After penning four acclaimed novels, two short story collections and several children’s books, author Yannick Murphy will experience a first this week.
Murphy is visiting Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties as part of the “A Tale for Three Counties” community reading project, which is featuring her novel “The Call” this year. For Murphy, it is the first time she has participated in such a program.
The Vermont author is scheduled to make four public appearances in the three counties beginning with two events on Thursday. Murphy’s first talk and signing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Thursday in the Conable Technology Building at Genesee Community College, 1 College Rd., Batavia, then at 7 p.m. she presents a program at Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St., Batavia. Programs continue at 7 p.m. Friday at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library, 620 West Ave., Medina; and 11 a.m. Saturday at Perry Elementary/Middle School, 50 Olin Ave., Perry, a program hosted by Perry Public Library.
Tale, which is celebrating its 10th year in 2012, encourages residents of the three counties to read the same book, discuss it at a series of library discussions, and then meet the author during a series of local visits.
“Hearing an author talk about her work gives readers an inside view to the creative process as well as the stumbling blocks to developing stories, editing and publishing. It’s another dimension to reading a book and discussing a book, and it is a great way to end the ‘Tale for Three Counties’ events,” said Leslie DeLooze, the Richmond librarian who started the Tale program.
Authors typically discuss the featured work and also talk about what inspires them to write, how they go about the process and how they learned their craft.
Each talk is expected to last about an hour with time for the audience to ask questions.
For the college program, Murphy said she expects to share her experiences on becoming a writer in college, where she went and share some of her own experiences teaching creative writing at various colleges. At other sessions, Murphy may share 10 interesting facts or so about the book and how she wrote it.
Murphy said last week she was making plans for her programs, but, more importantly, she said she would encourage the audience to guide the topics of her talks.
“I’m going to make sure if they have questions they will get answers,” Murphy said in a telephone interview from her home in Reading, Vt. “Because you choose the book, and I want their voices to guide their part of the story.”
Book signings will take place after each talk. Copies of Murphy’s book and several of her other titles, will be available for purchase. The Tale organizing committee will be selling copies of “The Call”; local independent bookstores will be selling the other titles.
All four talks are open to the public, with the GCC event typically drawing a mix of college and community members.
“We expect a good turnout. A large number of classes participated this year, with a lot of students using the book in their classes,” said Nina Warren, director of library services at GCC.
Murphy will also participate in two invitation-only gatherings: a Thursday morning reception at GCC in which three winners of a college-sponsored writing contest will be honored, and a lunch-time discussion Friday at the D&R Depot, Le Roy, that will feature six winners from a writing contest sponsored by The Daily News.
“It’s always fun about 11 a.m. when you see the author walk through the door,” Warren said. “We have built interest from year to year and it all comes together when that first day finally arrives.”
