Creative Writing Commons^™

Artificial Magic, Tawny Ventura

Senior Theses

This novella by Tawny Ventury emerged from a short story written for a creative writing course on speculative fiction.

Who Is Neil Wells?, Colin Anderson

Senior Theses

This creative writing thesis takes the form of a mystery novel by Colin Anderson.

The Butte, Natasha Bailey

Senior Theses

The Butte is a collection of short stories about a small town in the Pacific Northwest. In these short stories I explore idealistic small-town culture and blend it with the Pacific Northwest’s own (modern) paranormal mythology. This medley of different genre aspects in my stories makes The Butte difficult to label, but ultimately, my goal while writing was to explore various styles and points of view.

The nine stories set in The Butte shift styles on a variety of levels from character switching, point of view (1^st person, 3^rd person, and omniscient), and formatting (structure and linguistics). These …

Things That Happened, Christian Chase

Senior Theses

This creative writing thesis contains a collection of short stories by Christian Chase.

• A Whole Lot of Nothing
• Grand Artistic Vision
• Architecture
• Hanging Around
• Silent Life
• A Special Dread
• Snowbound

Nature's Paths, Chloe Switzer

Senior Theses

This creative writing thesis contains a lyric essay, short story, and poetry by Chloe Switzer.

• Love of Place
• Lost in Venice
• The Willow's

Behind The Lines, Idalis Nieves

Senior Theses

This creative writing thesis contains fiction by Idalis Nieves.

The Penobskan Porcupine Panic, Quinn Riesenman

Senior Theses

This creative writing thesis takes its origins from a ten-page story written for a fiction class in the spring of 2015 and inspired by the song "Penobska Oakwalk" from the band Quilt.

"A Bastard Jargon”: Language Politics And Identity In The Brief Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao, Rachel Norman

Faculty Publications

This essay explores Junot Díaz's only full-length novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, through the theoretical lens of sociolinguistics and examines the ways in which Díaz has attempted to overcome the publishing industry's complicity in maintaining the nation's ethnocentric expectations in regards to English as the only acceptable language of publication. By introducing the work of several sociolinguists into the discussion, examining the use of African American Vernacular and “nerdish” alongside the Spanish, and reviewing Díaz’s relationship with his editors, I provide a more nuanced reading of the ubiquitous code-switching throughout Oscar Wao and suggest that beyond …

Raro, José Angel Araguz

Faculty Publications

This short story by José Angel Araguz originally appeared in Compose.

Mix Tape, Michael Davis

Senior Theses

This creative writing thesis contains short stories, a piece of memoir writing, and a screenplay by Michael Davis.

• Grey Giants
• Purple Jasmines
• The Cameraman
• Bubby Rose

Notes From The Bulls: The Unedited Journals Of Verl Newman, Joe Wilkins

Faculty Publications

This short story by Joe Wilkins originally appeared in Orion.

Being An Oreo: A Novel, Lauren Gabrielle Funtanilla

Senior Theses

The story of Sophía Annalicia Maria Martin, or Sam, as she likes to be called, is a coming of age novel. Being an Oreo focuses on the lessons Sam learns in the summer she turns thirteen. She begins her story by telling readers the story about her loud and boisterous Mexican family. She introduces readers to a colorful set of characters and their wild antics, and how she often finds herself stuck in the middle of them. The sensation of being “stuck in the middle” is a phenomenon that Sam faces throughout the book. Readers watch as she struggles to …

In The Hours Between You And Me, Amanda Mattern

Senior Theses

This creative writing thesis incorporates memoir writing and fiction by Amanda Mattern.

• Introduction
• Chapter 1: The France Chronicles
  • Obligatoire
  • Le Bus
  • [untitled]
• Chapter 2: Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, Relationships are a Bitch
  • Love Conquers All
  • "Alone" Isn't Lonely, It's Safety
  • My Bottom Line
  • The Relationship Agreement
• Chapter 3: It All Comes Down to Family
  • Preggers
  • 10500 NW Greenview Lane
  • I'll Be Loving You Always
  • The Game of LIFE
• Chapter 4: Happily Ever Afters
  • Hiding
  • Come to Our Wedding, It's in a Mausoleum
  • Perfectly Buttered Toast

Angelu Demonai, Caitlin Leigh Halvorson

Senior Theses

This project has been a long time in the making. The concept originated several years ago, and what was once just the shadow of a character has morphed into the story you see today - the makings of a graphic novel about one rock musician’s quest to discover herself, and save the worlds in the process.

Of course, you will only see a small part of the story. What is included in this thesis project is only the first volume of several (four, I expect). And while the journey is not yet completed, the ride has been thrilling so far. …