“Have I gone mad? I’m afraid so. You’re entirely bonkers!” These words from Lewis Carroll’s book “Alice in Wonderland” run through Miranda Stillings’ head daily.
She lives with her dad, older brother, and about 130 stuffed animals, including two of her favorites, a collie named Laddie and a fox called Growlithe. Since she was young, she has brought life and created characters for each one of her stuffed animals. She also created a kingdom out of her room, of which she is the ruler and all of the animals are her people.
“My imagination is insane. I have this weird connection to characters. I relate to them in any way possible. I either hate them or I sympathize with them,” Stillings said.
A junior at Tulsa Memorial High School, Stillings is involved in books, anime, music and creative writing. Her favorite bands are Alice in Chains and Soundgarden. She is currently working on her first fantasy/adventure series, and often writes fan-fiction or other short stories.
“My biggest dream is to become a published author. I want to make a name for myself. I want people to remember me. I want people to know me through my books,” Stillings said.
Another one of her dreams is to own a small business. When she was younger her mom owned one of her own, and she aspires to do the same. She also yearns to be a video game tester. Additionally, Stillings works hard in school and maintains a 3.7 GPA, with plans to attend college.
A year ago, Stillings had to move from Columbia, S.C., to Tulsa, Okla., leaving all of her friends behind. She made new friends in Tulsa, although they can’t replace the ones back home.
“I hold onto anything with any sentimental value. I have drawings my friends have given me, along with many trinkets and knick-knacks. My friends mean the world to me,” Stillings said.
Stillings said moving posed some challenges because she is naturally shy.
“I don’t really like to stand out. I’m terrified of public speaking, and even being in the spotlight at all definitely freaks me out. I’m fine with sticking to the shadows and going on with my everyday life,” Stillings said.
She may not be a big fan of public attention, but she does like being praised when it comes to her writing. When she was younger, the governor of South Carolina took notice of Stillings’ talents and presented her with a certificate for an essay on what she would change in the economy if given the opportunity.
“I’m proud of myself because I like to think I have more of an adult mind. I think more realistically rather than dreamily,” Stillings said. “Well, besides my writing.”
Stillings plans to attend college after high school, majoring in creative writing and foreign language. She also plans to take courses in both business and entrepreneurship to help prepare her for opening a business.
