Friday, March 11, 2016

Lessons From a Bestseller - at NYS Museum 4/2


Steve Berry, NYT Bestselling Author, Kicks off  National Book Launch with “Lessons from a Bestseller” at the New York State Museum in Albany


Writer’s Workshop will mark release of The 14th Colony


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; the History Department of the University at Albany, SUNY; Historic Albany Foundation and Partners for Albany Stories.

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. Reservations may be made by calling the University Club at 518-414-3555 or online with a credit card or PayPal.

Berry is an author and philanthropist whose foundation, History Matters, raises funds for a wide variety of historic preservation projects around the world. He is a fixture on the New York Times bestseller lists with 20 million books in print in 40 languages in 51 countries.

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.

History Happy Hour - Friday 4/1

Steve Berry, NYT Bestselling Author, Kicks off National Book Launch with two events at University Club, New York State Museum in Albany


History Happy Hour, Writer’s Workshop will mark release of The 14th Colony


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), at a History Happy Hour on Friday, April 1 from 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. at the National Register-listed University Club of Albany, 141 Washington Avenue. One need not be a member of the University Club to attend.

The History Happy Hour will be followed by “Lessons from a Bestseller” 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 more information on the writer’s workshop is online.

Berry is an author and philanthropist whose foundation, History Matters, raises funds for a wide variety of historic preservation projects around the world. He is a fixture on the New York Times bestseller lists with 20 million books in print in 40 languages in 51 countries.

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.”

History Happy Hour is 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 courtesy of the Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza. Reservations may be made by calling the University Club at 518-414-3555 or online with a credit card or PayPal. Books may also be reserved / purchased in advance.

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!
Steve Berry and his wife, Elizabeth, 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 restoration and preservation. The foundation supports the cost of their travel and he accepts no appearance fee.

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 the event 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.


Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Meet the Author of Kill Jeff Davis: The Union Raid on Richmond, 1864 - 3/29


University Club Hosts Talk & Signing with Bruce Venter


Historians have largely neglected the story of Brigadier General Judson Kilpatrick’s 1864 raid on Richmond, Virginia – ostensibly organized to free some 13,000 Union men held at Libby Prison and on Belle Isle. Now, recently-uncovered primary sources paint a different picture of what really happened on those wet, snowy days in February and March more than a century and a half ago.

On Tuesday, March 29, author and historian Dr. Bruce M. Venter will discuss and sign his book Kill Jeff Davis: The Union Raid on Richmond, 1864 (University of Oklahoma Press, 2016) at the National Register-listed University Club at 141 Washington Avenue from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

A meet the author reception will begin at 6:00 with the presentation commencing at 7:00. A book signing will follow the program, and books will be available for $25.

RSVP


In this detailed and deeply researched account of the most famous cavalry raid of the Civil War, Venter describes an expedition that was carefully planned but poorly executed. A host of factors foiled the raid: bad weather, poor logistics, inadequate command and control, ignorance of the terrain, the failures of supporting forces, and the leaders’ personal and professional shortcomings. Venter delves into the background and consequences of the debacle, beginning with the political maneuvering orchestrated by commanding brigadier general Judson Kilpatrick to persuade President Abraham Lincoln and Secretary of War Edwin Stanton to approve the raid. Venter’s examination of the relationship between Kilpatrick and Brigadier General George A. Custer illuminates the reasons why the flamboyant Custer was excluded from the Richmond raid.

The purported goal of the controversial Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid on Richmond (February 28–March 3, 1864) was to free some 13,000 Union prisoners of war held in the Confederate capital. But orders found on the dead body of the raid’s subordinate commander, Colonel Ulric Dahlgren, point instead to a plot to capture or kill Confederate president Jefferson Davis and set Richmond ablaze. What really happened, and how and why, are debated to this day. Kill Jeff Davis offers a fresh look at the failed raid and mines newly discovered documents and little-known sources to provide definitive answers.

In a lively narrative describing the multiple problems that beset the raiders, Kill Jeff Davis uncovers new details about the African American guide whom Dahlgren ordered hanged; the defenders of the Confederate capital, who were not just the “old men and young boys” of popular lore; and General Benjamin F. Butler’s expedition to capture Davis, as well as Custer’s diversionary raid on Charlottesville.

Venter’s thoughtful reinterpretations and well-reasoned observations put to rest many myths and misperceptions. He tells, at last, the full story of this hotly contested moment in Civil War history.
A veteran of 26 years of service in the Albany City School District, Bruce Venter is president of America’s History, LLC, a tour and conference company. This company is best known for its highly successful annual conference on the American Revolution. Bruce is a past president of the Richmond Civil War Round Table, has written articles for Blue and Gray and Civil War magazines and lectures frequently on Union cavalry topics. He will be leading a Kilpatrick-Dahlgren raid tour in April for America's History.

There is no cost for the program but reservations are required and may be made by calling the Club at 518-463-1151; by sending an email to ellen@universityclubalbany.com; or on the Club’s website at www.universityclubalbany.com. The event is sponsored by the University Club Foundation and one need not be a member of the Club to attend.

The University Club of Albany Foundation is a 501c3 corporation formed in 2009 to recognize and maintain the unique historic and architectural significance of the National Register-listed University Club building, its historic neighborhood and the city of Albany, where it has been located since its inception in 1901. Support for educational programming at the University Club is provided by AT&T.

For more information about the University Club, visit www.universityclubalbany.com.