English Language and Literature Commons^™

2026 Persimmon Creek - Full Journal, Beth Keefauver, Wayne C. Robbins

Persimmon Creek

Dear Readers: Literary journals are a common component of colleges and universities spanning across many continents. As many students experience the drastic transition from childhood to independence, emotions can feel overwhelming, and life can quickly become flooded with anxiety. Writing is an outlet for many; a place humanity turns to as a form of secure therapy.

In William Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost, Berowne muses, “Never durst poet touch a pen to write until his ink were temper’d with Love’s sighs” (Act 4, Scene 3).

Without emotion, writing has no depth. The words on the page might seem eloquent, but the …

Tolkien Fanzine Dataset, 1967-2017 [Bulk 1969-1979], Robinson Ensz, Gabriel Marotto, Aidan Oakey, Ivy Stanich, Ethan Thomas

Tolkien Resources

This dataset reveals the heretofore hidden contents of fan magazines (fanzines) related to the works of J.R.R. Tolkien that were created from 1969 through the publication of Tolkien’s The Silmarillion in 1977. It supplements the earlier Tolkien Fandom Review by S. Gary Hunnewell that discussed fanzines created through 1968. The dataset provides an item level index of the fanzines’ content and is intended to aid researchers in Fan Studies. It is accompanied by an inventory document that lists the fanzine titles and provides brief notes about some of them. Data was drawn from Marquette’s large holding of Tolkien fanzines, including …

Reading List: Introduction To Mystery And Detective Literature, Jesse Cordes Selbin

Open Syllabus Collection

The bloody knife. The telltale footprint. The courtroom confession. We all know the cliches of the detective and mystery genres, so why do they remain novel even when you know “whodunit”? This class will investigate the literary and cultural factors that make detective fiction perennially popular, from Sherlock Holmes to your favorite true crime podcast. In order to explore central questions raised by mystery novels, short stories, poems, and plays about the craft of storytelling itself, we will read bestselling authors like Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Charles Dickens, as well as lesser-known writers like …

The Good Knight, Elektra Koozer

University Honors Theses

The Good Knight is a comics adaptation of Sir Galahad's story through the lens of a queer retelling. This story focuses on queer relationships, struggling with depression and isolation, and death. It begins at the end of Galahad's life, where he is forced to question his legacy and who he is after completing the quest that has dictated his whole life. The story weaves through time, reflecting upon his past, thinking about his mother's expectations of him, being chosen for the grail quest, confronting his estranged father, and trying to cope with the world on his shoulders. He has to …

Project Wildest Dreams, Faith Bernier

Honors College Theses

“Project Wildest Dreams” is a hybrid psychological correlational study and short fiction collection based on anecdotes of vivid, frightening, or bizarre dreams. This collaboration of art and science explores the nature of dreaming, a phenomenon that has intrigued and perplexed both the humanities and the STEM fields for many years. The goal of this thesis was twofold: primarily, it was intended to utilize the outlandish, surreal, and unique feelings and images that dreams elicit in order to procure an anthology of surrealist and absurdist short stories across primarily the genres of horror, comedy, and fantasy. In addition to this, the …

A Look Through The Bluest Eye: Intersectionality, Identity & The Role Of Fiction, Sydney Foster

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Since its coinage in 1989, the idea of intersectionality has persisted academic research in understanding how a person is treated and what experiences they are subjected to, specifically those belonging to marginalized groups. My theory is that a person’s intersectionality is the vehicle which leads to their experiences, which when totaled, comprise a person’s identity. This project focuses specifically on the treatment of Black women and girls, the academic research and first-hand accounts that support the existence of the perpetual adultification, dehumanization, and sexualization of these individuals, and how these phenomena increase Black women and girls’ risk for maltreatment, specifically …

Faith And Doubt: Exploring How We Interpret The World, Amber Mccuen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This collection of four fictional short stories explores questions of belief—and practice of belief—in four separate contexts. The first story, “Little Marie,” follows a young girl who’s made her own system of belief created by correlation. The second story, “Last Days,” sees a woman return to her childhood home which has been overcome by the hoarding habits of her paranoid, fundamentalist Christian mother. The third story, “Graduation,” takes place at a divinity school graduation and explores the strength of both social influence and unspoken rules within closed groups. The final story, “Away From the Ninety and Nine,” follows a cult …

