FRENCH AUTHOR Marek Halter, here to publicize "The Book of Abraham,"said Pope John Paul II spoke to him in Polish during a recent visit. The pope had read his book, a novel-history of the Jews, in Italian. Halter was born in the Warsaw Ghetto but escaped with his family through the sewers. "The Book of Abraham," published by Henry Holt, has been a European best seller.

Sara Ann Freed, editor of the Mysterious Press, will be the speaker at the Mystery Writers of America's June workshop here. It will be held June 21 at the Marriot Galleria. Other speakers: agent Pat Coleman, mystery writer Bill Crider, short story writer Lorraine Collins and Dr. Janece Hudson (on unleashing creativity).

Dr. Stephen Fink was a recent visitor, promoting his book "Crisis Management" (AMACON Books). He gives high marks to Johnson & Johnson for its handling of the two-tiered Tylenol crisis. Union Carbide flunks out for the way it reacted to the Bhopal and Institute, W. Va., crises.

Houston writer Joan Lowery Nixon, just back from a cruise on which daughter Eileen produced her mystery play, is heading for Kansas soon to research books on caravans of orphans heading west in the 19th century. Nixon's latest book is "Maggie Makes Three," just out from Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

Houston mystery writer Carolyn Banks' novel "Patchwork" is just out from Crown Publishing. It has to do with the hostility of a child.