A thesis playlist

stories from a science fictional south

Hey y’all. My MFA program is going really well. I’ve liked almost all of my classes so far. I really feel like I’m learning and improving in my writing. I’m signed up for some fun classes over the summer and in the fall. I’m really looking forward to them.

Sometime soon I believe I will begin to work seriously, by that I mean earn credit hours, towards my thesis project. I’m pretty excited about it. I’ve been waffling back and forth trying to choose between two different possible projects that I wanted to use as my thesis. My first idea was to work on a re-rewrite of my self-published novel that was originally called The Unexpected Brightness of Space. It is in desperate need of an overhaul and I have plans to change like 87% of it, while still using the same-ish characters. I’d basically be writing a whole new book.

That sounds interesting, but I’ve been exclusively writing short stories the past two semesters. All but one has taken place in the same universe. I’m enthralled with these stories, y’all. So I’m pretty sure I’ve made up my mind that my thesis project will be a short story collection tentatively titled Rocket Holler: Stories from a Science Fictional South.

All of the stories, including the titular “Rocket Holler” will all take place in the same universe, building upon each other, while also standing apart. I’m considering taking a little play out of Hemingway’s book In Our Time and having world-building vingettes spaced between the stories themselves.

I’ve got time to start working on this, and like with so many other creative pursuits in my life, I’m starting with an epic playlist.

This is what I’ve got so far. If you have suggestions in a similar vain, please let me know in the comments.