James Francis, Jr.

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Dr. Francis received his BA and MA in creative writing from Texas A&M University. He studied children’s literature and film at MTSU where he attained his PhD, now specializing in film (horror studies), children’s literature, and creative writing. He is the author of Remaking Horror: Hollywood’s New Reliance on Scares of Old, which chronicles the contemporary film industry phenomenon of horror-movie remakes. He has published book chapters in Dexter: Investigating Cutting Edge Television and TV Goes to Hell: An Unofficial Road Map of Supernatural as part of his background in television and media studies; The Scientist in Popular Culture: Playing God and Working Wonders and Bloody Women: Women Directors of Horror regarding his specialty in Horror Studies; and The Tennessee Williams Annual Review connected to his interest in Queer Studies. He is the editor for Images in Motion: Exploring Visual Storytelling and served as contributing author and editor to Howdy or Hello?: Technical and Professional Communication; Surface and Subtext: Literature, Research, Writing; and Marvels and Wonders: Reading, Researching, and Writing about Science Fiction and Fantasy, all open-educational resource textbooks created by TAMU English Department committees in order to provide free-access educational resources to the instructor and student populations to enhance teaching and learning practices and increase academic equity. Dr. Francis is also an internationally-published portrait, fashion, and art photographer. As an Instructional Associate Professor at TAMU, he is currently researching and co-authoring two genre-studies monographs on horror musicals and A.I. in science-fiction film with former students of the TAMU English Department.

Experience

  • 2024–present
    Instructional Associate professor, Texas A&M University
  • 2021–2024
    Senior lecturer, Texas A&M University
  • 2016–2021
    Lecturer, Texas A&M University
  • 2008–2015
    Adjunct professor, MTSU

Education

  • 2010 
    Middle Tennessee State University, PhD
  • 2005 
    Texas A&M University, MA
  • 1999 
    Texas A&M University, BA

Publications

  • 2024
    Images in Motion: Exploring Cinematic Storytelling, Editor
  • 2022
    "Frankenstein Goes West: The Mad Scientist from Classic Literature to Modern Horror”, The Scientist in Popular Culture (book chapter)
  • 2022
    “Angela Bettis: Gender in the Space of Collaborative Horror”, Bloody Women! Women Directors of Horror (book chapter)
  • 2022
    Marvels and Wonders: Reading, Researching, and Writing about Science Fiction and Fantasy , Contributing Author
  • 2021
    Surface and Subtext: Literature, Research, Writing, Contributing Author
  • 2020
    Howdy or Hello?: Technical and Professional Communication, Contributing Author
  • 2013
    Remaking Horror: Hollywood's New Reliance on Scares of Old, McFarland
  • 2011
    "That's So Gay: Camp, Drag, and the Power of Storytelling in Supernatural", Supernatural: TV Goes to Hell (book chapter)
  • 2010
    "The Lighter Side of Death: Dexter as Comedy", Dexter: Investigating Cutting Edge Television (book chapter)
  • 2009
    "Horror and Noir", LGBTW America Today: An Encyclopedia
  • 2009
    "Tennessee Williams (1911-1983)", LGBTW America Today: An Encyclopedia
  • 2007
    "Camping Out: Sexuality as Aesthetic Value in Tennessee Williams' 'And Tell Sad Stories of the Deaths of Queens'", Tennessee Williams Annual Review

Grants and Contracts

  • 2023
    Curricular Arts Enhancement Grant
    Role:
    Primary Investigator
    Funding Source:
    TAMU AVPA
  • 2021
    Virtual Workshop Grant
    Role:
    Primary Investigator
    Funding Source:
    TAMU AVPA
  • 2019
    H3I Grant
    Role:
    Co-investigator
    Funding Source:
    TAMU CLA

Professional Memberships

  • Society for Cinema & Media Studies

Contact James for

  • General
  • Media request
  • Speaking request
  • Consulting / Advising
  • Research collaboration