COURSE: "The Big Murder Mystery A Human Pandemic, The One That Kills Us All"  is a directed undergraduate creative writing workshop.  Students will read texts, develop a research dossier on worldwide pathogens and infectious diseases, meet with scientists and professors at UGA working on pathogens, in order to write two fictional short stories about what happens when a killer pathogen spills over into humans from a non-human animal.  These two fictional short stories are plot driven yet should feature multi-dimensional characters attached to circumstances, often beyond their control.  The narrative can be from any number of possible character’s POV:  patient, child, researcher, spouse, parent, fireman. To be clear each student’s research will inform character development and storylines.  Students will work with Professor Howe in developing their research into powerful suspenseful short stories.  A third short story will be of the student’s choosing. Texts include: David Quammen, Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic, (Norton).