Hollowing

Hollowing is a short creative fiction novel about fatherhood, illness, loss, and devotion. The book tells the story of Cole, a man who is facing several problems in his life. His wife is terminally ill and his son is repeating his father’s mistakes. While trying to hold his family together, Cole faces conflicts with jealousy, infidelity, respect, and denial. He must overcome his stunted understanding of emotion and contend with an unhealthy perception of masculinity linked to his troubled childhood in order to try and guide his family towards the happiest future for all of them. This thesis explores the concepts of obligation, grieving, and love from an unconventional angle, using strong narrative focus and a small cast of characters in and around Cole’s family. Hollowing explores the mind of a man whose life is at a difficult crossroads, where every day presents him with new challenges. This creative thesis utilizes a third person close point of view and is the culmination of over two years of planning and writing. It is a character-driven work of literary fiction, set in modern times.