Two Nicolet College Students Author Books

Two Nicolet College students, Jessica Eernisse and Drew Schulta, have turned their passion for storytelling into reality by publishing their first books. Both students enrolled in the College's Advanced Creative Writing course and each student took on the challenge of writing a full manuscript.

Eernisse's novel, Mind Games, is a thriller set in the remote Smoky Mountains, following Agnes, a house sitter battling severe health anxiety who finds herself entangled in a web of mystery, hypnosis, and murder. “My goal was to write a book that was entertaining to read, one that could keep a reader company on a rainy day or be brought along to the beach,” Eernisse explained. “Nothing too deep, no life lessons – just pure escapism.”

 Schulta's novella, Grief Comes in Waves, follows the journey of Milo, a master's degree student in piano performance, whose life is turned upside down after losing his right hand in a car accident. The novel delves into Milo's struggle to find purpose and navigate his relationships in the aftermath of this traumatic event. “The reader gets to experience Milo’s perspective as he balances his relationships with the people that are important to him, the loss of what was, and his desires as a person no longer with boundaries on who he feels he must be,” Schulta said. “It’s a tale about purpose, a person’s creation of morality, loss, rationality versus irrationality, and the fragility of everything we know.”

The independent study course, which English instructor Allie Johnson teaches, is designed for students who have previously taken Creative Writing. “Advanced Creative Writing is a class where students get to focus on the concentrated application of expressive language and structure for the development of a poetry, fiction, or non-fiction manuscript. By the end of the course, they need to have a full manuscript—beginning, middle, and end. Publishing that manuscript is optional, but both Jessica and Drew jumped at the chance to see their work in a physical way.”

Johnson tailored her approach to each student’s needs. “I really let them guide the process, creating lessons around their areas of need for their own manuscripts,” Johnson added. For Eernisse, this involved exploring how to effectively write from the perspective of multiple narrators. For Schulta, discussions focused on whether a protagonist always needs to be likable.

Despite the challenges, Eernisse found the experience rewarding, especially when she saw the first shipment of her books arrive. “It was extremely emotional for me. To see the book in its final form after so many months of hard work was so satisfying.”

“This class gave me the time, resources, accountability, solidarity, and individual help I required,” recalled Schulta. “After every class, I walked out feeling refreshed and inspired to continue undertaking this huge project.”

“They know they can do it! They can write a full-length novel,” Johnson said. “The lessons of perseverance, persistence, and collegiality will go with them into their future.”

Both students discovered the benefits of attending Nicolet College. “I have a unique perspective of Nicolet College because I attended Nicolet when I graduated from high school 20 years ago, and now I’m attending again. It’s changed so much, yet it still has the safe, comfortable, small-college feel it had all those years ago. It’s a great option for anyone who wants to continue their education,” Eernisse said.

“I saved thousands of dollars by completing half of my degree at Nicolet College. I got to stay at home, and I was able to still work and have flexible scheduling with in-person and online options,” Schulta added.

As Eernisse looks forward to graduating from Nicolet College at the end of the Fall 2024 term in December, Schulta graduated in April and is transferring to UW-Stevens Point, where he will begin classes this fall. Mind Games is expected to be available on Amazon at the end of August and Grief Comes in Waves will be available later this year.