They Write Themselves: Romancing The Vampire Of Lighthouse Landing, Dezi Vaile

Masters Theses

Many fantasy creatures have dark pasts; supernatural, often disturbing, stories that have been tossed in a sauce of romance to appeal to a wider palette. While vampires are typically regarded as creations of nightmares, these creatures of the night have been no exception to this cycle. Although legends of blood suckers far predate the birth of Bram Stoker, Dracula is arguably the most enduring and important example of vampire literature. By beginning with Dracula, alongside earlier works like The Vampyre and Carmilla, we will track what has and has not changed within the genre of vampire literature. With the passage …

Satori 2026, Lupema Celis Castillo, Amity Collins, Lydia Domaille, Grace Emiliusen, Alysen Endres, Holly Foss, Jenifer Frick, Benjamin Hagen, Linda Hang, Ely Herrick, Axel Hillis, Eva Hodnick, Sarah Huderle, Dylan Jackson, Kira Kainz, Sayeeda Khan, Greta Kirsch, Reianna Larson, Jacinda Lundeen, Kendra Mcclure, Marissa Mcclure, Linda Moua, Kaylee Nickisch, Ella Page, Kari Plumley, Caleb Reed, Reagan Roesler, Sarah Schmick, Mandie Schmidt, Elizabeth Schneider, Lucy Severson, Gracia Sonderup, Emily Sowers, Celia Stern, Shelby Svien, Liz Tischler, Jackie Velishek, Allen Wedekind

Satori Literary Magazine

The Satori is a student literary publication that expresses the artistic spirit of the students of Winona State University. Student poetry, prose, and graphic art are published in the Satori every spring since 1970.

The Satori 2026 editors and creators are:

Design and Technical Editors: Elena Armstrong, Jenifer Frick, Eva Hodnick, Sarah Huderle, Linda Moua

Prose Editors: Shaela Eriksen, Linda Hang, Camden McDonald, Callie Sahlstrom

Poetry Editors: Lydia Domaille, Dylan Jackson, Reagan Roesler, Allen Wedekind

Art Editors: Kendra McClure, Jade McElmury, Charlie Lund

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Liberty Kohn

WINONA PRIZE WINNERS 2026

• Allen Wedekind (Nonfiction) -  Pleasant Transgender Man
• Mandie …

Voices Of Motherhood: A Comparative Analysis Of Feminist Commentary On Law In Margaret Atwood’S The Handmaid’S Tale And Celeste Ng’S Little Fires Everywhere, Addison Elaine Scott

Senior Theses

This South Carolina Honors College senior thesis provides a detailed comparative literary analysis of the depiction of motherhood and the legal system in two selected novels: Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale (1985) and Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere (2017). Feminist women writers have used narratives to articulate and represent marginalized experiences suppressed by systems of power. By reading these narratives, readers can emotionally connect with the perspectives shared while engaging with the underlying feminist commentary. This explores how Atwood and Ng illustrate the failure of American legal and social systems to understand or fully protect motherhood and fertility—complicating, confounding, and …

Irotas 2026 Version 1, English Department-Winona State University

Irotas

Irotas is an annual student journal of the arts created and published by Winona State University students. Irotas is a sibling journal to the Satori Student Literary Magazine. This is the Irotas created in 2026. there are three versions of the 2026 Irotas.

Editors:  Elena Armstrong, Lydia Domaille, Shaela Eriksen, Jenifer Frick, Linda Hang, Eva Hodnick, Sarah Huderle, Dylan Jackson, Charlie Lund, Kendra McClure, Camden McDonald, Jade McElmury, Linda Moua, Reagan Roesler, Callie Sahlstrom, Allen Wedekind

McClure, Grace Emiliusen, Benjamin Hagen, Brandon Tellers, Jacinda Lundeen, Lupema Celis Castillo, Kylee Binning, Caleb Reed, Anastasia Piltingsrud,  Koda Mueller, Caleb Reed, Gracia Sonderup, …

Irotas 2026 Version 2, English Department- Winona State University

Irotas

Irotas is an annual student journal of the arts created and published by Winona State University students. Irotas is a sibling journal to the Satori Student Literary Magazine. This is the Irotas created in 2026. there are three versions of the 2026 Irotas. This is a 2026 issue version 2.

