About Me
Hi, I'm L.A. "Meep" Killjoy. My pronouns are e/em (preferred) or she/her.I am a part time grad student, part time poet, and former portal fantasy protagonist. ✨
I am a graduate student at Antioch University in the MA in Humanities, Self Designed program. I graduated with a MFA Writing for Children & Young Adults from Hamline University in January 2023 and a BA East Asian Studies from Simmons
This site is the public side of my grad school digital garden.
Research Interests
Portal theory is defined by poet-scholar Lev Mirov as “a way of entering stories that changes you.”I am interested in affective relationships with inanimate objects, fictional characters, and imaginary friends - "loving things that can't love you back." Lately, my focus has been on doll photoplay on visual social media.
- Critical toy studies
- Fan studies
- Play-based research
Projects & Publications
Publications:
- #ToysFightingFascism: American Girl Doll Protest Photoplay on Visual Social Media Forthcoming Spring 2027
Presentations:
- Japan Writers Conference 2025: Speculative Poetry Winter 2025
- SCBWI Japan: Children's Literature MFA Information Session Autumn 2024
- Hamline University MFAC: The Remembering Blanket and Other StoriesWinter 2023
- Hamline University MFAC: Grief Grand Gestures in Middle Grade FictionSummer 2022
- School Library Journal: Day of Dialog: Picture Books (Panel moderator)Fall 2019
Past projects:
- FDN 5002 Research Concept Spring 2026
Now
June 4, 2026
- Reading: Articulate This!: Critical Action Figure Studies and Material Culture< in Comics Studies Here and Now
- Thinking about: Ethics in acafandom
- Crafting: Pastel rainbow half circle blanket (Crochet)