Joshua B. Tuttle
By Marissa Cruz, Sci-Fi/Fantasy Co-Editor, University Park Outreach ~
In this interview, Marissa Cruz, co-coordinator of KLIO’s Sci-Fi and Fantasy initiative, sits down with Joshua B. Tuttle, a graduate student here at Penn State, to discuss fantasy literature, Dungeons & Dragons, the importance of creativity and creative community in the uncertainty of a global pandemic and more.
Josh is working toward his Ph.D. in the emergence of Gothic literature and the evolution of the genre as a collaborative effort through literary and other outside forces. He is passionate about fantasy and gothic literature and grew up exposed to the wonder and adventure created through Dungeons and Dragons. In this interview, he discusses his article Dancing in the Ruins: Toward an Affect-Narratology of the Spooky, which was published in the Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts this past fall.
Josh is also the founder of the Spooky Scary Society, a club created to explore the genre of horror in literature, media and online forums. He taught English 192: Literature of Fantasy last semester where he explored the growth and development of the fantasy genre through the years and the role that Dungeons & Dragons, and other RPGs, have had on the oral storytelling tradition.
Join us as we delve into the world of fantasy and try to answer the question: Why is fantasy literature so essential?
To read along with a transcript, click here.
To find a list of horror movies, podcasts, and books Josh recommends, check out below!
Marissa Cruz is a junior majoring in English and Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies, with a minor in Jewish Studies. An avid reader and aspiring novelist, Marissa is the co-coordinator of KLIO’s new Sci-Fi/Fantasy initiative and the University Park liaison. Originally from State College, she also works as a Veterinary Technician at a local animal hospital. After graduating she hopes to move onto grad school and obtain a MFA in Creative Writing.