Kennesaw State University – A Student Showcase
Time: 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM
Location: The Emerging Student Writer’s Stage in The Reading Room, 429 Church St, Decatur, GA 30030
Join us for a reading by graduate students of different genres from Kennesaw State University’s writing program. The reading will be held on Saturday, October 5th at 11:15 AM on the Emerging Student Writer’s Stage in The Reading Room.
Emerging Student Writers
Kendall Chamberlain is a current graduate student pursuing a master’s in Professional Writing at Kennesaw State University, where she also received her Bachelor’s in Journalism. She previously worked as the Graduate Professional Assistant for KSU’s College of the Arts’s Marketing Team, writing features and press releases on KSU Arts alumni. She now works as a Graduate Research Assistant with Dr. Aaron Levy and his play, The Student Body. She enjoys storytelling in all forms, whether it’s a long-form feature story or fictional narrative, and her favorite ones to tell are those showing the duality of life. Kendall is currently drafting her first novel, a contemporary romance exploring themes of grief, joy, friendship, love, and the way in which these things can all coexist. When she’s not writing, she’s living out the life of a Hallmark character working as both a writer and a barista at a local coffee shop. You can follow all of Kendall’s literary adventures online at @bookish.kendall.
Brittany Files is the managing editor of The Headlight Review, Kennesaw State University’s graduate literary magazine. She writes primarily creative nonfiction and screenplays, though, ironically, her only piece of published work is poetry, published by The Kudzu Review. Her work explores themes of adolescence, relationships, and the plight of womanhood, and she particularly enjoys finding humor in moments that are often humorless. In 2023, she received a scholarship to the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, MA, where she cultivated her love for chilled lobster rolls and film photography. Brittany is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Professional Writing at Kennesaw State University and serving as the Film and TV Development intern at Point South Productions. She lives in Sandy Springs with her two cats and many unfinished home decor projects.
Marianna Gibson is a graduate student at Kennesaw State University, where she is pursuing a master’s degree in Professional Writing. In addition to her academic work, she writes poetry and creative nonfiction that focuses on translating emotion by exploring the realities of self-awareness and examining the ebb and flow of tension within human relationships. Outside of her studies and writing, Marianna teaches high school English and manages a small homestead nestled in North Georgia. There, she lives with her husband, two dogs, and two cats.
Karah Nance is a writer, traveler, and cat mother based in Acworth, Georgia. She has a bachelor’s degree in English and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Professional Writing, both from Kennesaw State University. Karah enjoys words and sentences with undeniable rhythm— the ones that demand to be read aloud. She writes primarily creative nonfiction and screenplays, but explores themes of grief, hope, and recovery in a wide variety of genres.
Sara Omer is a Middle Eastern-American science fiction, fantasy, and horror writer with short stories published in The Dark, PodCastle, Luna Station Quarterly, and elsewhere, and poetry published or forthcoming in Small Wonders, Strange Horizons, Star*Line, and elsewhere. THE GRYPHON KING, the first book in her debut adult dark fantasy trilogy, is forthcoming from Titan Books in 2025. A cover reveal is coming on October 10th on Tor’s Reactor website. Sara is the Associate Fiction Editor for Orion’s Belt Magazine. After a career in technical editing for medical and engineering publications, she’s pursuing her MAPW at KSU and is a first-year teaching assistant. She currently lives in the woods outside of Atlanta. Find her everywhere online as @omersarae or at her website sara-omer.blogspot.com. She is represented by Lane Clarke at Ultra Literary.
Veronica Marie Pérez has a bachelor’s degree in Asian Studies with a concentration in Asian Cultures from Kennesaw State University (KSU), as well as a minor in Japanese. She is currently pursuing her Master of Arts in Professional Writing (MAPW) at KSU with a concentration in Creative Writing and works as the book review editor for The Headlight Review. In her youth, most of Veronica’s creative pieces manifested as poetry. Inspired by her passion for Japanese history and culture, Veronica is now stretching her fiction writing muscles. She is in the early stages of drafting a fantasy novel set in Edo period Japan. The working title of this project is When the Sun Trickles Down, and she will be sharing an excerpt for this year’s festival. During her spare time, Veronica enjoys crocheting, singing, and playing Dungeons & Dragons. In the future, Veronica aspires to be traditionally published and find a full-time job as a developmental editor after she completes graduate school. She looks forward to working with writers of underrepresented backgrounds, identities, and experiences in order to bring attention to their stories.
Heather Voraphongphibul is a creative writer and graduate student in Kennesaw State University’s Master of Arts in Professional Writing program. She is also a Teacher of Record within the university’s English department, where she teaches English 1101 courses. Her creative work has been featured in Haiku Journal, Poetry Quarterly, and Phi Theta Kappa’s international literary journal Nota Bene. She won Phi Theta Kappa’s 2020 Reynolds Scholarship Award for her poem “Clara’s Releve,” and she also recently self-published a children’s book with funds from the Office of Undergraduate Research. When she’s not writing or teaching, Heather loves to camp in the Smokies, sing Disney karaoke, and admire cool insects that her cat doesn’t get to first. She’s also a huge film nerd, especially when it comes to comedy and horror. Her current projects include a poetry collection, a romantic comedy film, and a presentation for the Conference on College Composition and Communication.
Tiffany Wells (she/they) is a writer, boba tea lover, and proud cat (and dog) parent. They are currently pursuing a MA in Professional Writing at Kennesaw State University. Their passion for words brewed during their bachelor’s degree, earning them a publication in Wishbone Words and The Afterpast Review. They were nominated for the AWP Intro to Journal Award in undergrad. When not immersed in the literary world, Tiffany can be found on Twitter (@TeaWritesStuff).
Seema Kumar, Ph.D., is a designer who now works in the technology domain and is currently pursuing her second master’s degree, an MA in Professional Writing, at Kennesaw State University. She holds a B.A. in Drawing and Painting (Hons.) and English, a Master of Design (M.Des.), and a Ph.D. Seema has extensive, multidisciplinary experience in senior design roles and academia. Captivated by poetry and storytelling from an early age, she is passionate about exploring diverse perspectives through art, design, and the written word. Her writing includes poetry, storytelling, research and professional communication. Her research and creative work have been published in journals and exhibited in art galleries. Originally from India, Seema has lived in the Atlanta area for the past eight years and now resides in Cherokee County, where she appreciates the tall trees and lush greenery. She aims to further explore the intersection of design, technology, poetry, and storytelling to create impactful narratives that connect with diverse audiences.