Authors: Marissa McClure, Alysen Endres, Mandie Schmidt, Holly Foss, Allen Wedekind, Sarah Schmidt, Calista Escobar, Linda Moua, Jacinda Lundeen, Caleb Reed, Ella Page, Kendra McClure, Cora Waterman, Benjamin Hagen, Amity Collins, Mazin Abdel-Magid, Libby Crum, Elizabeth Tischler, Elly Herrick, Kat Beekman, Lupema Celis Castillo, Linda Hang, William Mahowald, Lydia Domale, …

Irotas 2026 Version 3, English Department-Winona State University

Irotas

Irotas is an annual student journal of the arts created and published by Winona State University students. Irotas is a sibling journal to the Satori Student Literary Magazine. This is the Irotas created in 2026. there are three versions of the 2026 Irotas. This is version 3.

Editors: Allen Wedekind, Callie Sahlstrom, Camden McDonald, Charlie Lund, Dylan Jackson, Elena Armstrong, Eva Hodnick, Jade McElmury, Jenifer Frick, Kendra McClure, Linda Hang, Linda Moua, Lydia Domaille, Reagan Roesler, Sarah Huderle, and Shaela Eriksen

Authors: Sarah Huderle, Kylee Binning, Lupema Celis Castillo, Kira Kainz, Elizabeth Tischler, Calista Escobar, Caleb Reed, William Mahowald, Linda …

Introduction, Sean Ferrier-Watson, George Neal

Forces

No abstract provided.

A Kaleidoscope Of Sentiments, Emily Hartman

English Senior Capstone

This is a Creative Writing portfolio with many different genres and themes.

Calon A Hiraeth, Abigail Kubat

English Senior Capstone

It is a medieval historical fiction piece set in King John's kingdom. The heroine, Isolda, must navigate challenges regarding betrothal, marriage, identity, and her home as she comes to discover who she is made to be.

2026 Forces

Forces

Full issue of Forces, published March 2026.

Pecan Grove Review Volume 23, St. Mary's University

Pecan Grove Review

Creative writings by students, faculty, and staff of the St. Mary's University community.

It's All The Same, Lauren A. Bedevia

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

It’s All the Same is a collection of short stories that center around lesbian characters. The stories explore themes such as ambition, morality, karma, mental health, exploitation, and relationships. The collection opens with “Forget Her Inc.,” a short story that juggles an ensemble cast of lesbians and examines whether memory eraser therapy is an ethical practice for treating a broken heart. “It’s All the Same,” the titular story, uses lyricism to present the parallels between two women in terms of family dynamics, interests, and attachment styles; the story explores a loving friendship between a lesbian and a straight woman.

“Fun …

Between The Living And The Dead, Leona Strong

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Between the Living and the Dead is a collection of short stories and flash fiction that explores loss, generational abuse, abandonment, the sometimes brutal power of familial ties, and love in its many forms—both good and evil. This thesis aims to tease out, in the reader, moments of reflection, compassion and revelation. “Falling,” centers on a mother’s grief after her son dies by suicide and her attempt to move beyond perceived culpability and shame. She does this by jumping from a plane to embody his last moments and make the same decision…to live or to die. “And Baby Makes One,” …

Wormfood, Susan Mesler-Evans

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

A collection of seven fiction short stories focused on death and mortality, with genres represented including horror, fantasy, science fiction, and literary. The stories include an ecological epistolary narrative set in the near-future, a modern retelling of Hamlet, a Biblical flood narrative, a polyphonic retelling of the Bluebeard myth, a realist drama about abuse and healing, a darkly comic story of a woman planning for her own death, and a sci-fi story about two robots defying their programming to save a flower from destruction.

