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Collected Works
A Curated CV & Portfolio for OwlCrate
I am a storyteller in many forms: writer, designer, collaborator, and dreamer. My mission is to create experiences—whether in books, digital spaces, or performance—that are imaginative, inclusive, and unforgettable. This page is a curated box of my Collected Works, unboxed here to show the creativity, design sense, and collaborative energy I would bring to OwlCrate.
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I strive to unlock the hidden chambers of the heart, where fear and hate dwell, guiding us to confront those shadows and awaken the courage to embrace love and discovery.
Table of Contents
Collected Works: CV
Annika Nori Ahlgrim
Remote | Based in Ashland, OR | annikanori.com
Creative writer, designer, and collaborator with deep experience in storytelling, cross-disciplinary teamwork, and project development. I thrive in fast-paced, imaginative environments where art, words, and design come together to create meaningful experiences.
Core Skills
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Storytelling & Writing — fiction, playwriting, copywriting, content creation, script coverage
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Design & Digital — web design (Wix), Canva, Photoshop, typography, branding, UX copy
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Collaboration & Production — theater/live production, creative brainstorming, team communication
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Research & Editing — AP style, historical research, academic/creative synthesis
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Soft Skills — empathy, adaptability, creative problem-solving, deadline management
Experience
Co-Director of Communications & Website Designer – Beneath and Beyond
Remote | 2025–Present
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Co-led branding and communications for a nonprofit advancing education equity.
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Designed and launched an accessible website aligned with mission and voice.
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Maintained consistent visuals and narrative clarity across all digital platforms.
Freelance Copywriter & Content Creator
Remote | 2020–Present
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Produced SEO-optimized blogs, web content, and campaign copy for education, wellness, and arts clients.
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Integrated brand voice and accessibility standards across multi-channel content.
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Managed multi-client workflows, meeting fast-paced deadlines with clear communication.
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Portfolio: www.annikanori.com/writingportfolio
Digital Content Writer & Designer – The Hollow Skull
Remote | 2022–Present
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Created historical essays and designed digital storytelling archive.
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Translated research into accessible, engaging content for public audiences.
Director of Communications – Nori Society
Remote | 2020–Present
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Developed newsletters, event promotions, and editorial features.
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Highlighted interdisciplinary creatives through original narratives/interviews.
Facility Supervisor – City of Mountain View
Mountain View, CA | 2023–2025
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Supervised live events, ensuring safe operations and smooth communication between directors, crews, and emergency staff.
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Coordinated logistics for performance venues, maintaining detailed show notes and production timelines.
Additional Roles:
Producer (Kimberly Clouse Productions), Literary Reader (Playwrights Foundation), Teaching Artist (TheatreWorks, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust), Website Designer (various clients).
Education
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MA Shakespeare & Creativity, University of Birmingham (2018)
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BFA Theatre & Original Works, Cornish College of the Arts (2016)
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Playwriting intensives & workshops (Playwrights Center, Dramatists Guild, Dragon Theater, 2021–2025)
Curated Application Materials
Dark Academia OwlCrate Box – Video Reflection
As part of my application, I was asked to record a short video speaking about an OwlCrate box, book, or product I love. I chose the Dark Academia box for its purposeful curation, thoughtful usability, and artistic inspiration.
In this video, I share why it stood out to me — from the Dellecher Shakespeare Conservatory-inspired tea set from If We Were Villains to the literary tea created in response to Dead Poet's Society — and how OwlCrate uses its boxes to showcase artist's reflections and responses to literature.
Special Edition Design Concept – Sundial by Catriona Ward
As part of my application, I was asked to curate a special edition of a favorite book and present my art direction choices. For Sundial, I created a design study that includes a dust jacket, naked hardcover, endpapers, and stenciled edges, along with a mood board and visual identity choices.
This presentation explores how I would turn my passion for the story into a collectible edition, highlighting color palette, typography, motifs, and key scenes that inspired each element.
Featured Artifacts
A curated selection of my Collected Works — projects that showcase how I blend storytelling, design, and collaboration to create meaningful, bookish experiences.
Artifact One: The Hollow Skull
(Digital Archive & Blog)
Where forgotten histories find their voice
A digital archive and blog blending research and narrative storytelling. I designed an SEO-optimized, visually engaging platform that transforms complex history into accessible stories.
Why it matters: Shows my ability to curate stories, build immersive platforms, and merge research with creative design.
Artifact Two: Original Book Cover Design
The Tower
Designing the story before it’s even read
I created this concept cover for one of my novels-in-progress, exploring typography, image, and mood. It reflects how I envision books as both narrative journeys and beautiful, collectible objects.
Artifact Three: A Brief History
Storytelling through words and images
A visual-narrative feature that pairs text with curated imagery. Designed for impact and accessibility, it demonstrates how I merge writing + design to craft cohesive experiences.
Artifact Four: If You Can Dream It
Photography Collage
Ideas are bubbles, ready to float into the world.
A digital collage made in Photoshop featuring a child blowing bubbles filled with objects from Peter Pan. This piece inspired my current brand identity—whimsical, imaginative, and story-driven.
Why it matters: Showcases my visual creativity, narrative imagination, and ability to design artwork with emotional and thematic resonance.
Artifact Five: Fourplay
Collaborative Theatre Project
Where Shakespeare’s women wait in the silence of pseudocide.
Co-conceived, co-written, and produced with an ensemble, Fourplay reimagined the liminal spaces of Shakespeare’s heroines who feign death. My role included leading concept development, co-writing Hermione from The Winter’s Tale, and performing in the production, which was staged at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s The Other Place in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Why it matters: Demonstrates collaborative creation, literary reinterpretation, and high-level production experience with an internationally recognized arts institution.
Artifact Six: Helix
Thriller Series
(In Development)
A nine-book journey through loss, justice, and hidden histories.
An original psychological thriller series interweaving forensic genealogy and genetic science. Includes detailed arcs, character journeys, and pitch materials.
Helix: A Nine Book Series
2025
A forensic genealogist unravels a serial killer's decades-long path of genetic violence—and uncovers the institutional systems that let it happen.
Helix is a 9-book psychological thriller series following Dr. Mara Ellison, a forensic genealogist haunted by the disappearance of her sister. When a string of cold cases reveal a disturbing mitochondrial DNA pattern, Mara becomes entangled in the hunt for a killer who targets girls with a rare genetic marker. As Mara, and detectives Nick Jain and Mei Hao trace decades of buried crimes, they uncover not just a pattern—but a system built to erase these girls. Each book weaves a standalone case into a larger reckoning with medical ethics, family secrets, and institutional failures.
9-Book Series Arc: Helix
Full overview of each book, including the central case, character development, and systemic theme.
Stillbone: Helix Book 1 – Chapter Outline
A detailed chapter-by-chapter outline of the series opener, showing structure, narrative escalation, and character beats.
Final Chapter
Thank you for unboxing my Collected Works! I would be thrilled to bring this same creativity, collaboration, and bookish passion to OwlCrate. Here’s to creating more magical reading experiences together.
Stories live not only in the words, but in the objects we hold in our hands.