History Happy Hour at the U Club!
The weekend begins with History Happy Hour, the 4th in a series of popular events presented in partnership with the Museum Association of New York (MANY); Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center; and Partners for Albany Stories (PASt); and sponsored by the Albany Institute of History & Art; Historic Albany Foundation; Friends of Schuyler Mansion; Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area; and the City of Albany Office of Special Events and Cultural Affairs. The event is hosted by the University Club of Albany Foundation.
History Happy Hour includes a Meet the Author reception at 5:30 p.m. with savory hors d’oeuvres followed by a talk featuring Berry’s well-known wit and historical insight at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $20 per person in advance, $25 at the door. Books will be available for purchase and signing for $25. Reservations may be made by calling the University Club at 518-414-3555. Tickets may also be reserved online.
Guests are invited to stay for an after-party with music from Geo Doody in the Grille Room from 8:00 – 10:00 p.m. Geo plays the music from the 1940s to today, a mix of Rock, Pop, R&B, and Irish Pub Standards. He’s a self-described history nerd – perfect for History Happy Hour!
Writer's Workshop with Steve Berry
Steve Berry, a master of thrillers with a historic twist, will launch the national tour for his latest book, The 14th Colony, (Minotaur Books, April 5, 2016) in Albany with a writer’s workshop at the New York State Museum on Saturday, April 2, from 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. This event is sponsored by the New York State Museum and the University Club of Albany Foundation with support from the New York State Writers Institute and the History Department of the University at Albany, SUNY.
Lessons from a Bestseller will take place in the Huxley Theater on the first floor of the New York State Museum at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, and a selection of military artifacts from the museum’s collections dating to the 18th and 19th centuries will be on display for participants.
The workshop covers all aspects of fiction writing from structure and point of view to dialogue and character, and much more. The material is also appropriate for memoir, creative non-fiction and historical writing. Steve Berry’s wife, Elizabeth, executive director of International Thriller Writers, will lead a session at the workshop on the Business of Publishing. The cost for the Writer’s Workshop, which includes refreshments, is $75. Books will be available for purchase and signing for $25, courtesy of the Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza.
In his latest book, The 14th Colony, Berry asks the question, "What happens if both the president and vice-president-elect die before taking the oath of office?" The answer is nothing short of total political chaos. Steve Berry’s trademark mix of fact, fiction, history and speculation is all here in this provocative new thriller. Kirkus Review writes, “Cotton Malone of the Magellan Billet, the Justice Department’s elite intelligence group, once again yanks the U.S. back from the precipice of annihilation.”
Steve and Elizabeth Berry have traveled the world researching Steve’s many books, and saw the effects of dwindling funds dedicated to preserving our heritage. They launched History Matters to assist communities around the world with historic preservation. The foundation supports the cost of their travel and he accepts no appearance fee.
Known for his meticulously researched best-selling thrillers with a historical twist, in Lessons from a Bestseller, Steve includes personal instruction on both fundamentals and advanced techniques applicable to everything from fiction to non-fiction, including suspense, memoir, romance, literary fiction, history and so much more. Steve is a consummate presenter with an upbeat and encouraging style.
Steve knows how to keep readers turning the pages and buying books. He will share in an easy-to-understand manner all the important aspects about the craft of writing, including:
- The Four “C’s” of Writing - How to structure books for maximum impact.
- Point of View and Dialog - How much dialog should there be, and how it should be included.
- 12 Rules of Writing - The rules Steve learned during his early years that give writers the basic information they will need to craft their own story.
- The Business of Publishing - International Thriller Writers’ Executive Director Elizabeth Berry joins Steve to explain how to promote your work to agents, editors and publishers.
Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. and the program will start at 9:30 a.m. sharp and run in 50-minute segments with 10-minute breaks, concluding at 1:30 p.m. The Berrys will be available after the workshop for questions.
The University Club of Albany Foundation, a 501c3 corporation, was established in 2009 to recognize and maintain the unique historic and architectural significance of the University Club building and property. A portion of the proceeds from Lessons from a Bestseller will support heritage tourism efforts in the City of Albany.
In 2012 and 2013 Steve’s devotion to historic preservation was recognized by the American Library Association, which named Steve their spokesperson for National Preservation Week. Among his other honors is the Royden B. Davis Distinguished Author Award; the 2013 Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers Award given by Poets & Writers; the 2013 Anne Frank Human Writes Award; and the Silver Bullet, bestowed in 2013 by International Thriller Writers for his philanthropic work.
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