FAIRHOPE, Ala. — While writing is sometimes personal, critical, cultural or anything in between, resounding stories can stand the test of time, blur genre boundaries and pass from generation to generation.

Frank Turner Hollon of Fairhope will speak to the Pensters Writing Group on Saturday about the journey of his book “Life is a Strange Place” into the movie “Barry Munday.”

The presentation will take place from 10 a.m. until noon in Dahlgren Hall on the Fairhope campus of Faulkner State Community College.

“It started when I wrote the book in 2002 and took lots of interesting twists and turns,” Hollon said.

P.T. Paul, Pensters Writing Group president, has noted the journey, as well.

“Like most readers, I first heard of Frank Turner Hollon upon the release of a novella titled “The Pains of April,” which garnered praise from local writers such as Judith Richards and Michael Knight, and established him as a writer who ‘bears watching,’ according to John Sledge (book editor) of the Mobile Press-Register,” she said. “I did, indeed, ‘watch’ him publish short stories, a children’s book and seven novels, which is no mean feat for any author, but is doubly impressive for one with a ‘day job’ as time-consuming as practicing law.

“When we originally scheduled Frank to speak to the group he was forced to give us a rain check, as production of the movie “Barry Munday,” based on his novel “Life is a Strange Place,” required him to attend to that endeavor, instead.

“Now, we have the opportunity not only to hear him speak about writing novels, but also to give us insight into what happens when a novel is optioned for a movie.

“I expect the question and answer period following his program, ‘Life is a Strange Place,’ will be quite interesting.”

Hollon said authors can benefit from learning from each other in groups, but that he had a different experience.

“For me, writing has always been very solitary — I needed the loneliness,” he said. “I never took any writing classes in school or participated in any writing groups.

“After I wrote ‘The Wait,’ I knew I’d written all I need to write, and since then for the last year and a half I haven’t needed to write anything new.”

This difference might have to do with the subject matter of his works, he said.

“I kept ‘The Pains Of April’ hidden away for about 10 years until I gathered the courage, or the distance, necessary to give it to Sonny Brewer in 1999 for his opinion,” he said. “From 1999 until 2009 I wrote constantly, again mostly from a personal need to explore my world from very different eyes.

“During those 10 years I wrote 10 novels — seven published — a book of short stories, a children’s book published as ‘Glitter Girl’ and The Crazy Cheese’ and three screenplays.”

In a review, Tony O’Brien said, “‘Life is a Strange Place’ uses the device of castration to look at what is important in men’s lives.

“Stripped of their ‘prized possession’ can men find an identity, a moral purpose? The book is written in brief chapters, each containing at least one plot twist.

“In case you miss the point, Hollon provides plenty of reminders … the style is light and breezy; the pace at times frenetic.”

Paul said these are among the reasons the Pensters wanted Hollon to speak to the group.

“The focus of the Penster’s Writing Group has always been to encourage and promote the improvement of our craft, and we have chosen to do so by inviting successful writers, publishers and agents to share their experiences and to provide insight into the professional writing life,” she said. “Even our monthly writing contests serve that same purpose, as the judge is always the monthly speaker, and they have always graciously commented on the entries in addition to choosing the winning entries.

“Writing is of necessity a solitary pursuit, but the marketing of the finished product is a public pursuit, and can prove to be the most daunting aspect of the process.

“Our hope is that our monthly speakers will illuminate some aspect of the business end of writing, which will assist our members in reaching their ultimate goal of publication, and whatever additional pursuits that accomplishment leads to.”