Bullwinkel, author of the acclaimed debut novel Headshot, will spend the semester engaging with students through coursework and campus events, offering students a rare opportunity to work closely with a professional writer and learn from her creative and editorial experience.
Headshot has drawn remarkable accolades: it was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and The Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and longlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize, among other honors.
Bullwinkel’s work has appeared in esteemed outlets such as The White Review, BOMB, NOON, and Guernica, among others. She is also the author of the short-story collection Belly Up, which won a 2022 Whiting Award.
In addition to her writing, Bullwinkel is the editor of McSweeney’s Quarterly and has held editorial positions at The Believer and NOON. As an Assistant Professor of English at the University of San Francisco, she taught courses in creative writing, zines, and the uses of invented and foreign languages as tools for world-building.
As part of her residency, Bullwinkel will teach CRW 340 — The Storytellers, a one-credit course that meets twice a week for five weeks starting the week of Feb. 23. In the course, students will explore a seminal author-selected text that has influenced Bullwinkel’s writing. Through discussion, workshops, and mentorship, participants will engage directly with a practicing, professional writer, gaining firsthand insight into the writing process, the craft of storytelling, and pathways from academic to professional creative writing.
“This is an incredible opportunity for Flagler students interested in creative writing,” said C.H. Hooks, Assistant Professor of English and Director of the Storytellers–Author in Residence program. “Working in a small classroom setting with a published author and editor gives students a unique inside view of the literary world — from craft and style to the writing life and professional trajectory.”
In addition to classroom work, Bullwinkel will present a community-wide reading and discussion of her work, followed by a Q&A session at Markland House on March 2, 2026, at 7 p.m. She will also host a separate reading specifically for Flagler students, faculty, and staff on April 23, 2026, in the Ponce Hall Solarium.
Flagler College’s Storyteller in Residence program underscores the College’s commitment to experiential learning and community engagement, providing students with direct access to accomplished authors, editorial professionals, and the broader literary landscape.
