Leoson teaches English composition, creative writing, literature, film, and psychology at the college level. She holds a DA in English Pedagogy and Literature, an MFA in Fiction, an MA in English, an MS in Psychology and has specialized training in Digital Media & Composition, Narrative Medicine Facilitation, Positive Psychology, and Trauma-Informed Pedagogy. She is a Pushcart Nominee and Member of the Horror Writers Association who specializes in literary horror fiction. Her writing has been featured in the The Lost Librarian’s Grave Anthology, Castabout’s Halloween Anthology, Free Spirit Historic Tales Anthology, Twisted Vine Literary Journal, Coffin Bell Journal, Untoward Magazine, Underwood Press’ Horror Journal Black Works, GNU Journal, The Gyara Journal, Genre: Urban Arts, Obra/Artifact, and on NPR’s “This I Believe” series. Her debut novel, The Butterfly Circle, was released by Manta Press in July of 2023. She is also producer and co-host of the “Exhuming the Bones” podcast. She lives in Smithville by Center Hill Lake with her husband and two very spoiled dogs. They visit often with their four adult children and five grandchildren who live in Ohio.

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·         Leoson, Mary. “A Symphony of Word, Image, and Sound: The Creative Potential of Digital Storytelling.” Moving Words: Digital and Multimodal Creative Writing Pedagogies, edited by Kristina Wright and Sara Howe. Lexington Books / Rowman & Littlefield, 2023. 

·        Story-Based Pedagogy Project  - Website: https://storyaspedagogy.com/ - Podcast: "Teaching With Story" https://shows.acast.com/teaching-with-story 

Leoson, Mary. DA Capstone Project Working Title: “Story-Based Pedagogy: Rethinking the Traditional Workshop in the Creative Writing Classroom.” Murray State University, 2023.

Leoson, Mary. MFA Thesis Title: “The Shadows In Between.” Cleveland State University, 2020.

Courtwright, Mary. MS Thesis Title: “The Effect of Active Reflection on Self-Concept Among Female College Freshmen.” Walden University, 2006.

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2023    Using Story-Based Pedagogy to Foster a Culturally Responsive Classroom - Cuyahoga Community College, 2023 Tri-C Faculty Colloquium

2023    Community of Inquiry: Social Presence - Cuyahoga Community College, 2023 Tri-C Faculty Colloquium

2022    Transforming Creative Writing into the Digital Story, Creative Writing Studies 2022 Online Conference

2022    Women & Words: Creative Writing & Digital Stories, Lit Youngstown Fall Literary Festival

2022    Women & Words: Digital Stories that Connect, Community College Humanities Association National Conference

2022    Rejuvenating English @ LCCC: Using Canvas Common Course Shells to Promote Student Equity and Engagement while Fostering Academic Freedom – College of English Association of Ohio Conference (CEAO) at Lake Erie College– New Beginnings: Rejuvenating English Studies

2022    Standardized Canvas Shells and Monsters as a Theme to Engage First-Year Writing Students – University of Florida– Pedagogy, Practice, & Philosophy

2022    Monsters as a Theme to Engage First-Year Writing Students - Cuyahoga Community College, 2022 Tri-C Faculty Colloquium

2021    Writing Stories from Flash to Short Fiction – Cuyahoga County Public Library

2021    Moving Toward Difference: Making the Invisible Visible with Critical Literacy Pedagogy – College of English Association of Ohio Conference (CEAO) – Fluidity, Mobility in English Studies

2021    Moving a Synthesis Activity from the F2F First Year Writing Classroom into an Online Synchronous Space – Teacher to Teacher event, National Council of Teachers of English - T2T CCCC Annual Convention

2021    Emotional Growth in a Remote First-Year Writing Classroom – The University of Florida – Pedagogy, Practice, & Philosophy 2018    Creative Writing with a focus in Positive Psychology – Seminar delivered in conjunction with the Cleveland State Writing Center at Harbor Light Prison Release Program

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AWARDS & NOMINATIONS  

2021    Pushcart Prize Nominee, Ladies of Horror Fiction Award Nominee for “Devil’s Oak” in Anthology The Lost Librarian’s Grave. Redwood Press, 2021.  

2019    Cuyahoga Community College - Student’s Choice Award Nominee (recognized by a graduating Dean’s List Student as being instrumental in their education)  

2019    Cuyahoga Community College – Ralph M. Besse Excellence in Teaching Award Nominee  

2010    Bryant & Stratton College - Faculty of the Year  

2010    Facing History and Ourselves – Margot Stern Strom Teaching Award for Diversity in Education

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Leoson, Mary. “A Symphony of Word, Image, and Sound: The Creative Potential of Digital Storytelling.” Moving Words: Digital and Multimodal Creative Writing Pedagogies, edited by Kristina Wright and Sara Howe. Lexington Books / Rowman & Littlefield, 2023. 

Leoson, Mary and Finnian Burnett, Jeffery BucknerRodas. Story-Based Pedagogy Project  - Website: https://storyaspedagogy.com/ - Podcast: "Teaching With Story" https://shows.acast.com/teaching-with-story 

Leoson, Mary. DA Capstone Project Working Title: “Story-Based Pedagogy: Rethinking the Traditional Workshop in the Creative Writing Classroom.” Murray State University, 2023.

Leoson, Mary. MFA Thesis Title: “The Shadows In Between.” Cleveland State University, 2020.

Courtwright, Mary. MS Thesis Title: “The Effect of Active Reflection on Self-Concept Among Female College Freshmen.” Walden University, 2006.

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Fiction 

Leoson, Mary. “Maiden, Mother, Crone.” Pumpernickel, vol. 1, no. 2, 2024. Leoson, Mary. “The Honey Tree.” Ethnosphere Magazine, Collection 15, May, 2024.

