Author Irene Zabytko in the spotlight at book signings at Seton Hall and Yale (05/28/00)

Author Irene Zabytko in the spotlight at book signings at Seton Hall and Yale

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Ukrainian American author Irene Zabytko participated in book-signing ceremonies and public readings of her newly released novel "The Sky Unwashed" at the Yale University Bookstore on April 25 and at Seton Hall University on April 26. The book readings coincided with the 14th anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster, which is the subject of her highly acclaimed novel.

Ms. Zabytko has been nominated for Barnes & Noble's "Discover Great New Authors" series, and her novel has been widely praised as a "poignant debut" and an "unforgettable" and "riveting" tour de force by several prestigious literary critics.

The novel traces the life of an elderly woman (Marusia Petrenko) who returns to the Chornobyl exclusion zone after being evacuated with her family at the height of the Chornobyl emergency.

Ms. Zabytko was hosted by the School of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J., where she was welcomed by Ambassador Clay Constantinou and former White House Ethnic Relations Coordinator Marilyn DiGiacobbe, concurrently associate dean for external affairs at the university.

Despite the fact that her appearance fell within the stressful period prior to final exams, Ms. Zabytko addressed a sizeable audience of faculty and students as she read excerpts from her book. Many attendees remained after the presentation to ask questions and to buy signed copies of the novel.

One day earlier, on April 25, Ms. Zabytko signed copies of her book in New Haven, Conn., at the Yale University (Barnes & Noble) Book Store, where she was greeted by enthusiasts who came from several states to meet the author. Her comments were broadcast on two college radio stations: WQUN from Quinnipiac University and WUNH from the University of New Haven.

"I hope that my book encourages other Ukrainian Americans to write their own novels and short stories. Given Ukraine's wonderful literary tradition of Shevchenko, Franko and other world-class writers, it is really a shame that our works are not read by a broader audience. I would like to think that our time has come," he said.

Ms. Zabytko shared her experiences in preparing her novel for publication. "You have to be prepared for a lot of rejection before your work is finally published, and you have to be prepared to go through multiple re-writes and edits. This is a very humbling process."

Despite the difficulties involved, Ms. Zabytko said she was deeply gratified to be able to tell the story of "these strong Ukrainian women with whom we've all grown up." Although the plight of the Chornobyl survivors was very tragic, Ms. Zabytko stressed that ultimately, their experience was a triumph of the human spirit.

As a journalist with the Orlando Sentinel, Ms. Zabytko was also invited to address the United Nations Correspondents Association during a special press conference on the occasion of the Chornobyl anniversary on April 26.

To obtain a copy of "The Sky Unwashed" readers should contact their local branch of Barnes & Noble or Waldenbooks. Copies are also available from the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund and may be ordered by calling (973) 376-5140.

| Home Page |