UHV staff member’s third published short story in new book
A University of Houston-Victoria staff member’s interest in writing has led to one of her short stories being featured in a series that creatively explores the many definitions of heroism.
“Invasion of the Brain-scratchers” by UHV Communications Specialist Lauren Emerson provides a fun, amusing approach to heroism in the “Eclectically Heroic,” anthology. In this collection, presenter and editor Fern Brady encourages readers to grab their capes and commence a heroic journey as they travel through the pages of short stories written by Emerson and others.
“I had several short stories in the works, and when the anthology theme for the fifth edition was announced, I thought this one fit well,” Emerson said. “It was a perfect combination.”
This anthology spans several genres with one overarching theme – heroism. The splendor of anthologies is that the stories included can be told from a perspective in any period of time and location. In this case, readers can find stories with space dragons, a plot about domestic violence and, of course, Emerson’s tale of three young men who find themselves in an epic fight against aliens.
“I had created the characters in the story a while ago,” Emerson said. “I came up with one silly phrase, and that was the starting point that developed into the story as it is now.”
Fun jokes that reference pop culture movies and TV series, such as “Stargate: SG1,” “The Wrath of Khan” and “Star Trek,” appear throughout Emerson’s story. It’s these popular narratives, along with the humorous style of Douglas Adams’ “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” series and Terry Pratchett’s “Discworld” series that spark a series of creative thoughts in Emerson’s mind. For example, at one point the characters talk about how they need to alter a missile to be more effective against the aliens they’re fighting, and they make a joke about needing to perform surgery on a missile, a reference to “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.”
“I have always enjoyed sci-fi and fantasy fiction with quirky, clever humor,” she said. “I draw inspiration from those storylines. A creative thought comes to mind, and the story quickly develops from there.”
“Eclectically Heroic” is available for purchase on eBook or in print through Inklings Publishing and Amazon. It is part of an ongoing series, and the sixth edition in the Eclectic Writing Series will follow the theme “Eclectically Magical.”
Readers can find other short stories from Emerson, including “My Favorite Pet” featured in the third installment of the Eclectic Writing Series, “Eclectically Vegas, Baby!,” and “Elliot’s Garden,” a short story featured in “The Writing.Com Anthology 2012.”
Lauren Emerson is a communications specialist in UHV’s Marketing & Communications Department. She writes news releases and marketing copy, edits content and works with the media, and was recently voted UHV’s Employee of the Month for January.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 80 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.
