Out & About: Urban fantasy author visits Seton Hill writing group

A man walks into the Philadelphia airport and buys a Pittsburgh Pirates cap.

It sounds like the beginning of a joke — or maybe a tragedy, given what we hear about Philadelphia sports fans.

But that’s what urban fantasy novelist Kevin Hearne did on his way from his Arizona home to Greensburg. Luckily, he escaped unscathed and spent a few days working with students in the Seton Hill University Writing Popular Fiction MFA Program.

“I like baseball, I like hats, I have a huge collection of them. I do not own a Phillies hat, though,” Hearne said at a Jan. 8 reception following a talk in the university’s downtown Performing Arts Center.

Hearne talked with students about his writing process, and how he progressed from being “a random English teacher from Arizona following advice I found online” to a New York Times best-selling author for his 2012 novel, “Tricked.”

Having a vampire and a werewolf in his first book didn’t hurt, he said.

And in case anyone was looking for a good read, Hearne listed the three best books he read last year: “The City of Brass” by S.A. Chakraborty, “Empire of Sand” by Tasha Suri and “Kings of the Wyld” by Nicholas Eames.

Following the talk, students and fans queued for a few words, an autograph or a quick photo with Hearne.

Seen were pop fiction program director Nicole Peeler and instructors Scott Johnson, Heidi Ruby Miller, Jason Jack Miller, Timons Esaias and Paul Allen.

Also: Katya Shaffer, Lindsey Martin, Virginia Nelson, Caleb Newman, Jennifer Tillman, Monique Waddel, Emily Daily, Maria Shaffer, Shawn Ewing, Sean Darby, Michelle Brown, Klarisa Loft, Marx Pyle, Victoria Scott, George Galuschak and Holly Harding.

Shirley McMarlin is a
Tribune-Review staff writer.