Kelly Schubert Awarded for "Tale" Writing Efforts

2014 Mar 31

Kelly Schubert of Chaffee, NY was recently awarded first place in a student essay contest that's part of A Tale for Three Counties, a community book discussion program begun and organized by public librarians from Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming Counties. The GCC library has been a partner in the Tale effort for a decade and the Tale @ GCC committee sponsors the essay contest through a grant funded by the Genesee Community College Foundation.

Schubertwas one of two students from the Arcade campus of Genesee Community College who enjoyed lunch with author Karen Thompson Walker. Besides lunch with the author, the winners received a gift card to Barnes & Noble. Schubert participated in the contest at the urging of College Composition instructor Dr. Kathleen Kries. "I am so excited for them," said Dr. Kries.

A Tale for Three Counties selected Thompson Walker's book The Age of Miracles for its community book discussion program this year. It's a New York Times bestseller considered both "spellbinding" and "haunting." The book chronicles the story of adolescent Julia dealing with an altered world as the earth's rotation slows. One reviewer describes it as "All at once a coming-of-age story and a tale of a frightening possible future, this is a gem that will charm readers as well as give them the shivers."

The Tale @ GCC Committee organized Thompson Walker's visit to the GCC Batavia campus on Thursday March 20, 2014. It also sponsored the lunch with the essay contest winners. The contest is open to GCC students participating in A Tale for Three Counties. Students were limited to a one-page essay of at least 200 words, responding to one of three questions about The Age of Miracles.