Section A · Page 10
The University Daily Kansan
Monday, August 16, 1999
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'Chicken Soup' features KU student
Sophomore author obtains writing goal
By Amanda Kaschube
Kansan staff writer
The new book Chicken Soup for the College Soul, features a collection of stories written by college students, including a KU student.
Lia Gay, Santa Monica, Calif., sophomore, wrote two short stories about her experiences in college for the book, which was released two weeks ago. The book also deals with topics such as alcohol and roommates and features best-selling authors and several chief executive officers.
"I wrote on my experiences at college that I thought everyone could relate to," Gay said. "The first time you leave home is hard and this book can help you."
In the book, she writes about dealing with communal showering and returning home for Thanksgiving Break for the first time since arriving on campus.
In *The Long Road Home*, Gay writes that when she went to college, she changed and so did her family. In *Shoes in the Shower*, Gay writes that meeting new friends is difficult at times, but worth it in the end.
Kimberly Kirberger, the book's coauthor, first met Gay when she was a baby. Kirberger, who has coauthored several other Chicken Soup books, said she asked Gay to write stories for the 1998 Chicken Soup for the Teen Soul when Gay was 15.
"Lia helped me get the green light to write the book," Gay said. "She
wrote a letter of recommendation to the company and sent in several sample stories as well."
Since then, Gay also has written stories for Chicken Soup for the Teen Soul III, and Chicken Soup for the Teen Soul II, which she also helped edit.
"She just wrote from her own experience," Kirberger said. "She's a great writer."
Kirberger said Chicken Soup for the College Soul had received a great response so far.
"I've heard from college students who said college was not frightening after they read the book," she said. "It's the perfect gift to pick up for anyone in college."
Emily Liggett, Prairie Village junior, read the book its first week in stores.
"Lia's experience and her position when she wrote the stories was more helpful to freshman because she felt the same way," she said.
Gay said she received several letters from teen-agers who appreciated her stories in the teen series.
"They just said they related to my stories and they knew exactly how I felt," she said.
Gay and Kirberger might collaborate in the future on another teen-age love series, which would deal with useful topics such as relationships.
"We're going to do a three-part series," Gay said. "One will deal with relationships, one with friendships, and another with tough stuff."
Gay, who is majoring in journalism, hopes to work for magazines when she is older. She said the Chicken Soup books had opened a lot of doors for her.
"I've always wanted to write," she said. "This is my dream come true."
—Edited by Sarah Hole
Santa Monica, Calif., sophomore Lia Gay wrote about her college experiences in the new book Chicken Soup for the College Soul. Gay has written in previous Chicken Soup books. Photo by Matt Daugherty/KANSAN
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