Rabbits On Water, Harley Shiner

Honors Program Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

Grendel's Mother Talks Back: Contemporary Women's Mythopoeic Revisions, Anna Smol

Mythopoeic Society Seminar Proceedings

"Grendel's Mother Talks Back: Contemporary Women's Mythopoeic Revisions" examines how twenty-first-century feminist adaptations and translations examine the significance and point of view of Grendel's Mother, a character from the Old English poem Beowulf. In contrast to past views of Beowulf, especially in J.R.R. Tolkien's influential essay on the poem, these women writers and scholars argue for the central role of Grendel's Mother and give voice to her story. The paper discusses the main features of these adaptations, covering topics of narrative voice, borderlands, violence, and motherhood, and generally questions the concept of monstrosity as applied to Grendel's Mother. The paper …

Celestium And It's Place In The Literary World, Lindsay Schuster

Masters Theses

This hybrid thesis represents my exploration of what it means to write about the divine from a human perspective. The creative component, titled Celestium, includes the first seven chapters of a novel following Cassiel, an angel appointed as Cain’s guardian after the fall of mankind. Through Cassiel’s reluctant watch over humanity’s first murderer, I explore questions of faith, duty, and empathy, what it means to care for a being one does not understand, and how curiosity can become a form of grace. The critical essay reflects on the process of world-building within a heavenly setting: a place deeply known through …

Operation: Twisted Arm, Paul Burdiss

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This science fiction novella explores the postcolonial tensions that can exist between a settler population and the native population of the land they have colonized. It uses the science fiction genre to translate modern issues into a fully fictionalized setting and is written in novella form to best fit the form of the story. This novella is accompanied by a Critical Introduction which explains the methodology and rationale for many of the choices made in its construction, and references both literary works read in preparation for this project as well as works by other writers regarding fiction writing techniques. The …

Creating A Narrative About Human Choice And Experience Through Short Fiction, Sidney D. Belleroche

English and Creative Writing Summer Fellows

Originally based on my story titled, ‘Scenes of a Typical Life,’ which I wrote for Professor Kowalski’s Fiction Writing class, I wanted to explore the idea of human experiences and emotions. The original ‘Scenes of a Typical Life’ centered around a character named Bernard Etienne and I imagined what key moments in his life would look like. While I originally planned to continue with this idea, I pivoted toward more general and mature short stories based on experiences from my life. Ultimately, the goal of the project became to examine the humanity of myself and others to effectively convey emotions …

Book Review: River Fiction Of India: Intersectional Flows Of Narratives, Geographies, And Histories, Nilay Patel

Critical Humanities

Book Review of

River Fiction of India: Intersectional Flows of Narratives, Geographies, and Histories,

edited by Subhadeep Ray

London & New York: Routledge, 2025

306 pp.

ISBN: 978-1-032-66253-4 (hbk)

ISBN: 978-1-032-98346-2 (pbk)

ISBN 978-1-003-59818-3 (ebk)

2025 Persimmon Creek - Full Journal, Beth Keefauver, Wayne C. Robbins

Persimmon Creek

Persimmon Creek runs through the Susan B. Jacobs Arboretum, an oasis of nature in the center of our dynamic and thriving campus community at the University of South Carolina Upstate. My colleague Wayne Robbins and I were recently tasked with bringing back the student-edited literary journal formerly known as Writer’s Inc. Dr. Marilyn Knight stood at the helm of Writer’s Inc. for nearly twenty years, and when she retired, the journal left with her. We thought it would be an opportune time to pay homage to the legacy of Writer’s Inc. by renaming and reimagining our home department’s literary journal. …

Theodore B. Taverner, Joshua Holt

Persimmon Creek

A war veteran with PTSD wakes on abandoned train tracks, a gun in hand, blood on his clothes, and a body by his feet. Disoriented and haunted by fragmented memories, he struggles to piece together the truth as sirens close in.

A Slight Pinch, Carling Mcquinn

English Honors Projects

This project is a short story collection featuring four independent stories that each explore what it means to embrace the chaotic independence of adulthood and to confront, often for the first time, an inescapable sense of self-awareness. The first story, “Ghost Town,” follows a 19-year-old ghost confined to the Airbnb where she died, forced to face the self-destructive behavior that led to her death. Next, “Camilla” depicts the volatile friendship of college student Lexi and her best friend Camilla as it forms, shifts, and inevitably implodes as the years pass. The third piece, “A Slight Pinch,” explores the complexities of …