Wacky Writings and Academic Antics

ashleyjcarranza@gmail.com


In a Nutshell

Ashley Carranza resides in Las Vegas where she writes fiction, personal essays, popular culture academia, and pedagogy. She tries... really hard. In addition to writing, she is a Spam and Twinkie-loving gym enthusiast. She lives in a world of paradox. 

WHAT'S NEW??

Write for the Next Generation of College Writers!

I’m putting together a textbook to help early-level college students (English 100, 101, and 102) see what great writing looks like—and I’d love your help! If you’ve got a strong essay (narrative, analysis, argument, research, etc.), consider submitting it as a model for future students. Just send it in both MLA & APA formats, and let’s make academic writing a little less intimidating!

📅 Deadline: June 8, 2025

Check out the call for papers by clicking the UPenn CFP button!

Check out my interview/feature at Awesome Gang: 

COURSES!!!

Guess who's creating classes to enhance your life?!
Improving Practical Writing and Communication aims to clarify norms, rules, and strategies to help writers with both their personal and professional writing. Students who complete this course will have a deeper understanding of how to simplify their writing to get their message across clearly and appropriately. This course builds strong writing foundations through a variety of tools including an assigned handbook, videos, real-life examples, writing samples, discussion boards, and quizzes. This five-week course equates to approximately ten hours (two hours-worth of reading and assignment completion per weekly module).

Academic  Publications

Our Fears Made Manifest: Essays on Terror, Trauma, and Loss in Film, 1998-2019

Editor

Chapter included: "ParaNormative: Pressures on Sexuality Within Society in ParaNorman"

Available now through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Target, and more!

See it on Amazon!

Uncovering Stranger Things

Contributing author: "The Rebirth of King's Children"
McFarland Publishers, Inc. 2018

See it on Amazon!

Theories and Strategies for Teaching Creative Writing Online

Contributing author : "Using Flash Fiction as a Pedagogical Tool in Teaching Creative Writing Online"

See it on Amazon!

Fiction Publications



2023- "A Slice of the Good Life"- Bear Flag Press

2020- Children's Book World of Whiskers by Ashley Carranza and Maria Azar

See it on Amazon!

2019- "Julian Goes on a Date With a Really Old Man"- Helen UnIncorporated

2019- "Jesus Christ, Super Star DJ"- Entropy 2

2017- "Julian Goes on a Date With a Really Old Man"- Beautiful Losers

2017- "Julian Learns a Lesson at the T.G.I. Friday's"- Maudlin House

2016- "The Old Lady Makes a Break for It"- Flash Fiction Magazine

2015- "Cork Art"- Postcard Shorts

Editing

DASH Literary Journal

2013- Fiction Editor/Reader

Helen: a literary magazine

2015-2018- Contributing Editor/Fiction reader

101 Words

2016-2018- Editor

PopMeC Research Blog

Current- Peer Reviewer (Horror, popular culture, American film, Stephen King studies)



Education

Sierra Nevada College – M.Ed

2020

English Language Acquisition Development

California State University, Fullerton – M.A.

2013

English/Concentration on Creative Writing. Certificate in Higher Education-Teaching Composition and Rhetoric.

California State University, Fullerton – B.A.

2008

English. Teaching Certificate- Secondary Education, English/Language Arts

Conferences/Engagements

2020- 

Far West PCA/ACA Regional- February, Las Vegas, NV. Panel Organizer/Chair/Presenter- Cultural Issues in Film 1998-2020. Paper presented: "ParaNormative: Pressures on Sexuality within Society in ParaNorman"

2018-

PCA/ACA National- March, Indianapolis, IN. Paper presented: "The Rebirth of King's Children"

2017-

PCA/ACA Summer Research Institute- March, Bowling Green University, OH.

2016-

PAMLA Regional- May, Riverside, CA. Paper presented: "ParaNormative: Pressures on Sexuality Within Society in ParaNorman"

2014-

PCA/ACA National- April, Chicago, IL. Paper presented: "Why I Am Jamie Lee Curtis"

PCA/ACA Regional- February,  Albuquerque, NM. Paper presented: "Zombies, Xenophobia, and the Never-Ending Battle with 'The Other'"


 
 

Organizations

Journalism Education Association

Contacts

Email

ashleyjcarranza@gmail.com


Contact me

© Copyright Ashley Carranza