Shirlette is a Mt. Olive native and 2008 Cave Canem Fellow. Her most recent collection of poetry, Matching Skin featuring The John Anonymous EP was published by Carolina Wren Press in 2008. Her first collection entitled Stumphole: Aunthology of Backwoods Blood was published by Big Drum Press in 2002. Her work has appeared in The Ringing Ear: Black Poets Lean South, The Asheville Review and The Journal of the Academy of American Poets amongst other publications. She has received a John Hope Franklin Grant for Documentary Studies, The Ebony Harlem Award for Literary Achievement, as well as Emerging Artist Grants from the Durham Arts Council and the United Arts Council.