Junior Zoe Jones (Communication and Creative Writing double major with a concentration in Publishing & Editing ‘25) conducted research this summer as part of the Summer Scholars program with the help of her mentor, Dr. Teresa Milbrodt, Roanoke College English and Communication Studies professor. Her project titled, Here, Queer, Black, and Functional: Mending Holes in Black Literature, focuses on the expansion of Black authors and specific topics of ethnic conflict in literature to write a novel. A majority of her research involved reading one book per week for nine weeks, then completing an annotated bibliography discussing how helpful the book was for her novel. From this process, she could reflect on the works of other Black authors and how she wished to further craft engaging works that discuss certain topics in Black contemporary literature. Zoe would go on to write her weekly chapters ranging from 5,000 to 11,000 words, and her hard work would ultimately become a novel draft of 100,958 words total. Her novel touches on complex topics including struggles in the corporate world, childbirth, and mental health for Black women, reaching out to people and doing personal research to achieve an authentic portrayal of her characters. Participating in the Summer Scholars program allowed Zoe to grow and learn as an author using her knowledge of publishing whilst combining her passion for writing and communication to simulate the journey of a full-time author. With this research, Zoe plans to revise her novel and send it out into the world of publication.
Congratulations and we cannot wait to read your first novel!