WVU Libraries

WVU Intranet, October 16, 2006 

West Virginia University and Marshall meet again this fall. However, this time there won’t be a football.

Instead, the excitement is all part of the third author’s luncheon for supporters of the libraries at WVU and Marshall. The event kicks off at noon, Friday, Oct. 27 at the Embassy Suites in Charleston.

“We are truly grateful for all of our wonderful supporters, and this luncheon is our way of showing them our appreciation,” WVU Libraries Dean Frances O’Brien said.

“We expect that everyone will have a great time. Past luncheons show us that people enjoy meeting writers and hearing them talk about their craft.”

This time guests will get acquainted with Gwyn Rubio, author of the New York Times bestseller “Icy Sparks.”

A review in The New York Times called Rubio “a writer of uncommonly warm and tender vision, often comic, brimming with love and hope.” Oprah Winfrey selected the title for her book club, and the Discover Great New Writers program included the book for its list “The Next Wave of Great Literary Voices.”

Her latest novel, “The Woodman’s Daughter,” was a Book Club Pick of the Week on the Barnes & Noble web site and received stellar reviews in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Denver Post, and Booklist – the review journal of the American Library Association.

The Georgia native lives in Versailles, Ky., with her husband, Angel.

Lunch will be served at noon, and then Rubio will take to the podium to share how she develops her plots and characters and offer some personal reflections on her work. Following her presentation, Rubio will be available to answer questions and sign books.

“People will like Gwyn because of the human element of her work, and because of her ‘quirky’ publishing experience,” said Barbara Winters, dean of the Marshall University Libraries. “She’s also a very entertaining speaker.”

For some, though, the most intriguing part of the story is the partnership between WVU and Marshall.

The two academic libraries began collaborating on initiatives shortly after O’Brien and Winters became deans at their respective universities. Since then, both play active roles in the West Virginia Library Association and visit the state Legislature each year to advocate for funding for libraries around the state.

That connection led to the first joint luncheon in spring 2003. The luncheons are sponsored by the Friends of the WVU Libraries and the Marshall University Library Associates.

“We chose this particular avenue to express our gratitude to alums and friends in the Kanawha Valley for their good support of our efforts to enhance our collections and resources,” Winters said.

For more information about the luncheon, contact Monte Maxwell, WVU Libraries Development Representative, 304-293-4040, ext. 4004.