Miss L: A Thesis

Abstract

Ben, a 23-year-old aspiring screenwriter, gets his big break when the 38-year-old actress, Miss L, discovers his script and asks to be the lead. Although noted as one of the most famous and talented actresses in the business, Miss L is known to keep to herself in her home of Mori Manor, the mansion her father, the world-renowned movie producer, Jack Martinez, left her after taking his life. As Ben and Miss L start their journey on Ben’s film, Ben’s feelings for Miss L blossom as he uncovers more about the mysterious actress through secret letters, discovering the truth behind her past filled with death, love, loss, and passion. This creative thesis begins with a critical introduction along with chapters one through six of the romance novel-in-progress, Miss L. The critical introduction discusses Miss L through touchstone novels in the genre and literary theory ultimately asking the question, do all romances require a happily ever after?