SOUTH HADLEY - Last Thursday evening, esteemed authors Stephen King and Richard Russo discussed the art of writing before a full house in the Chapin Auditorium at Mount Holyoke College.
Hosted by The Odyssey Bookshop and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, their conversation was moderated by Joe Donahue, host of "The Roundtable" on WAMC.
That night was also the 45th anniversary of The Odyssey Bookshop, the biggest independent bookstore in Western Massachusetts.
Two small tables and three armchairs were set up in the center of the stage, while a wooden platform and a microphone stood off to the side.
The event opened at 7 p.m., with the Odyssey presenting a hefty check to the Food Bank, amidst laughs and applause.
Soon after, Stephen King and Richard Russo walked onstage with Joe Donahue. The audience's reaction was overwhelming, with a deafening standing ovation. King and Russo smiled and waved, waiting several minutes before sitting down.
Donahue started off with a question on the outcome of the recent presidential election. King expressed optimism that Obama would repair diplomatic relations, while Russo commented that Obama brought "a great spirit of hope" to the country.
Donahue also inquired about the authors' respective processes of writing short stories.
King's new collection of short stories, "Just After Sunset," is due for release on Nov. 11, but hard copies were provided for the event by special permission of Simon and Schuster.
Russo is best known for his Pulitzer prize-winning novel, "Empire Falls." He has also written a book of short stories, "The Whore's Child," and edited an essay collection, "A Healing Touch: True Stories of Life, Death, and Hospice," published this past spring.
Russo mentioned that many of the short stories in "The Whore's Child" developed from fragments of incomplete novels.
King and Russo also talked about themes in their writing. King said he puts a twist on everyday situations, even something as ordinary as seeing "two little kids in a hotel corridor."
This reference to "The Shining" elicited knowing laughter from King fans.
Russo denied that his novels on small towns were influenced by his own political views, saying, "I don't want you to think about my views, I want you to think about the story I'm telling you."
Despite the imperfect acoustics and some technical problems with microphones, the conversation was a success all around, raising around $18,565.
King and Russo both had remarkable stage presence and cracked up audience members as they bantered back-and-forth on a variety of topics.
After the event, the authors spent two hours signing books for over 400 audience members.
The Odyssey Bookshop continues to celebrate its 45th anniversary this week, with a children's costume parade and a reading by children's author Holly Hobbie on Saturday. There will be a live remote radio broadcast on "The River" WRSI, and a 45 second shopping spree at the bookstore.
Rivka Barrett can be reached at arts@dailycollegian.com.
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