Wild About Books welcomes poet and author Clive Matson on Friday, September 19th from 4-6pm for a reading of Chalcedony's First Ten Songs. Clive Matson writes from the itch in his body. Women are his most powerful influence, and Chalcedony (cal-SAID-'n-nee), has written more than eighty songs. Join us as we listen to a gifted poetic in word and spoken form. Book signing to follow.

He returns the next day on September 20th to conduct a "Let the Crazy Child Write" Workshop from 10-5pm, we will learn about the structure of fiction and, indeed, of most writing by looking at these very short stories. Introduction Saturday morning, spontaneous writing and supportive feedback sessions in the familiar synergetic style with a break for potluck lunch. These events are supported by Poets and Writers, Inc. through a grant it has received from the James Irvine Foundation.

This workshop will help you get started on creative writing of any sort - poems, stories, personal essays, plays, novels. The history and underpinnings of what we do is spelled out in Let the Crazy Child Write! (New World Library, 1998) or, briefly, in "Preface" and "Chapter One" at the website http://www.matsonpoet.com.

We recognize three voices in the writer's psyche: "Editor," "Writer," and "Crazy Child" - or creative unconscious. The Editor is the "should " voice, as in you should write everything perfectly the first time, you should make money with your writing, you should make no spelling errors. The Writer organizes your writing life, finds blank paper and pens that work, makes time to sit at the computer or go to a coffeehouse with your notebook. The Crazy Child is the urge to write, that itch in your psyche or body that wants to get out into the world. We'll tell the Editor and Writer to take a walk and let your Crazy Child write whatever it wants. Our Writers and Editors may be fine at their jobs, but they often get involved too early in our writing. By letting the Crazy Child write whatever it wants, we'll produce energetic and enlightening rough drafts. These drafts will display our strengths, our passion and our most deeply held beliefs, and they are usually strongly stated. When we repeat your most vivid lines back to you, you'll discover that you are doing at least one or two things very well. You'll find your Crazy Child is smarter and far better organized than the Editor and Writer might think.

We are careful to establish a warm and inviting atmosphere where even the rawest and shyest of writers can flourish and feel proud of what they accomplish. I expect, as usual, eight or ten people (including some of brave beginners), much exciting writing, and fun to boot.