Writers Read
Book Club
You’re a writer—of course you read books! But are you reading closely and using them to learn more about writing craft to enhance your own writing? Our Writers Read Book Club hosted by Arizona author Eric Boyd has you covered.
This in-person book club + craft talk series helps authors of all skill levels dig deeper into craft by reading works of fiction. Then, Eric leads discussion around craft elements within the chosen work. He also shares actionable writing tips and resources attendees can put into play in their own work. All of this happens in a friendly, comfortable group setting.
Participants will need to:
Register for the free event, as it has a max capacity
Join the group in-person at the selected venue
Read or listen to the book at your own expense
Next event: April 26, 1 - 3pm
At a coffee shop near the 60 and Alma School in Tempe
Full location disclosed to those who register
Generation Ship,
Michael Mammay
Join Eric for a small group discussion on how Mammay uses multiple points of view within this work to create a compelling story. Check back in March to find the discussion guide to help you prep!
Synopsis: In this novel, humanity has sent out a colony ship from Earth to a distant planet on a multi-generational journey, the culmination of which is at hand, but the arrival is not going as smoothly as anyone on board wants. The ship’s society has changed over the hundreds of years of the journey, giving rise to various factions who find themselves at cross-purposes, and that’s before adding in the inexplicable natural hostility of the planet itself. Will anyone survive?
Published October 2023 by Harper Voyage.
384 pages. Science fiction.
ISBN: 9780063252981
October 2024 Craft Book Club
The Haunting of Hill House,
by Shirley Jackson.
Eric hosted a small group discussion on interiority, building tension, motifs, and prose style. Download Eric’s worksheet, filled with additional resources, and dig in!
Synopsis courtesy Nationalbook.org:
The classic supernatural thriller is by an author who helped define the genre. First published in 1959, Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House has been hailed as a perfect work of unnerving terror. It is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly pile called Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of a “haunting;’ Theodora, his lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable phenomena. But Hill House is gathering its powers—and soon it will choose one of them to make its own.
Pro-tip: While awesome, the Netflix series is FAR different than the original 1959 Gothic horror book. Enjoy both!
Published 1959 by Penguin Classics | The Viking Press.
288 pages. Supernatural thriller.
ISBN: 9780143122357
About Eric
Eric loves to geek out over writing craft, story ideas, and the last book he read. A lawyer and dad to two teenagers, he writes middle grade and adult horror. Eric has led events and workshops for SCBWI, Shut Up & Write, and the Ubergroup. Connect with Eric: @ericboydauthor.bsky.social or @ericboydauthor.
