On June 7, 2020, we introduced a special new feature, the first installment in a 15-part, serialized mystery by Oakland’s Robin Sloan, the New York Times best-selling author of “Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore” and “Sourdough.” Sloan has written a wonderful story, rich in Bay Area history and lore, and we were delighted to also share with you a live conversation with him during our June 18, 20202 Newsroom @ Home webinar event.
Jackie Burrell, Eat Drink Play/Features Editor, had an in-depth conversation with Sloan about this mystery plus other projects he is working on. He shared where some of the names of his characters and cities come from, along with why he enjoys writing about local places. Sloan is no longer writing in coffee shops or bookstores and we learned about his new writing process and how he comes up with some of his ideas.
What is The Newsroom @Home?
For the past year, we have been holding In Real Life events where readers get the chance to meet some of our journalists in person. Since this is not possible with limits on large gatherings and social distancing, we created The Newsroom @ Home to bring you discussions and insights virtually as we all figure out how to navigate the coronavirus pandemic.
Over the past few months, we have brought our readers discussions about restaurants in the Bay Area dealing with COVID-19, diving into the behind-the-scenes stories of how our photojournalists shot some of their favorite photos, a candid conversation with author Robin Sloan and more. To see upcoming events or catch up on any you missed, go to MercuryNews.com/Events, EastBayTimes.com/Events or MarinIJ.com/Events.