HVWG Prose Showcase, October 22

This was held at the Bach Branch of the Albany Public Library on New Scotland Ave. before a packed audience, part of a series of showcases of local authors presented by the Hudson Valley Writers Guild. 

The first reader was Ian Ross Singleton who read from his novel Two Big Differences (MGraphics, 2021) set in Odesa, Ukraine in 2014 during the uprising Euromaidan, the Maidan Uprising. The novel focuses on a woman from Odesa who had gone to the USA & returned to Odesa during the uprising. The author read 2 sections, one a sex scene set in the catacombs of Odesa, the other set during violent rioting in the streets, told in a swirl of surreal images.

Christy O’Callaghan is the former editor of Barzak at the University at Albany. She began her reading with a descriptive, philosophical essay on Autumn titled “Shifting,” then a couple pieces of flash fiction from a series about what people keep in jars, “Seeds,” & “Light” about a woman who lit her house with jars of light from moonbeams, stars, fireflies, etc. — she read it for her husband’s grandmother, Mary Leue, who died recently at the age of 103, the founder of Albany’s Free School.

Keith W. Willis is a long-time member of the Hudson Valley Writers Guild who specializes in writing what he calls “fantasy/medieval romance.”  He recently released the 4th volume in his Knights of Kilbourne series. He read for us Chapter 46 from the 1st in the series, Traitor Knight, full of swords, dragons, servants & a crossbow, seasoned with humor. You can often find him tabling at book fairs & theme-related events.

The readings were followed by a Question & Answers session with the audience. One of the best questions this afternoon was “How do you get from a thought to writing it down?” which I thought was a great question for any author. Feel free to use it at the next author event you attend.

Check out the website of the Hudson Valley Writers Guild for information on readings & other book-related events in the region.