Berkeley Mystery Writing Intensive, YA Bumpkins!!

So what's up--what's up? I'm about to get into an interview with my good friend Cornelia Read where she's going to tell you about an awesome Mystery Writing Intensive Workshop here in the Berkeley on the weekend of Nov. 21 and 22. Check out more info here: http://www.berkeleymysteryworkshop.com/Home.html Boo Yah! Just like that.

Now here I am sitting down with Cornelia to talk it all out:

Q&A for Berkeley Mystery Writing Intensive

Q: So, tell me a little bit about this workshop. Who’s going to be on the faculty?

A: First and foremost, the inimitably sublime author Seth Harwood, of course—he of the podcasting brilliance and downright-goddamn-genius prose. Young Mr. Harwood will be joined by a select tribe of the Bay Area’s finest crime writers, including Juliet Blackwell, Tony Broadbent, Sophie Littlefield, and Tim Maleeny.

Q: And you, right?

A: And me, though I wouldn’t feel comfortable describing myself qualitatively as a writer. I mainly just type and hope for the best.

Q: You the bomb, girl! Straight up! You’re also flying two folks out from New York to present.

A: Yeah, and I think they’re both amazing, so that makes me very happy. We’ve got Barbara Poelle coming out, who is a very well-regarded literary agent and an awesome speaker. If you want the inside dirt on what agents and editors are looking for in a manuscript, she’s your woman.

And Peter Riegert is coming, which is way cool. He’s a tremendously talented actor—Local Hero, Animal House, Traffic, Sexual Perversity in Chicago, The Sopranos—but he’s also done outstanding work as a director and screenwriter. I’ve gotten to know him a bit because he’s optioned my first novel, A Field of Darkness, and I’ve really come to value his insights into writing, character, narrative, and creativity in general. Seriously, I could sit at his feet for days, just going, “Dude, talk MORE....” One of the smartest people I’ve ever met, and witty as hell, too.

We’re also going to have a kickass panel of law enforcement professionals from SFPD and the San Francisco DA’s office.

Q: Where and when?

A: Saturday, November 21, through Sunday the 22, at the Claremont Resort & Spa in Berkeley. There’s a special conference room rate for anyone who’d like to stay over, too--$149 a night (just mention the Berkeley Mystery Retreat when you make a reservation.)

Q: How can people register?

A: All the info’s at our website: http://www.berkeleymysteryworkshop.com. We can also accept single-day registrations, if you can’t make the full weekend.

I think it’s really important for aspiring novelists to get out and do events like this. Writing is hard, and it’s a damn solitary occupation. There’s nothing like checking in with the tribe to keep your mojo stoked up, you know? And if you’re working on a crime novel, these are people you should be meeting—agents, screenwriters, published peers, fellow aspiring authors. You never know who might end up recommending you to their agent, or blurbing your first novel when it comes time for that.

The Bay Area’s mystery writers are a really fine group of people. We support each other, we egg each other on when the going gets tough. Established authors in this genre helped each and every one of us on the faculty get our start, and we want to pay that good stuff and generosity forward. There’s lots more room on the lifeboat, you know? Everyone who cares about writing is welcome aboard.

It's true. Check the schedule here. Me (back to Seth), I will be on a panel on Sunday afternoon, but I'll be hanging out and sitting in the bar for most of the rest of the weekend! Hope to see you there!