julianna tillman

Bio: Julianna Tillman is a senior at Georgia Southern University where she is majoring in Writing/Linguistics and 2D Studio Art. She has always been a bookworm, her nose buried in the stories ever since she had learned to read. In college, Julianna’s interest in writing re-emerged after she had the opportunity to take a Creative Writing course in Fall 2020. There, she learned valuable skills to craft stories – fiction, nonfiction, and poetry – that grew her love of writing. Inspired by the wonderful faculty and students at Georgia Southern, Julianna hopes that her stories will encourage her readers to search for imagination and wonder in the world around them. She was a runner up for the 2021 Ally Harbuck Award and recipient for the 2019-2022 Betty Foy Sanders awards. When she is not writing stories, Julianna enjoys spending time with family and friends, painting, playing video games, and exploring the outdoors.

Writer's Statement: My writing explores the relationship between families through an emphasis on nostalgia and memory. I often analyze how people relate to each other and the world around them. Specifically, the presence of death in my stories is depicted through multiple lenses, with certain stories showing a peaceful passing of a character after living a full life while other works showcase the struggling in failing to accomplish dreams in one’s lifetime. This idea is based on my hope that people will be able to live their lives proud of their accomplishments, surround themselves with the things that matter, and find love in even the smallest places. The theme of nostalgia through familial bonds in my stories emphasize a human connection that encourages readers to reminisce on their own lives and experiences. My intention is to give people a moment to escape the day-to-day grind of modern life and find a spark of beauty, love, and compassion in the world that they perhaps have been too busy to remember.