Steven Dunn, (a.k.a Pothole, cuz he’s deep in these streets), is a Whiting Award winner who was shortlisted for Granta Magazine’s Best of Young American Novelists. He’s the author of three novels: Potted Meat (Tarpaulin Sky, 2016), water & power (Tarpaulin Sky, 2018), and Tannery Bay (FC2/University of Alabama Press, 2024), which is co-authored with his homie Katie Jean Shinkle.
What’s the best writing advice you ever received?
Selah Saterstrom told me to “tithe to the writing community in whatever ways you can.”
How have you found writing community among Colorado creatives?
So many of the various writing communities have welcomed and supported me, especially the FBOMB reading series, the Don’t Yell at Me series in Longmont, Lighthouse Writers Workshop, and the Jaipur Lit Fest in Boulder. I grew into being a writer in Denver, even though I’m not from here, but I’ve lived here for 20 years.
What do you love about living in Colorado?
Every day I say to myself, “Maaan, look at the mountains today!” I also love being Black here and being a Black artist here, because I don’t feel any pressure to be a certain type of Black person/artist. I can do what I do and other Black people will support and encourage that. It’s nice.
What is inspiring what you are currently working on?
Play and collaboration is inspiring me right now. I’m pulling a lot from playing with my friends when I was a kid, because I’m writing a book about the rapper Nas’s music, and I’m writing chapters with family and friends I’ve known since kindergarten. I’m even writing chapters with my 11-year-old niece.
What will you be reading at the event and what is meaningful about this selection?
Imma be reading a section from the book about Nas. I took a trip as an adult because my childself wanted to go on this trip. I do some frivolous shit for my childself.
Below you can watch Steven’s TEDxMileHigh talk called “The secret to a happier life? Look for moments of softness” and an interview with a BookTuber named Carly Stevens!
Reading Den 
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