CHECK IT OUT

“Writers are a lot like vampires,” observes author Neal Shusterman. “A

vampire will never come into your house, unless invited, and once you

invite one in, he’ll grab you by the throat and won’t let you go. A

writer’s much the same, feeding on the speed of your heart as it races .

. . on your tears and your sighs; feeding on your turmoil, as well as . .

. your peace.”

For readers who’ve succumbed to such appetites, Shusterman, along with

five other popular writers, will be on the menu of “A Banquet of

Best-Selling Authors,” a free panel discussion focusing the joys and

tribulations of writing from 9 to 11 a.m. Nov. 3 at the Newport Beach

Central Library.

To work up a hunger for it, fiction fans can sample Shusterman’s edgy

brand of fiction with “Downsiders,” a fantasy romp that explores how

culture both shapes identity and affects how we view people from

environments other than our own. The American Library Assn.’s Young Adult

Best Bookfor 2000 brings together two teens -- one from a secret

community buried deep beneath New York, another a newcomer to the city

who is struggling with difficult family issues.

Also appearing at the repast will be Rhondi Salsitz, creative voice

behind “The Magickers,” published this year under the pseudonym Emily

Drake. Set in a summer camp that is actually a training ground for

“magick” practitioners, the Harry Potter-style tale about discovery and

confrontation with evil is aimed at preteen readers.

For a more mature audience, World Fantasy Award-winner James Blaylock

serves up a contemporary ghost story in “The Rainy Season,” his latest

journey into supernatural horror. The Chapman University professor, who

also directs the creative writing program at the Orange County School of

the Arts, will offer insight into his fantastic vision at the banquet.

Romantic suspense master Suzanne Forster, author of such thrillers as

“Every Breath She Takes” and “Husband Lover Stranger,” will be another

course at the feast. Forster’s breakout novel, “Shameless,” sold on a

synopsis that triggered a bidding war and garnered her a six-figure

contract, sure inspiration for writer wannabes.

Representing the sci-fi genre on the panel will be Gregory Benford, a

real life physicist who weaves astronomical pyrotechnics into an

end-of-the-world epic in “Eater,” his newest celestial horror tale. The

recipient of two Nebula Awards and the United Nations Medal in

Literature, Benford has advised the Department of Energy, NASA and the

White House Council on Space Policy in addition to authoring more than a

dozen sci-fi thrillers.

UC Irvine Extension screenwriting instructor Terry Black, winner of a

CableACE Award for a “Tales from the Crypt” teleplay, will round out the

panel with insight into how print translates for the screen. Instructor

Louella Nelson will moderate the dialogue. An author signing will follow,

beginning at 11:30 a.m. at Barnes & Noble in Fashion Island. All are

invited to enjoy the fare.

* CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public

Library. This week’s column is by Melissa Adams, in collaboration with

Susie Lamb. All titles may be reserved from home or office computers by

accessing the catalog at o7 https://www.newportbeachlibrary.org.

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