Michael Connelly visits Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall

Best-selling author Michael Connelly visited Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School on January 9th to lead a discussion with a full-capacity crowd at the 2nd Wednesday at The Commons series. Earlier in the evening Connelly held a session just for CH-CH students, where they had the opportunity to speak with the author of over 30 books about writing, some of his most famous characters, and the process of adapting his books for the screen.

“A script never says what someone’s thinking; it’s all about what they say, it’s very much like a play, dialogue, direction, and settings are the key things,” Connelly told students. “It takes a real skill. I thought for a long time that writing books was harder so of course I could write screenplays, but that transition can be pretty difficult.”

CH-CH students, including senior Devon Franklin, were eager to hear stories and get writing advice from one of today’s best-selling authors. “I learned that you have to be willing to talk to people and ask for critique on your writing, and you can’t be afraid of it,” said Franklin.

After talking with students, Connelly held a discussion in The Commons assembly hall which was open to the public, and received over two-hundred attendees. Fans of Connelly’s books were delighted to have the rare opportunity to hear their favorite author talk candidly about characters they’ve been following for years. “I was impressed by his discipline,” said attendee Sheila McMahon. “He’s up at four or five in the morning writing. It was also impressive to see how humble he is to be doing something that he loves.”

Connelly has sold over forty-five million copies of his books worldwide. In 2011, his best-selling book The Lincoln Lawyer was adapted to a highly acclaimed film starring Matthew McConaughey. In 2002, Clint Eastwood worked with Connelly on a movie entitled, Bloodwork, based on his 1998 fictional novel. His most recent book The Black Box, features Harry Bosch, his most famous character. More information can be found on his website: www.michaelconnelly.com.

The next 2nd Wednesday at the Commons event will feature the Waltham Philharmonic Chamber Group on February 13th. Follow us on facebook for more information on upcoming events, and to view photos from the Michael Connelly discussion: www.facebook.com/ChapelHillChauncyHall.