CHARLESTON, W.Va.-- Marilyn Sue Shank, author of a recently published young-adult novel set in the West Virginia Mountains, said Wednesday she went against some advice given by others as she wrote her novel.
Lydia Hawkins, the main character in "Child of the Mountains," grew up poor on the West Virginia mountains, living with her mother, who was widowed; her smart younger brother, who had cystic fibrosis; and her wise grandmother.
When her mother got jailed on false charges, Lydia was forced to move to a coal camp with her aunt and uncle, making her feel very alone. She also faced ridicule from other students at her new school for her outgrown home clothes and the way she talked.
"I used dialect I remember as a little girl," Shank said before her talk Wednesday at the University of Charleston's Builders Luncheon. "I was taught to use voices in writing.
"When I went to [writers'] conferences, I was told not to use dialect. 'Kids can't read dialect,' I was told," Shank said. "I used it."
Shank will also speak at the West Virginia Book Festival next month. The Book Festival's promotion of her upcoming talk states, "Voice is letting go of rules, preconceptions and expectations to discover meaning, not only for your characters, but for yourself."
Although "Child of the Mountains" is Shank's first novel, she's also the co-author of a college textbook on special education, "Exceptional Lives: Special Education in Today's Schools."
Shank earned her Ph.D. in special education at the University of Kansas, majoring in learning disabilities and behavior disorders. She has taught in elementary school, high school and college, including the University of Charleston's Education Department between 2003 and 2007.
CHARLESTON, W.Va.-- Marilyn Sue Shank, author of a recently published young-adult novel set in the West Virginia Mountains, said Wednesday she went against some advice given by others as she wrote her novel.
Lydia Hawkins, the main character in "Child of the Mountains," grew up poor on the West Virginia mountains, living with her mother, who was widowed; her smart younger brother, who had cystic fibrosis; and her wise grandmother.
When her mother got jailed on false charges, Lydia was forced to move to a coal camp with her aunt and uncle, making her feel very alone. She also faced ridicule from other students at her new school for her outgrown home clothes and the way she talked.
"I used dialect I remember as a little girl," Shank said before her talk Wednesday at the University of Charleston's Builders Luncheon. "I was taught to use voices in writing.
"When I went to [writers'] conferences, I was told not to use dialect. 'Kids can't read dialect,' I was told," Shank said. "I used it."
Shank will also speak at the West Virginia Book Festival next month. The Book Festival's promotion of her upcoming talk states, "Voice is letting go of rules, preconceptions and expectations to discover meaning, not only for your characters, but for yourself."
Although "Child of the Mountains" is Shank's first novel, she's also the co-author of a college textbook on special education, "Exceptional Lives: Special Education in Today's Schools."
Shank earned her Ph.D. in special education at the University of Kansas, majoring in learning disabilities and behavior disorders. She has taught in elementary school, high school and college, including the University of Charleston's Education Department between 2003 and 2007.
Today, she lives in Putnam County with her three rescued dogs. In the near future, Shank said, she plans to write a novel for middle-grade children and three novels for young adults.
Katherine Giltinan, who annually organizes three UC Builders lunches featuring local authors, said, "A lot of colleges and universities have a town-and-gown conflict.
"The University of Charleston Builders Group demonstrates that the community and the university can be connected in very positive ways."
The University of Charleston Builders was founded in 1954, when the university was still Morris Harvey College. Shank's father graduated from Morris Harvey.
During its existence, the Builders has donated more than $360,000 to various university projects. Founded as the Women Builders, the group began accepting men as members in 1990.
Shank will speak at the West Virginia Book Festival at 12:30 p.m. Oct. 14 at the Charleston Civic Center. Her talk is entitled, "Finding Your Voice: Lessons I Learned from Child of the Mountains."
The next University of Charleston Builders Luncheon featuring authors will take place Oct. 31. Jessie Grayson and Ellen Thompson McCloud will speak about their book, "Shadows and Mountains: Tales from the Dark Heart of Appalachia."
Reach Paul J. Nyden at pjny...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5164.
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