Biography
Diana New moved up to Western North Carolina from Central Georgia to attend Graduate
School in 2017 and never left, now teaching writing and composition for the English
Studies Department at Western Carolina University.<br><br>Diana Graduated with her
BA in English Literature from Gordon State College in Barnesville, Georgia and her
MA in English Literature from Western Carolina University with a concentration in
19th Century Gothic Literature and Ecogothic theory.<br><br>While Diana always considered
herself as someone who preferred research writing over creative writing, she does
participate in some creative writing outside of school--including serving on the board
of Smoky Mountain Storytellers, a monthly meeting of writers and local community,
offering community members in Franklin, NC and surrounding areas a place to listen
to poetry and short stories by up-and-coming poets, non-fiction, and fiction writers.
In addition to the occasional poem or short story, Diana's lyrics can be heard in
local singer/ songwriter venues, and you may have caught her yelling some of these
in the 2024-25 local band Wide Open Wound. <br><br>Outside of teaching, writing, and
the outdoor hobbies one does in Western North Carolina, she has also helped with projects
in the Franklin, NC community for expanding the local music scene and creating outlets
for youth with the Franklin Sk828 Skatepark Project.
Teaching Interests
Rhetoric and Composition with a focus on the Rhetoric surrounding Pop Culture as a
nuanced way to understand the state of our world. Genre and Research Writing for
Critical Inquiry.
Research Interests
Ecogothic Criticism in Literature, Transcendentalism and Gothic Theory in Literature,
Post-Apocalyptic Literature, Philosophies of Reason and Nature, Genre Theory.
