camaraderie between those who write and those who read, and those who are sometimes one in the same. “I just think what they’re doing makes sense,” said Eastburn, who lives in Colorado Springs. “They provide a hub for the whole state. And, you know, as media has become so fragmented and literary arts coverage is siloed, each organization has its own thing. It seemed like it was a good idea to bring together readers and writers, book lovers, in general, and publishers all together in one place.”
For her own, statewide site, which launched Sept. 1, Eastburn wants “people to know who’s out there and what they’re doing.” And this isn’t just an invitation for city dwellers. “I want rural readers to know what’s going on, whatever population center is nearest them. There’s fascinating stuff going on all over the state, but people in Greeley don’t know what people in Durango are doing.” rockymountainreader.org Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, In The Know, to get entertainment news sent straight to your inbox.
