CONGRATULATIONS to Alexander Elvin who was our Summer Reading essay winner!!!! 

 Click Here to read Alex's essay

During First Days, you will meet in small groups with other incoming students and members of the MCLA faculty and staff to discuss this book. Please come prepared to submit the following written assignments to your discussion leader on September 3rd. This book will also be used in your College Writing course this fall.

Essay Questions: Write a 500 word essay on one of the questions below. You should bring your essay with you to hand in to your discussion group leader on September 3rd. The essays will be evaulated and the winning essay will be awarded a $150 gift certificate to the MCLA bookstore and will be published in the student newspaper, The Beacon.

1.  Discuss the presentation of the book and how the author uses time to develop the pace of the story.

2.  The author has subverted the mystery genre in certain ways, please discuss.

3.  Choose a character from the book and write a character analysis.  A character analysis consists of describing the character's physical characteristics, behavior, actions, relations with other characters, goals, desires, and aims.  The emphasis should be placed on what a character wants and how s/he goes about getting it.

Lecture/Concert:  Following the discussion groups, you will have an opportunity to hear Karen Shepard speak about her book while enjoying the music of Cynthia Hopkins of Gloria Deluxe.  Immediately after the presentation, there will be a book signing reception. Remember to bring your book!

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