Erika Oceguera
Staff Writer
Three senior creative writing majors at the University of La Verne shared the culmination of their literary journeys during their senior project presentations Wednesday in Hoover Building, Room 128.
With an intimate audience of 11 people, the students presented excerpts from their original work and reflected on their creative processes, writing philosophies and growth.
The event featured seniors Sterling Bratton, Joseph Reyes and Kamila De La Fuente, who each had approximately 15 to 20 minutes to present their projects.
Sean Bernard, professor of creative writing, and Ann Hills, associate professor of Spanish and chair of the modern languages department, were also present to support the students and address questions following each presentation.
First to present was Bratton, who offered a window into his darkly humorous and surreal writing world. His work, filled with monster metaphors and unsettling imagery, often explored identity through absurdity.
“Good writing is specific, honest, and unexpected,” Bratton said.
He spoke candidly about learning to pace emotional scenes and deepening his world-building. His stories lean into discomfort to uncover meaning.
Bratton’s featured story involved a monstrous figure and explored themes of disconnection and transformation, using second-person narration to evoke intimacy and danger.
“Even when writing feels broken, it’s okay as long as you love it,” Bratton said, underscoring the importance of trusting the process.
Next came Reyes, who shared insights into his evolution as a writer, tracing his roots back to fifth grade when he first fell in love with fantasy literature. His senior project, titled “Everywhere From Here to There,” tells the story of a sentient doll slowly becoming more human, only to discover the transformation came at the cost of its physical deterioration.
“My theme was ‘memento mori,’ a reminder of death, and to make the most of life,” Reyes said.
Reyes emphasized the value of character dynamics, narrative conflict and world-building, and he described the doll’s journey as a metaphor for human growth in the face of grief and loss, inspired by works such as “The Fears” by Kruger and the anime “Kino’s Journey.”
Reyes spoke openly about his challenges with pacing and the decision to remove poetry from his project.
“It was a cavalcade of moments,” Reyes said.
Feedback from peers and mentors helped him realize the prose narrative more effectively captured the emotions he wanted to express.
Last to present was Kamila De La Fuente, who began with a quote from “Crying in the Bathroom: A Memoir by Erika L. Sánchez”: It is “better to laugh at the absurdity of your time on earth than to resign yourself to mourning all of life’s misfortunes.”
Her presentation showcased works that weave together magical realism, multilingual dialogue and emotional depth. Throughout her talk, De La Fuente emphasized her passion for crafting emotionally charged scenes and layered characters.
“I enjoy writing moments of internal conflict—when characters wrestle with desires, doubts, or difficult decisions,” De La Fuente said.
She described her writing style as deeply imagistic, using vivid metaphors and multilingual elements to enrich her stories. De La Fuente also spoke about how her background in journalism has influenced her fiction.
“As a journalist, you want to get to the core of the story,” De La Fuente said. “I try to create characters that are curious and genuinely care about each other – just like when you meet people, hear their stories, and ask the important questions. I want my writing to do that too.”
Bernard praised his students’ work, calling the presentations some of the best he’s seen.
Erika Oceguera can be reached at erika.oceguera@laverne.edu.
Erika Oceguera is a senior communications major with a concentration in public relations. She is a staff writer for the Campus Times, as well as the editor-in-chief of La Verne Magazine for Spring 2025 and a member of the women’s golf team.
Jai'la Counts is a freshman communications major with a concentration in public relations. She is a staff photographer for the Campus Times and La Verne Magazine.
