Brian Nance, associate professor of history at Coastal Carolina University, will present a workshop and lecture as part of Coastal's Writers in the Real World series on Thursday, Feb. 21. The events, which are free and open to the public, will be held in the Thomas W. and Robin W. Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts Building.

The workshop is scheduled from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in Edwards 164 and the lecture will be held at 7:30 p.m. in Edwards Building Recital Hall.

Nance's recently published book, Turquet de Mayerne as Baroque Physician: the Art of Medical Portraiture, is a study of the life and times of a prominent 17th-century court doctor whose patients included Oliver Cromwell, Cardinal Richelieu and the royal families of England and France. From a careful study of the doctor's casebooks, Nance describes how Mayerne's innovations advanced the theory and practice of medicine and how his ideas relate to broader currents in baroque culture and art.

In his evening lecture - "The Mysterious Death of Prince Henry" - Nance will discuss his search for evidence and his analysis of competing explanations for the death of the son of King James I of England, a controversial event in which Mayerne played a key role.

In the workshop, which is designed for students interested in learning about the mechanics of writing and publishing, Nance will focus on academic publishing.

A native of Levelland, Texas, Nance earned a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina. He joined the Coastal faculty in 1991.

The Writers in the Real World series has been initiated by the Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts to showcase South Carolina authors and to offer a forum for students, faculty and members of the community interested in the practical aspects of writing.

For more information, call 349-2444 or 349-2712.