Tyler Maher is a fourth–year student majoring in English with a concentration in creative writing. He is writing a high fantasy novella under the advisement of New York Times bestselling author, Justin Torres. Tyler has written fiction and poetry for eight years, with a focus on genre fiction (fantasy, horror, and sci–fi). He spent his summer reading research articles and notable works in the high fantasy subgenre, along with literature written in the Middle Ages. He strives to write character-driven stories that challenge the gender and racial tropes that are often associated with works of fantasy. Tyler is eager to share his writing during UCLA’s Undergraduate Research Week, where he will present his novella in a format that parallels author readings given by published novelists.