College of Arts and Sciences Newsroom

By Lauren McCarty '26

Katrina Kittle created characters in her sixth novel before writing it, but it took the COVID-19 pandemic to bring them together on the page.

Kittle, a University of Dayton lecturer who teaches creative writing and composition, drew inspiration from the pandemic experiences of herself and others for Morning in This Broken World, published Sept. 1 by Lake Union.

The book follows Vivian, a grieving widow living in the assisted-living facility where her husband died, during the lockdown. Her saving grace is Luna, a nursing assistant and newly separated mother of two, who is facing eviction. Together, they form an unlikely family and face the coming storm together.

Kittle was inspired by stories of elder-care and childcare facilities teaming up to connect people in memory care with children.

“I really wanted to do an intergenerational friendship,” Kittle said. “Though there are large age gaps between the characters, they connect and help each other as human beings, regardless of their unlikely relationship.”

She recalled the moment she knew the pandemic would bring her characters together. “I saw a meme that said: ‘We’re not all in the same boat, we're in the same storm, some of us have canoes, some of us have yachts and some of us are drowning.’”

The idea that “we’re all in this together” struck Kittle as incredibly powerful. It inspired the book’s themes of self-discovery and helping others.

Kittle also was inspired by a poem titled This Is How a Pandemic Ends, Not With A Bang But With Cicadas by fellow novelist Kathleen McCleary.

“I realized all four of my point-of-view characters already were isolated and guarded before COVID,” Kittle said. “They'd each built armor to protect themselves, and only by coming together were they able to shed the shells and emerge as their authentic selves, like the cicadas.”

The poem is the epigraph for the novel, and when the story draws to a close the cicadas descend signifying a new beginning.

Kittle’s past novels, which include Traveling Light and Two Truths and a Lie, have been praised for focusing on community and social issues. Her involvement in the local theater and literary communities, as well as the larger Dayton community, have motivated her to write about such topics. 

“I wanted to come back to teaching full time because I wanted to belong to a community, and UD is that — UD is a total community,” Kittle said, regarding her return to teaching shortly before COVID-19 lockdowns. “So much of writing is in isolation, it's really lovely that I now have my morning writing time and then I'm here on campus in the afternoon with these amazing people.”

As a successful writer, Kittle has learned many things about her craft that she passes on to her students. In addition, she provides a classroom environment where students feel comfortable and able to thrive as writers.  

Observation is an important aspect of writing for Kittle, so she encourages her students to pay close attention to the world around them. Using their thoughts and observations allows them to create something that wasn’t known or expressed before.

Empathizing also is a skill she encourages in her students, though it is not something that can be taught. Kittle inspires students to embody others and to trust their instincts when writing. 

Caitlin Spicer, a senior English major from Aurora, Ohio, regards Kittle as a mentor.

“Professor Kittle always makes her students feel supported and truly encourages them in pursuing the craft of creative writing,” Spicer said. “She creates a welcoming environment in her classes, and even now in our novel writing class she is working to meet the same writing deadlines with us so we're not alone in the writing process."

Spicer said Kittle’s involvement as a writer and teacher gives her a perspective on her craft, as she learns about her own writing through teaching others. 

“Above all, you can tell that she really cares about her students,” Spicer said. “She always enjoys seeing us and hearing about our stories and constantly supports us outside of class, whether it be by saying hi in the hallway or sitting down to talk with students to see how they're doing. Professor Kittle is truly a beacon of joy.”

As she influences students to appreciate and focus on the world around them, Kittle is guiding the next generation of open-eyed novelists. 

“My students truly inspire me daily,” Kittle said. “I only wish I'd started to be so serious about my writing as they are now at their age. Seeing the range of topics, voices and premises they create never ceases to amaze me.”

For more information, visit the UD Department of English and Katrina Kittle websites.