Semester of Graduation
Fall 2025
Degree Name
Masters of Arts in Professional Writing
Department
Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Garrard Conley
Second Advisor
Kurt Milberger
Abstract
Open When… is an adult contemporary romance about 27-year-old Adeline who, after losing her best friend to cancer, wants to simply disappear into a cloud of grief; but unbeknownst to Adeline, her dearly-departed best friend had other plans and proactively set in motion a plan to keep her going, including days filled with rollercoasters, speed dating, and matchmaking...from beyond the grave.
I wanted to write a story that felt authentic to my own experience losing a best friend and that highlighted the importance of platonic love, as well as the pain of its loss. I also have an enduring passion for stories that show the way dramatically-opposed feelings coexist. In this case, it is grief and joy. While grieving the worst loss of her life, my main character is experiencing a new kind of joy for life, all while falling in love, and it is a beautiful juxtaposition. This Capstone picks up as she takes that first step into the unknown light ahead of her; and sometimes, that first step requires a pair of high heels.