RIC alumnus Melissa Medenciy ’06, whose authorial name is M.Z. Medenciy, was recently honored with the International Latino Book Award in the fantasy category for her novel “Island Eight.” This award is the largest Latino literary and cultural award in the United States. It is designed to recognize the greatness in books by and about Latinos around the world – from established authors to those who are just beginning their writing career. An Ecuadorean American, Medenciy has been writing fiction since a child. This is her first published novel.