Berry, Stine and Brown At Twain Event - Courant.com

The Mark Twain House & Museum, which has lately become Hartford's major presenter of author appearances, book talks and writing seminars, has a number of upcoming events.

Tickets are still available for a "Mark My Words" fundraising event Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at Simsbury High School, 34 Farms Village Rd., Simsbury, at which three best-selling authors will appear. Thriller author Steve Berry, mystery writer Sandra Brown and creator of suspense and horror books for adults and children, R. L. Stine, who together have more than 500 million books in print, will speak at the event, which will benefit the Twain House and Museum. VIP seating is $125 and includes a pre-event reception at 5:30 p.m. at the Hop Meadow Country Club, 85 Firetown Road, Simsbury. Other seats are $65 and $45. Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/237992 or 800-838-3006.

On Saturday, Oct. 6, at 7 p.m., graphic novelist Mark Siegel will speak at a free launch party for his "Sailor Twain" (First Second, $24.99) at The Mark Twain House & Museum, 351 Farmington Ave., Hartford. The illustrated novel's suspenseful story involves a mermaid in the Hudson River, a reclusive author and a French nobleman seeking to reverse a curse. This steampunk story, combining science fiction with Victoriana, was first published online. Information: 860-247-0998 or visit http://www.marktwainhouse.org.

Also there on Saturday, Oct. 6, author Stephen Dau will lead a Writing at the Mark Twain House Saturday Afternoon Writing Workshop called "The Creative Writing Process: The Art and the Business of Writing for Publication" from 1 to 4 p.m. Dau says the workshop is for "creative writers who want to get serious about craft and who are interested in publishing their work" and "will focus on the process of writing for publication." The fee is $40. Registration: 860-280-3130.

On Wednesday, Oct. 10, former Ambassador Donald T. Bliss, who is the great-grandson of Twain's publisher, Elisha Bliss, will give a free "The Trouble Begins at 5:30" series talk on "Mark Twain & Politics." Bliss, a former ambassador and Washington attorney, has a forthcoming book, "A Tale of Today: Mark Twain and Politics." The event begins with a wine and hors d'oeuvres reception at 5 p.m. Information: 860-247-0998 or http://www.marktwainhouse.org.

O'Nan Comes Back

Author Stewart O'Nan, who moved from his Avon home a few years ago to his hometown of Pittsburgh, returns to Avon Thursday, Oct. 4 for a free 7 p.m. talk at the Avon Public Library, 281 Country Club Rd. O'Nan's 13 novels, some set in Connecticut, include "The Night Country" and "Last Night at the Lobster." His nonfiction includes "The Circus Fire," about the Hartford disaster of 1944, and "Faithful: Two Diehard Boston Red Sox Fans Chronicle the Historic 2004 Season," co-written with Stephen King, with whom he also has done a baseball e-book, "A Face in the Crowd." Registration is required: 860-673-9712 or http://www.avonctlibrary.info.

O'Nan also will give a free talk Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. at the Center for Contemporary Culture at the Hartford Public Library, 500 Main St., Hartford. Information: 860-695-6322.

Lehane In New Canaan

Crime fiction author Dennis Lehane, known for his nine previous bestsellers, including "Moonlight Mile," "Shutter Island," Mystic River," and "Gone, Baby, Gone," has a new book out, "Live By Night" (Morrow, $27.99). It's set in 1920s Boston and Florida during the Prohibition years. The multi-award-winning writer will sign copies Monday, Oct. 8, at 7 p.m. at New Canaan Library, 151 Main St., New Canaan. Information: 203-594-5000.

Nook Farm Book Club

The free Nook Farm Book Club discussions presented by the Mark Twain House & Museum and the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, continues Thursday, Oct. 4, with Tom Perrotta's novel, "Election," which was set in a New Jersey high school and later adapted for a major motion picture.

A 5 p.m. reception at the Twain House & Museum, 351 Farmington Ave., Hartford, will be followed by the 5:30 p.m. discussion. Reservations: 860-522-9258 ext. 317.

Authors At R.J. Julia

Laura Harrington, an award-winning playwright, lyricist and librettist and author of the novel, "Alice Bliss" (Pamela Dorman Books, $25.95), a coming-of-age story of a girl in a small town whose father has been deployed to Iraq, will talk about her book on Thursday, Oct. 4, at 7 p.m. at R.J. Julia Booksellers, 768 Boston Post Rd., Madison. It is a tale of a teenager missing her father, quarreling with her mother and falling in love. Admission is free.

Fans of accomplished actor Stanley Tucci will recall his film, "Big Night," which depicted the cooking of an Italian specialty called a timpano. A recipe for that elaborate dish is one of nearly 200 in his new book, "The Tucci Cookbook" (Gallery Books, $35), a lavishly illustrated book that also offers stories about his family's cuisine. Tucci will sign copies at the bookstore on Wednesday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m. Admission is the purchase of a copy of his book.

All events require reservations: 203-245-3959 or http://www.rjjulia.com.

"Jane Doe No More"

Donna Palomba, whose book about surviving a sexual assault and a long search for justice, co-written with M. William Phelps, is "Jane Doe No More: My 15-Year Fight to Reclaim My Identity ? A True Story of Survival, Hope and Redemption" (Lyons Press, $24.95), has just been published, will give a free talk Friday, Oct. 5 at 5 p.m. at Naugatuck Valley Community College's Technology Hall, 750 Chase Parkway, Waterbury. Waterbury Mayor Neil O'Leary and NVCC President Daisy Cocco DeFillipis will also speak.

Palomba was attacked in 1993 and battled disbelieving authorities and an incompetent investigation before her assailant finally was caught and convicted. Her struggle led to law enforcement changes and the formation of Jane Doe No More, Inc., a national non-profit that works for community education, training for first-responders and programs for survivors of sexual assault. Book sales proceeds will benefit her organization. Information: debbie@janedoenomore.org .

Source: http://www.courant.com/features/books/hc-writestuff-1004-20121004,0,4170141.story

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