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Josh Galarza, who is in his third year of the MFA in Creative Writing program at VCU, returned to adolescence for his debut novel, “The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky.” (Photo contributed by Josh Galarza) The MFA candidate shares the inspiration for his young adult title and the lessons he has learned. Share this story By VCU News staff, with interview by SJ Sindu The release of his debut novel this month is more than a writer’s milestone for Josh Galarza. It’s a reflection of personal growth – and healing. Galarza, who is in his third year of the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program at Virginia Commonwealth University, returned to adolescence for “The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky.” Imbued with elements of Galarza’s identity and life story, the young adult title marks the author’s evolution in life and writing. In 2018, discouraged that recent manuscripts had failed to sell, Galarza began “Dorito” as homework for a workshop he took while returning to the University of Nevada, Reno to complete his undergraduate degrees in art and English. “Pages were due twice a semester. I had to write something,” he said. “I began to recognize a marked difference between my older work and this new manuscript. For the first time in my life, I was writing from a place of healing rather than a place of festering toxicity. The work looked different. It felt different. I could see all the best of me in these pages, without all the bad habits I now recognized were holding me back. Despite myself, I began to believe in what I was creating.” By the time he graduated in 2021, he was ready to query agents – and confident in his work. Galarza spoke recently with SJ Sindu , Ph.D., an author and assistant professor in VCU’s English Department , about “Dorito” and other aspects of his journey. What was the inspiration behind “The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky”? “Dorito” was rooted in a desperate need I couldn’t have identified when I started writing it: the […]
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Julie Gilbert Today, we delve into the enduring relevance of the themes explored by Pulitzer Prize -winning author Edna Ferber
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