Strange Stars Phoebe Wagner Iowa State University
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Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Graduate Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2018 Strange Stars Phoebe Wagner Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd Part of the Creative Writing Commons Recommended Citation Wagner, Phoebe, "Strange Stars" (2018). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 17346. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/17346 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Strange Stars by Phoebe Wagner A thesis submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF FINE ARTS Major: Creative Writing and Environment Program of Study Committee: David Zimmerman, Co-Major Professor Debra Marquart, Co-Major Professor Brianna Burke Alissa Stoehr The student author, whose presentation of the scholarship herein was approved by the program of study committee, is solely responsible for the content of this thesis. The Graduate College will ensure this thesis is globally accessible and will not permit alterations after a degree is conferred. Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2018 Copyright © Phoebe Wagner, 2018. All rights reserved. ii DEDICATION For my family, old and new. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page PREFACE .......................................................................................................................... vi Prologue .............................................................................................................................. 1 Part I, The Pine Barrens, New Jersey ............................................................................ 4 CHAPTER 1. ...................................................................................................................... 6 CHAPTER 2. .................................................................................................................... 14 CHAPTER 3. .................................................................................................................... 23 CHAPTER 4. .................................................................................................................... 29 CHAPTER 5. .................................................................................................................... 34 CHAPTER 6. .................................................................................................................... 44 Part II, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming ............................................................ 65 CHAPTER 7. .................................................................................................................... 68 CHAPTER 8. .................................................................................................................... 86 CHAPTER 9. .................................................................................................................... 96 CHAPTER 10. ................................................................................................................ 105 CHAPTER 11. ................................................................................................................ 111 CHAPTER 12. ................................................................................................................ 120 Part III, Lamar Valley Protest, Park Protectors’ Camp #21 ...................................... 127 CHAPTER 13. ................................................................................................................ 131 CHAPTER 14. ................................................................................................................ 135 CHAPTER 15. ................................................................................................................ 143 CHAPTER 16. ................................................................................................................ 149 CHAPTER 17. ................................................................................................................ 153 CHAPTER 18. ................................................................................................................ 156 CHAPTER 19. ................................................................................................................ 169 iv CHAPTER 20. ................................................................................................................ 183 CHAPTER 21. ................................................................................................................ 188 CHAPTER 22. ................................................................................................................ 193 Part IV, Druid Peak ................................................................................................... 198 CHAPTER 23. ................................................................................................................ 200 CHAPTER 24. ................................................................................................................ 205 CHAPTER 25. ................................................................................................................ 222 CHAPTER 26. ................................................................................................................ 232 CHAPTER 27. ................................................................................................................ 236 Part V, Snow and Stars .............................................................................................. 254 CHAPTER 28. ................................................................................................................ 258 CHAPTER 29. ................................................................................................................ 268 CHAPTER 30. ................................................................................................................ 274 CHAPTER 31. ................................................................................................................ 277 CHAPTER 32. ................................................................................................................ 281 CHAPTER 33. ................................................................................................................ 286 CHAPTER 34. ................................................................................................................ 295 CHAPTER 35. ................................................................................................................ 300 CHAPTER 36. ................................................................................................................ 304 CHAPTER 37. ................................................................................................................ 308 CHAPTER 38. ................................................................................................................ 319 CHAPTER 39. ................................................................................................................ 327 CHAPTER 40. ................................................................................................................ 331 CHAPTER 41. ................................................................................................................ 333 CHAPTER 42. ................................................................................................................ 342 CHAPTER 43. ................................................................................................................ 347 v CHAPTER 44. ................................................................................................................ 351 CHAPTER 45. ................................................................................................................ 358 CHAPTER 46. ................................................................................................................ 363 CHAPTER 47. ................................................................................................................ 366 CHAPTER 48. ................................................................................................................ 369 Epilogue .......................................................................................................................... 374 vi PREFACE I did not intend to write a novel as my thesis project. I had a short story collection and a novella ready to go. Then November, 2016 happened. Angry and alarmed, I knew I needed to write something, even though words seemed useless in the moment. That’s when Gwen and Erhent showed up in my head. I had written about them years ago, but now they wouldn’t give me any peace. I started Strange Stars for fun, as a way to vent my anger about politics, climate change, patriarchy, racism, capitalism, and so on. Soon I couldn’t stop writing (ask my husband). I wrote the first draft in a harried two months, ending at a manageable 72,000 words. The second draft grew over 130,000 words. From a publication standpoint (let alone for my sanity), the second draft needed serious pruning. My process revolves around writing fast and dirty, pushing and pushing