Date

5-20-2026

Degree

Master of Arts in English (MA)

Chair

Rachel Griffis

Keywords

Fiction, Espionage, Thriller

Disciplines

Creative Writing

Abstract

There is a natural tension between governments whose structures are maintained by strong, centralized control like those of Russia and China, and one built on a decentralized, constitutional democracy such as the United States. Although Russia and China have functioned on the global stage in a manner largely reflecting their own self-interests since the early twentieth century, that configuration will change within the fiction novel, Desert Orchid. The narrative will detail their agreement to combine their resources which will better enable them to compete with the free economy of the United States. Their goal is to usurp the global economic leadership of the U.S. In order to contend without restrictions, they will become the secret co-sponsors of a nefarious entity called the Obsidian Committee. The committee, which is composed of eight Russian and Chinese oligarchs, will serve as a buffer between the official governments and the execution of assigned missions which are frequently illegal, always clandestine, and often murderous. The resources of the American Central Intelligence Agency led by the story’s principal protagonist will be matched against the power of the committee and their chosen operatives who are well-equipped and trained to complete the dangerous tasks assigned to them without moral compunction.

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