Jason Offutt

Senior Instructor

Education

• M.A. Mass Communication; Central Missouri State University, 2002
• B.S. Broadcasting and Film; Central Missouri State University, 1987

Courses Taught

• Introduction to Mass Media
• Professional Media Writing
• Reporting
• Opinion Writing
• Communication Law and Ethics
• Photojournalism
• Sports Photography

Academic Interests

• Journalism
• Writing
• Photography
• Ghosts, and stuff.

Creative Activity

Jason has published the following books:

• Chasing North American Monsters: A Guide to Over 250 Creatures from Greenland to Guatemala (2025), paranormal non-fiction
• The Boy from Two Worlds (2024), horror novel and sequel to The Girl in the Corn
• The Girl in the Corn (2022), horror novel 
  • Winner of Independent Book Publisher Association’s Gold awards for the Best Horror Novel of the year and the Best Horror Audiobook of the year
• So You Had to Build a Time Machine (2020), humor/sci-fi novel
• Chasing American Monsters: 250 Creatures, Cryptids, and Hairy Beasts (2019), paranormal non-fiction
• Bad Day for a Road Trip (2018), sci-fi novel and the sequel to Bad Day for the Apocalypse
• Bad Day for the Apocalypse (2017), sci-fi novel
• Road Closed: Twelve bloody stories to brighten your day (2017), short story compilation
• J. C. Penney: The Man With a Thousand Partners (2017), biography for elementary school students
• Matriarchal Nazi Cannibals (2016), novella
• Ella Ewing: The Missouri Giantess (2016), biography for elementary school students
• How to Kill Monsters Using Common Household Items (2015), parody guidebook
• A Funeral Story (2014), nerd romance novel
• Helen Stephens: The Fulton Flash (2014), biography for elementary school students
• Across a Corn-Swept Land: An epic beer run through the Upper Midwest (2013), humorous travelogue
• Paranormal Missouri: Show-me your monsters (2010), paranormal non-fiction
• What Lurks Beyond: The paranormal in your backyard (2010), paranormal non-fiction
• Darkness Walks: The shadow people among us (2009), paranormal non-fiction
• Haunted Missouri: A ghostly guide to the Show-me State’s Most Spirited Spots (2007), paranormal non-fiction
• On Being Dad (2005), humor

Other Professional Experiences

Seventeen years journalism experience including:

• Reporting
• Editing
• Newspaper design
• News photography
• Sports photography
• Opinion Writing
• Humor writing

Other

• Jason wrote an award-winning humor column from 1991 until its retirement in 2020.
• He won the Dean’s Faculty Award for Teaching in 2015.
• He was awarded a collaborative grant with chemistry and physics to purchase a time machine.