Dr. Deborah Brothers grew up in southern Illinois and earned her Ph.D. in English Studies from Illinois State University, with emphases in Children’s Literature, Composition, and Pedagogy. Other research interests include writer Louisa May Alcott and feminist theories as applied to literature (including graphic novels and comic books). She teaches literature, composition, film, and Introduction to Women’s Studies. She is a composition coordinator, academic non-fiction editor for the Lincoln Land Review, the founding advisor to the Feminist Activist Coalition, founded and coordinates the annual Banned Books Reading event, and writes book reviews for Choice Magazine.