Riverside, Calif., November, 2001 -- Novelist Mark Salzman, author of Iron and Silk, Lying Awake, The Laughing Sutra, and The Soloist, presented a lecture at La Sierra University on November 13 in the University Church. Salzman's remarks titled, "They Laughed When I Sat Down At the Typewriter: Stories from the Writing Life" proved to be a very engaging session for his audience of faculty, students and community members.

A smaller more informal writer's question and answer session held in the Matheson Chapel of La Sierra University, prior to Salzman's 7 p.m. lecture, entertained "writer hopefuls" with Salzman's vivid remarks and introspective answers.

A student's question about Salzman's interest in the Chinese culture conjured a lively story of his awkward teenage years. Watching Kung Fu movies of a small calm person who was able beat up a gang of evildoers gave Salzman the idea that Kung Fu and Buddhism could be the key to achieving "datable" status with girls. Kung Fu didn't improve his dating status but eventually he managed on his own, ending up married to Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Jessica Wu.

Salzman broke a few "writer stereotypes" about well-read writers, admitting he's only read three of the works in the list of the top 100 books of the century. He prefers true stories to novels, stories that portray the "struggles" of life. He jokingly added, "Maybe it's a competition thing."

Salzman inspired all writers and hopefuls, young and old, with his reality based attitude, saying that he "writes everything wrong first," and at the end it finally comes together. It took six excruciating years and three major re-writes to write Lying Awake.

Following the Matheson Chapel talk was an invitation-only dinner with Salzman for faculty and graduate students.

At the 7 p.m. presentation, Salzman spoke again, this time to a larger crowd of University students, faculty, and community members as he reminisced about his life; attempts to impress single women, his history with Buddhism and other personal stories like fatherhood. Of his baby daughter Eva, Salzman tenderly said, "The first thing I thought when she was born was, 'you are the most beautiful object I have ever seen.' And the second thing was, 'I will never let you go on a date!'"

Commalette Mendez, English graduate student, commented, "He was not what we expected a famous writer to be like. We all expected someone who could not reach down to us, but he was different."

Salzman showed just what "different" was by performing a demonstration of his martial arts routine at the urging of students as they chanted "wushu, wushu, wushu," referring to a movement in the Kung Fu Salzman practices.

Following his talk, Salzman held another question-and-answer session, including a book signing for old and newly acquired post-lecture fans.

Mendez summed up the audience's enthusiastic response to Salzman. "We soaked up his words of wisdom like sponges, and basked in the sunshine of a few glorious moments with Mark."

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by Kandi White