New Chair of English Department

August 8, 2015 by
After serving his five-year term, Dr. Patrick Murphy is stepping down as chair of the Department of English. Though Dr. Murphy will be greatly missed, we wish him well on his future endeavors. The department warmly welcomes Dr. Trey Philpotts as our new chair. He is joining us from the English Department at the University […]

Milanés' Short Stories Make The Top 10 Books About Cuba

March 2, 2015 by
Two short story collections by Cecilia Rodríguez Milanés have been listed on the Top 10 Books About Cuba by The Guardian coming in at number four and five. The short stories, “Marielitos, Balseros, and other Exiles” and “Oye What I’m Gonna Tell You,” aim to show a different side of Cubans than is normally depicted […]

Dutmers Receives 2015 Order of Pegasus Award

February 16, 2015 by
Congratulations to Jill Dutmers, a recipient of the 2015 Order of Pegasus Award.  Jill Dutmers is an undergraduate major in English/Literature and is currently deciding which law school to attend. She has been accepted to seven schools. The Order of Pegasus is the highest honor the university gives to students. It recognizes outstanding graduating seniors […]

The Guardian Features New Book by Milanés

January 20, 2015 by
A new book by Cecilia Rodríguez Milanés has been called a “must read” by The Guardian, one of the world’s most widely-read newspapers. Oye, What I’m Gonna Tell You is a collection of short stories chronicling the lives of Cuban Americans from WWII-era Havana to contemporary times in “el norte.” Whether they inhabit blue collar […]

Authors to Read from Works, Discuss Writing

October 21, 2014 by
Two authors will visit UCF to read from their works and talk about the writing process. Jim Ray Daniels, who has published poetry and fiction about the rust-belt working class, will be on campus Tuesday, Oct. 21. He is the prize-winning author/editor of more than 30 books as well as an indie screenwriter. His free […]

Creative Writing Alum Published in AWP National Magazine

August 25, 2014 by
An article by Sean Ironman (Creative Writing M.F.A. ’14) was recently published in The Writer’s Chronicle, the national magazine from the Association of Writers & Writing Programs. “Writing the Z-Axis: Reflection and the Nonfiction Workshop” appears in the September 2014 issue. For over four decades, The Writer’s Chronicle has served as a leading source of […]

Short Story by Poissant Featured in Pegasus Magazine

July 22, 2014 by
“The End of Aaron,” a short story from The Heaven of Animals David James Poissant, is featured in the most recent edition of Pegasus magazine. Animals is Poissant’s debut book from Simon & Schuster. In each of its short stories, Poissant explores the tenuous bonds of family—fathers and sons, husbands and wives—as they are tested […]

Terry Ann Thaxton Wins Florida Book Awards

July 15, 2014 by
Terry Ann Thaxton’s poetry collection is “as toughly accepting as her own small-town protagonist girls, who are unforgettably beaten, duped, and finally opened into a womanhood that makes them too smart, too sad, and too dangerous for any one man or lifetime,” wrote Terri Witek, a previous Florida Book Award poetry medalist. Read the article […]

Poissant's New Book Warmly Received by Critics

May 1, 2014 by
The Heaven of Animals, the debut book from David James Poissant, is receiving glowing reviews in a variety of respected outlets. The book received a star from Kirkus Reviews. The Kirkus Star is one of the most prestigious designations in the book industry. In each of the stories, Poissant explores the tenuous bonds of family—fathers […]

Meet UCF English Professor Who Balances Teaching, Writing and Family

April 2, 2014 by
“Serious writer” and “One of our very best young writers” are among the praises that flank the back sleeve of The Heaven of Animals: Stories, a collection of short stories by David James Poissant, or Jamie, an assistant professor of English at UCF. Poissant’s first book, released in March, is a collection of tales about […]