Gwyn Hyman Rubio (born August 7, 1949) is an American author, best known for her novel Icy Sparks.
Gwyn Hyman Rubio | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 7, 1949 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Florida State University, U.S. |
| Known for | Writing, Icy Sparks |
| Spouse | Angel Rubio (1978-present) |
| Website | http://www.gwynhymanrubio.com |
Early life
editGwyn Ellen Hyman Rubio was born in Macon, Georgia and raised in Cordele to parents Gwendolyn Holt Hyman and Mac Hyman, author of No Time for Sergeants.[1] She graduated from Florida State University in 1971 with a degree in English. She then joined the Peace Corps, where she met her husband Angel and spent several years working as a teacher in Costa Rica.[2] After returning to the U.S. and settling in Kentucky she became interested in writing, ultimately receiving a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Warren Wilson College in 1986. She currently resides in Versailles, Kentucky.
Career
editShe wrote for a decade before her first novel Icy Sparks was published in 1998. Drawing from Rubio's own childhood struggle with epilepsy, the book follows a girl in rural 1950s Kentucky as she develops the symptoms of Tourette syndrome.[3] Icy Sparks received favorable reviews from critics, but sales were modest until it was selected for Oprah's Book Club in 2001.[3][4] Her 2005 novel, The Woodsman's Daughter, takes place in 1800s Georgia and tells the story of Dalia Miller, the oldest daughter of a turpentine farmer whose past affects his entire family.[5] Rubio also wrote a third novel which was never published.[6] Rubio's latest novel, published in October 2014, Love and Ordinary Creatures, follows a cockatoo named Caruso as he tries to win over the affections of his owner in 1990s North Carolina.[7]
Publications
edit- Sharing Power
- Icy Sparks (1998)
- The Woodsman's Daughter (2005)
- Love and Ordinary Creatures (2014)
Awards and honors
edit- Cecil Hackney literary award (for "Little Saint")
- Kentucky Arts Council grant
- Kentucky Foundation for Women grant
- "The Next Wave of Great Literary Voices" in the Discover Great New Writers program (for Icy Sparks)
- Book Sense Pick (for The Woodsman's Daughter)[8]
References
edit- ^ "About Gwyn Hyman Rubio". gwynhymanrubio.com. Retrieved 2018-07-12.
- ^ "Interview with Gwyn Hyman Rubio, November 29, 2005". kentuckyoralhistory.org. Archived from the original on July 11, 2018. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
- ^ a b "An Interview with author Gwyn Hyman Rubio | Jody Ewing". Jody Ewing. 2011-12-19. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
- ^ "Icy Sparks". Oprah.com. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
- ^ "The Woodsman's Daughter". gwynhymanrubio.com. Retrieved 2018-07-17.
- ^ "Whatever Happened to Gwyn Hyman Rubio (Costa Rica 1971-73)? | Peace Corps Worldwide". peacecorpsworldwide.org. Retrieved 2018-07-21.
- ^ "Love and Ordinary Creatures". gwynhymanrubio.com. Retrieved 2018-07-17.
- ^ "The Penmen Profile: Bestselling Author Gwyn Hyman Rubio - Penmen Review - Penmen Review". penmenreview.com. Retrieved 2018-07-16.