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'Tale' author says he's ready to talk
Mullen hopes for 'dialogue' with readers
March 12, 2008
Local News, The (Batavia, N.Y.) Daily News,
By Ben Beagle
bbeagle@batavianews.com
Thomas Mullen has done book tours, and the related readings and signings.
He's been on author panels.
But Thursday will be the first time the author of the historical fiction
novel The Last Town on Earth will stand before a large audience of people
who have likely read his work before his program.
So, Mullen says, he expects to be making some changes to his usual presentation.
"I really want to get more of a dialogue going with people and
hear what they have to say," he says. "I don't want to bore
people by reading a chapter that they've already read."
Mullen will present four talks and book signings Thursday through Saturday
as part of the "A Tale for Three Counties" community reading
project.
Since January, readers in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties have
been reading Mullen's debut novel and discussing the story at library-organized
events, local book shops and other book discussion groups.
Now, they get to meet the author.
The first two public programs are scheduled for Thursday: 1 p.m. in
Room T102 of the Conable Technology Building at Genesee Community College,
1 College Rd., Batavia; and 7 p.m. at Richmond Memorial Library, 19
Ross St., Batavia.
Similar programs follow at 7 p.m. Friday at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library,
620 West Ave., Medina, and 2 p.m. Saturday in the auditorium at Perry
Elementary/Middle School, 50 Olin Ave., Perry, the latter hosted by
Perry Public Library with assistance from other Wyoming County libraries.
Admission to all of the programs is free.
Also, on Friday, Mullen will meet six winners of the Tale book review
contest for a lunch-time discussion at D&R Depot in Le Roy.
The Last Town on Earth tells the story of the small town of Commonwealth
and the consequences of the town's decision to quarantine itself to
protect itself from the devastating 1918 flu epidemic.
The main characters are faced with unexpected moral and ethical decisions
surrounding the quarantine. The novel is influenced by many history-shaping
events, such as the unionization of workers by the Industrial Workers
of the World and Liberty Bond-pitching "Four-minute Men."
Last April, Mullen visited the state College of Technology at Canton
where up to 75 students in the Character Development Reading program
read the book. Mullen's novel was selected for the program because of
its timely subject matter and the moral dilemmas the characters face,
said Daniel J. Sweeney, the college's dean of students and vice president
for student affairs.
"As a speaker he's very down to earth," Sweeney says. "The
students related very easily to him. The students felt very comfortable
with him."
At Canton, Mullen talked about the book, his interest in current and
historical events and how they came together in his novel, and why he
writes. With the last part, Sweeney says, "students got very interested
in a discussion with him."
"They left feeling that becoming an author could be a worthwhile
profession," Sweeney says. "He's a very lively author, and
very open in telling about his successes and failures."
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AUDIO PREVIEW: To hear Thomas Mullen talk about The Last Town on Earth,
his writing career and what he would have done if faced with a situation
like Graham when the stranger approached, check the Tale Web site, www.taleforthreecounties.org.
Audio excerpts from the author's interview with The Daily News are expected
to be posted later today.
---
Twenty libraries in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties along with
representatives from Genesee Community College, Genesee Valley BOCES
School Library System, and the Daily News organized ''A Tale for Three
Counties.'' Sponsors include The Daily News, the Genesee-Orleans Regional
Arts Council, the Arts Council for Wyoming County, the Bank of Castile/Tompkins
Insurance Agencies Inc., Wal-Mart, Genesee Community College, Burlingham
Books, Genesee Valley BOCES and Friends of Richmond Memorial Library.
Additional funding is provided from nearly a dozen library Friends groups
and businesses. The complete list can be found online at www.taleforthreecounties.org.
Back to 2008 Articles
Courtesy of Batavia Newspapers Corporation