Out & About: Pop fiction writers meet with Seton Hill MFA students

For most of their tenure, students in the Seton Hill University Writing Popular Fiction MFA program work remotely from home.

Twice yearly, they gather at the Greensburg campus for face-to-face meetings and workshops with faculty members and guest writers. Each residency includes a talk and reception with successful pop fiction authors.

On Jan. 7, writers Juliet Blackwell, R.H. Herron and Sophie Littlefield took part in what program director Nicole Peeler called a version of a “fireside chat” to discuss topics of interest to the students. The talk and reception that followed were held in the university’s performing arts center in downtown Greensburg.

Peeler noted that previous installments have featured one author, but there was a “madness to my method” (and vice versa) for inviting three writers to speak. The four are longtime friends who offer each other inspiration and support, belying the prevailing wisdom that writing is a solitary, isolating pursuit.

The four looked at writing popular (sometimes called commercial) fiction as an endeavor to be shared for both personal and professional benefit.

“We are stronger when we work together,” Peeler said.

Among attendees were MFA students (and their genres) Glenna Hartwell of Philadelphia, fantasy; Therese Stadul of Brook Park, Ohio, time travel romance; Kathleen Jackson of Brunswick, Ohio, young adult science fiction; Elizabeth Lynch, Montclair, N.J., historical romance-suspense; Contessa Blosenhauer of Rochester, N.Y., young adult horror; Sean Davis of Baltimore, sword and sorcery fantasy; George Galuschak of Lodi, N.J., horror; Alexis Kubala of Port Tobacco, Md., horror; PJ Whiskeyman of Tobyne Township, Perry County, fantasy; and David Berkowitz of Greensburg, science fiction.

Also seen: Wendy Lynn, Barbara Miller, Katelynn Iacianci and Paul Scarrone.