Dr. Richard (Rick) Hill taught creative writing and literature for over 30 years as a professor at PLNU until he retired in 2018. A graduate of the University of California, Santa Cruz, the Iowa Writers Workshop, and the University of Louisiana, he has published poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and essays in a variety of books and journals, and has won several awards for his writing. He was the writing major section head and advisor for the Driftwood, PLNU's creative arts journal. In addition to creative writing courses at all levels, he taught literature and has a special interest in C.S. Lewis, Mark Twain, Tom Wolfe, and Nobel Laureate in literature Bob Dylan. He also taught Writing for Professional Careers, a practical course for writing in the work world, and Advanced Composition, primarily for writing and English Education majors. Hill enjoys working with students in all genres and at all stages of their writing education. He plays guitar and harmonica, likes wilderness backpacking, is an avid gardener, and keeps one or more surfboards handy in his 1993 GMC van.
Education
- Ph.D., Literature / Writing, University of Louisiana, Lafayette
- M.F.A., University of Iowa Writers Workshop
- B.A., Literature / Writing, University of California, Santa Cruz
Courses Taught
- Introduction to Creative Writing – WRI 220
- Poetry Writing – WRI 321
- Fiction Writing – WRI 322
- Creative Nonfiction – WRI 323
- Advanced Writing Workshop – WRI 420
- Writing For Professional Careers – WRI 365
- Advanced Composition – WRI 315
- C.S. Lewis – WRI 200
Experience in Field
- Point Loma Nazarene Universty, Professor, 2000 – present
- Taylor University, Upland IN, Associate Professor, 1993 – 2000
- Lakeland College, Sheboygan WI, Assistant Professor, 1991 – 1993
- University of Louisiana, Lafayette, Instructor, 1989 – 1991
- University of Iowa, Instructor, EOP Writing Coordinator, 1987 – 1989
- University of California, Santa Cruz, Instructor, 1985 – 1986
Professional and Community Involvement
- Member, Associated Writing Programs
- Past President, Friends of Freddy International Children's Literature Society
- Instructor, San Diego School of Christian Studies
Awards and Honors
- San Diego Book Award, 2013
- Presiding Professor, C.S. Lewis Honors Course, Wesleyan Center, 2004
- Wesleyan Center Scholar, 2003
Dissertations, Presentations, and Publications
- Editor, Inklings Forever 2016, a volume of essays on C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald, JRR Tolkien, Dorothy Sayers, and Charles Williams, 2016
- We're All From Somewhere Else, a Southern California Childhood (memoir), 2015
- Last One to Kansas City is a Hippie (novel), 2013
- Teaching C.S. Lewis 2007 (book), 2007
- No Hands (selected poetry, book), 2004
- Mark Twain Among the Scholars (edited essays, book), 2002