Audio By Carbonatix
Phoenix is brimming with creativity. And every other year, we put the spotlight on 100 of the city’s creative forces. Leading up to the release of this year’s Best of Phoenix issue, we’re profiling 100 more. Welcome to the 2014 edition of 100 Creatives. Up today: 1. James Sallis.
Though James Sallis is a writer of carefully chosen words, he’s also a man of many creative endeavors.
The Phoenix-based crime writer is well known for his novella Drive, which was adapted into the 2011 Ryan Gosling-starring action film, and his series of New Orleans-set Lew Griffin novels. But the 69-year-old Arkansas-born Tulane graduate also writes poetry, has reviewed books for The Washington Post and L.A. Times, has translated poetry from French (among other languages), is a musician (his band is called Three-Legged Dog), and teaches writing classes at Phoenix College.
See also: Lisa R. Chow of Arizona Dance Coalition: 100 Creatives
Sallis’ latest book, 2013’s Others of My Kind, was recently released in paperback. His spare, insightful prose details the life of a woman who was abducted as a child and revisits her trauma when she’s asked to help another young woman whose had a similar experience.
What’s next for Sallis? We’re hoping for more of the same.
I came to Phoenix with dozens of boxes of books, no money, and (from New Orleans) a half-drowned car.
I make art because without it my life is a circle with no center.
I’m most productive when I have four projects coming due.
My inspiration wall is full of — like everything else in the house — books and musical instruments.
I’ve learned most from (as a critical-care respiratory therapist) being for years around the gravely ill and dying.
Good work should always lead to more.
The Phoenix creative scene could use less sequestration and more interplay — novelists and writers of every sort, poets, musicians, painters and sculptors all hanging out together.
See the 2014 edition of 100 Creatives:
100. Bill Dambrova
99. Niki Blaker
98. Jeff Slim
97. Beth May
96. Doug Bell
95. Daniel Langhans
94. Nanibaa Beck
93. Nicole Royse
92. Ib Andersen
91. Casandra Hernandez
90. Chris Reed
89. Shelby Maticic
88. Olivia Timmons
87. Courtney Price
86. Travis Mills
85. Catrina Kahler
84. Angel Castro
83. Cole Reed
82. Lisa Albinger
81. Larry Madrigal
80. Julieta Felix
79. Lauren Strohacker
78. Levi Christiansen
77. Thomas Porter
76. Carrie Leigh Hobson
75. Cody Carpenter
74. Jon Jenkins
73. Aurelie Flores
72. Michelle Ponce
71. Devin Fleenor
70. Noelle Martinez
69. Bucky Miller
68. Liliana Gomez
67. Jake Friedman
66. Clarita Lulić
65. Randy Murray
64. Mo Neuharth
63. Jeremy Hamman
62. La Muñeca
61. Kevin Goldman
60. Emily Costello
59. Kerstin Dale
58. Vara Ayanna
57. Nathaniel Lewis
56. Ruben Gonzales
55. Lisa Poje
54. Bobby Zokaites
53. Frances Smith Cohen
52. Julie Rada
51. David Miller
50. Xanthia Walker
49. Kyllan Maney
48. Cary Truelick
47. Constance McBride
46. James D. Porter
45. Allyson Boggess
44. Abigail Lynch
43. Ashley Cooper
42. Jaclyn Roessel
41. Brandon Boetto
40. Melissa Dunmore
39. Gavin Sisson
38. Rossitza Todorova
37. Monica Robles
36. Josh Kirby
35. Jesse Perry
34. Yai Cecream
33. Nathan Blackwell
32. Carley Conder
31. Ben Willis
30. Nicole Michieli
29. Brian Cresson
28. Tyson Krank
27. Mikey Estes
26. Anwar Newton
25. Sarah “Saza” Dimmick
24. Tato Caraveo
23. Jorge Torres
22. Laura Spalding Best
21. Shawnte Orion
20. Mike Olbinski
19. Christina You-Sun Park
18. Jon Arvizu
17. Anya Melkozernova
16. J.B. Snyder
15. Damon Dering
14. Rebekah Cancino
13. Liz Warren
12. Timothy Brennan
11. Mimi Jardine
10. Rosalind Shipley
9. Nic Wiesinger
8. Kendra Sollars
7. Dan Hull
6. Elizabeth Maria Naranjo
5. Cody Nathaniel Johnson
4. Amy Radcliffe
3. Plastic Monsters
2. Lisa R. Chow
Follow Jackalope Ranch on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