Leoson, Mary. "Selkie Skin." Olit Literary Magazine, 2024.

Leoson, Mary. The Butterfly Circle. Manta Press, 2023. 

Leoson, Mary. “Tale of the Haunted Vineyard.” Grim & Gilded Literary Journal. Summer 2022.

Leoson, Mary. “The Ripper Society.” Free Spirit Historic Tales Anthology. Poet’s Choice Publishing, 2022.

Leoson, Mary. “Shadow Mother.” The Banshee, Spring, 2022.

Leoson, Mary. “Waking Among Sunflowers.” Nymphs Publications, 2021.

Leoson, Mary. “Devil’s Oak.” The Lost Librarian’s Grave Anthology. Redwood Press, 2021.

Leoson, Mary. “The Braided Veil.” Black Works Underwood Press, Fall 2020.

Leoson, Mary. “Marsh Girl.” Untoward Magazine, vol. 3, no. 11, 2020.

Leoson, Mary. “The Favor.” Coffin Bell Journal, vol. 3, no. 2, 2020.

Leoson, Mary. “Wicked Pieces.” Haunted MTL, October, 2019.

Leoson, Mary. “Three Masks.” Castabout Anthology: Halloween Fiction Edition, October 2019.

Leoson, Mary. “Roots in the Cove: A Modern Fairy Tale.” Black Works Underwood Press, Spring 2019.

Leoson, Mary. “The Game.” Obra/Artifact, Spring 2019.

Leoson, Mary. “Cicadas in the Suburbs.” GNU Journal, Winter 2018.

Leoson, Mary. “String Theory: A Near Miss.” Twisted Vine Literary Arts Journal, Spring 2018.

Leoson, Mary. “The Easter Bench.” Postmodern Parables, 2018.

Leoson, Mary. “Trip to the Underworld.” Twisted Vine Literary Arts Journal, Spring 2017.

Leoson, Mary. “Redemption and Rehab.” TWJ Magazine, Nov 2016.

Courtwright, Mary. Song of the Messenger. Book Surge Publishing, 2007.  

Poetry

Leoson, Mary. “Monster’s Ode: A Horror Poem.” Genre: Urban Arts, Sep 2018.

Leoson, Mary. “Ghost Voice.” The Write Launch, Sep 2017.

Leoson, Mary. “Birth of a Shaman’s Dream.” The Write Launch, Sep 2017.

Leoson, Mary. “Nana’s Tears.” The Write Launch, Sep 2017.  

Creative Nonfiction 

Leoson, Mary. “Powers of Fire.” Of Horror and Hope. Horror Writers Association, 2022.

Leoson, Mary. “In Search of Eve.” Open: Journal of Arts & Letters. Sep 2018.

Leoson, Mary. “Soul Scars.” Gyara Journal, July, 2018.

Courtwright, Mary. “The Promise Tree.” Heights Observer, vol. 3 no. 8, 2010.

Courtwright, Mary. “Teacher as Student.” Heights Observer, vol. 3, no. 1, 2010.

Courtwright, Mary. “Love is a Choice.” Heights Observer, vol. 2, no. 11, 2009.

Courtwright, Mary. “For the Love of My Father.” Heights Observer, vol. 2, no. 9, 2009.

Courtwright, Mary. “The Value of the Inner Gremlin.” Heights Observer, vol. 2, no. 6, 2009.

Courtwright, Mary. “The Forging of Courage”. This I Believe and National Public Radio, 2007. (redistributed 2013).

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AT MTSU:

English ·         ENGL 1010 Expository Writing 1 ·         ENGL 1020 Research & Argumentative Writing ·         ENGL 2020 Themes in Literature & Culture ·         ENGL 2030 The Experience of Literature

·         ENGL 2500 Introduction to Creative Writing

AT PRIOR INSTITUTIONS:

English ·         Introduction to Film ·         Introduction to Fiction ·         Introduction to Literature ·         American Literature 2 – Late Period ·         Twentieth Century American Literature & Beyond ·         College Composition 1 – with literature component – Beloved; The Haunting of Hill House; Hamlet; Mexican Gothic; Kindred; Little Women; Girl, Interrupted; I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter; Build Your House Around My Body; Short Story Collections ·         College Composition 1 – no literature component ·         College Composition 2 – with literature component – The Handmaid’s Tale ·         College Composition 2 – no literature component ·         Intensive College Writing for Incoming Freshmen ·         Advanced Composition ·         Research & Writing 3 – Research Design Focus ·         Information Literacy ·         Fiction Writing Workshop ·         Creative Writing - Women & Words – Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, Fiction (non-credit) ·         Creative Writing - Women & Words – Transforming Creative Writing into Digital Stories (non-credit)

Psychology / Sociology / General ·         FYE – First Year Experience ·         Learning Communities ·         Human Relations ·         Introduction to Sociology ·         Career Success ·         Critical Thinking ·         Introduction to Psychology / General Psychology ·         Child Psychology ·         Life Span / Developmental Psychology ·         Human Growth & Development ·         Adult Development & Aging ·         Abnormal Psychology ·         Social Psychology ·         Industrial Organizational Psychology ·         Educational Psychology ·         Multicultural Health Psychology ·         Cognitive Psychology ·         Social Science Research Methods

Education & Faculty Development ·         Multimodal and Digital Composition – Faculty Training (2023) ·         Community of Inquiry – Faculty Training (2022) ·         Adult Learning Theory – Faculty Training (2012-2016) ·         Bloom’s Taxonomy – Faculty Training (2012-2016) ·         Seven Principles of Good Teaching – Faculty Training (2012-2016) ·         Lesson Planning & Authentic Assessment – Faculty Training (2012-2016)

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