32 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY August 10-16, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com LIT Thanks to the long tentacles of the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of the Horror Writers Association, which clearly has pointy ears and lidless eyes all over the county, the Monterey Public Library hosts two horror writing workshops this summer—one still ahead of us. While the July 15 workshop was directed to adult writers, this time (Friday, Aug. 11) horror-loving teens are invited. “The Summer Scares program is the HWA’s way of introducing horror to audiences of all ages,” says Francesca Maria, the co-chair of the group’s Bay Area chapter, and a Pacific Grove resident. “Almost every piece of fiction has a horror element to it,” she explains, “whether it be the horror of grief, loss, powerlessness, fear, oppression or helplessness.” While the adult workshop was centered around The Merry Spinster: Tales of Everyday Horror by Daniel M. Lavery, the teens’ workshop will work with a graphic novel titled Squad, written by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and illustrated by Lisa Sterle. Squad is a feminist horror story for every girl who’s ever felt like prey. When “the new girl,” Becca, transfers to a high school in a San Francisco suburb, she worries she’s not going to fit in. To her surprise, she’s immediately adopted by the most popular girls in school and included in their bloody secrets. “Those girl werewolves hunt on slimy boys,” says Sarah Nolan, the librarian responsible for the event programming at Monterey Public Library. “The dialogue is really good.” The workshop can accommodate up to 25 people working in groups of up to five—both writers and illustrators, depending on the participants’ preference. The 90-minute workshop will include various exercises in developing original stories, either in the form of a graphic novel or traditional prose. Horror Writers Association representatives will be present for moral support. “By exploring what lurks in the shadows, we can become inspired by how to get through it—or at the very least, know that we’re not alone in our fears,” Maria says, explaining the value of exploring one’s inner horror writer. “Horror can be an incredibly empowering, and in some cases hopeful, genre.” Summer Scares: Horror Reading and Writing Workshop for teens happens at 4-5pm Friday, Aug. 11. Monterey Public Library, 625 Pacific St., Monterey. Free. 646-3933, monterey.org/library. DANIEL DREIFUSS Scary Library A Monterey Public Library workshop introduces teen writers to the ‘empowering’ genre of horror. By Agata Pop˛eda Francesca Maria is co-chair of the Horror Writers Association for the San Francisco area. She published her debut collection, They Hide: Short Stories to Tell In the Dark, in April. UPSEASIDE.COM • (831) 899-2232 1760 FREMONT BLVD, SEASIDE UNIVERSITY PLAZA SEASIDE’S LIFESTYLE SHOPPING CENTER Order Online at HarumiSeaside.Menu11.com (831) 899-9988 OPEN DAILY FOR LUNCH & DINNER lynnsarcade.com Hours open: M-F 4p-12a, Sat 12p-12a, Sun 10a-10p Reserve for your party today! Attention pinheads! Join the Monterey Flipper Pinball League Meetups every Monday A great way to meet new folks, learn about pinball, and start the work week off right! Check it out at MFPinball.org ONLY THE FINEST AND THE FRESHEST
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