6-9 PM
Join us for an evening seminar moderated by Cara Black, author of the Parisian Aimée Leduc mysteries (Murder in Montmartre, Murder in Clichy and Murder in the Marais), as she leads an esteemed panel of mystery writers in a discussion of the tricky craft of keeping readers on the edge of their seats.
In addition to reflecting on the writing process, the panelists will address issues related to the publishing aspects of writing, such as contacting agents and working with publishing houses. Each panelist comes to 826 with a unique experience and approach to mystery writing. No details will be spared, all pertinent secrets will be revealed.
About our panelists:
Laurie R. King, a Bay Area native, is the creator of two highly acclaimed mystery series. The eponymous heroine of the Mary Russell novels (The Beekeeper's Apprentice, The Game) challenges her partner, a retired Sherlock Holmes, to pick up his tweed deerstalker cap and return to the fray. Her other series, set closer to home, features San Francisco homicide inspector Kate Martinelli. King’s debut book A Grave Talent, won the Edgar award for the best first novel and she is also the recipient of the Nero and MacCavity awards. Her newest release is entitled The Art of Detection.
James Calder’s fascination with the interaction of science and culture drives the narratives of his Bill Damen novels, published by Chronicle Books. Set against the backdrop of the biotechnology industry in San Francisco, where the author lives, In a Family Way, About Face and Knockout Mouse explore the human’s role in the looming “posthuman” world of genetic engineering. When he’s not working at fiction, Calder writes neuroscience computer games.
Nadia Gordon is the pen name of Julianne Balmain. Her epicurean mysteries (Death by the Glass, Sharpshooter, and Murder Alfresco) follow the exploits of chef and amateur sleuth Sunny McCoskey, as she uses her highly tuned nose to sniff out the wrongdoers in California’s Napa Valley. Balmain is currently working on the fourth book in the series.
David Corbett, a former private investigator with the San Francisco firm of Palladino & Sutherland, is a novelist, poet, screenwriter, and the author of numerous short stories and articles. His first book, The Devil’s Redhead, was nominated for the Anthony and Barry Awards for Best First Novel of 2002. His second, Done for a Dime, was named a New York Times Notable Book and was nominated for the Macavity Award for Best Novel of 2003. His latest novel, Blood of Paradise, will appear in March, 2007, as part of the new Random House “Mortalis” imprint, specializing in historical and foreign crime fiction. His short story, “It Can Happen,” which appeared in the anthology San Francisco Noir, has been nominated for a Macavity Award for Best Short Story of 2005.