British novelist gives talk at Seton Hill

All work and no play can make a writer ... well, let's just keep Jack Nicholson and “The Shining” in mind.

Not that hard work fazes writers in Seton Hill University's Master of Fine Arts in Writing Popular Fiction residency program, but they still took a welcome break on Jan. 14 for a lecture, followed by a reception and book-signing, with British science-fiction author and screenwriter Philip Palmer.

The author of titles such as “Debatable Space” and “Red Claw,” Palmer had been on the Greensburg campus for several weeks, working with students and teaching modules on the screenwriter's craft and creating science-fiction and fantasy worlds.

On his way to the book-signing table, Palmer said the Seton Hill program is “very impressive. It's a tremendous course with fantastic faculty.”

He said he was gratified to work with students of various ages, because they bring to their work “such a wide range of experience and outlook. They've got fantastic life experiences to share.”

Seen over punch and cookies were sci-fi aficionados and published writers, along with program participants past and present, including Rebecca Glover, Randall Silvis, John Fortunato, Jacki King, Heidi Ruby Miller, Jason Jack Miller, Danielle Modafferi, Elizabeth Henry, Jay Massiet, Chris Phillips, Carrie Gessner, Nikki Smith, Beverly Hritz, Chase Moore, Jamie Henry, T.J. Lantz, Sarah Appleyard, Deborah Cardillo, Mary Mascari, Annika Sundberg and Tom Connair.

Also seen were faculty members Albert Wendland and Shelley Bates.

— Shirley McMarlin