EVENTS - 2025
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Enemies Domestic Wins Grand Prize April 6
I was on the faculty for this year's Chanticleer Author Conference in Bellingham, Washington where my latest novel, Enemies Domestic, won the Grand Prize for the 2024 Clue Award for Suspense/Thriller Fiction. The award was presented by J.D. Barker, one of James Patterson's co-authors. See the clip below for my Oscar-worthy acceptance speech.
June 14
Dr. Sarah Allen hosted me on her podcast "A Little Bit of Magic." It was definitely magical. I love our rapport.
EARLIER THIS YEAR.......
February 6: Book Talk. "Facing Your Writing Fears." Sponsored by the Eastern Shore [Maryland] Writers Association. Click HERE to watch the event.
February 13: Book Club Talk: Met with Kim Gorman's book club in Potomac, Maryland to talk about my latest novel Enemies Domestic.
February 19: Led a session on "Writing in the Voice of Other Genders" live online. Hosted by the Annapolis chapter of the Maryland Writers' Association
February 23: Spoke on the topic "From Journalist to Novelist (Or How I Learned to Start Making it Up.)" online to the North Dallas, Texas chapter of Sisters in Crime
March 15: Suffolk, Virginia Authors Festival
March 18: Joined Linda Chavez and 9 other D.C.-area authors for an evening of readings from our works at Sonny's Pizza. Sponsored by The Inner Loop literary community.
March 20: Taught interviewing techniques to journalism students at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in Maryland
March 22: Taught a class on how to write a thriller at the Chesapeake Writers Workshop in Arlington, Virginia near Washington, DC. Sponsored by Writing Day Workshops
March 25: Taught "How to Write a Thriller" online for The Writer's Center, Bethesda, Maryland
March 31: Interviewed by Emily Rich on "Shore Stories," WHCP (NPR/97.1fm), Cambridge, MD. Listen HERE
April 6: Enemies Domestic wins Grand Prize for best suspense thriller of 2024 at the Chanticleer writers' conference in Bellingham, Washington. Presenting the award was J.D. Barker who co-writes with James Patterson. HERE is my acceptance speech.
April 13: Taught online class "When Creativity Gets Chaotic: How to Stay Organized" for Prolific Writers Life
April 19: "Ask the Author Anything" - a live online conversation on the Prolific Writers Life site for anyone who wanted to discuss writing and publishing.
April 25-27: Malice Domestic Writers' Conference, Bethesda, Maryland. Moderated one panel and was on another, plus read the title role in “Sherlock Holmes & the Nefarious Baron” written by Hal Glatzer for the Malice Theater of the Air.
May 2-3: Lakefly Writers' Conference, Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Best-selling Wisconsin author Patricia Skalka and I presented an in-depth workshop on writing as a way to deal with grief and loss.
May 10 - Spoke online to the San Diego chapter of Sisters in Crime on "From Journalist to Novelist (Or How I Learned to Start Making it Up)"
May 16: Click HERE to see my interview with J.D. Barker, one of James Patterson's co-authors
June 11: Hosted an informal one-hour conversation online about the ins and outs of writing fiction. Sponsored by The Loft literary center in Minneapolis.
June 12: Click HERE for my appearance on Dr. Sarah Allen's podcast "A Little Bit of Magic." I love our rapport!
June 13: Click HERE for my appearance on "A Book Finds You" podcast hosted by Rob Jolles.
June 14: Click HERE for the engaging "Who is John DeDakis?" interview of me on The Merry Writer Podcast.
June 17-21: I was among the agents and editors providing professional feedback on manuscripts submitted during the QueryFest portion of Thrillerfest in NYC.
June 25-July 30: Taught "From Novice to Novelist" online for The Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis
July 12: Taught "Buffing & Polishing: The Art of the Rewrite" online for Prolific Writers Life
July 13: Was interviewed by Daniel Lucas for his Book 101 Review podcast. Hear it HERE
July 14: Spoke to the Mystery by the Sea chapter of Sisters in Crime in Southeastern Virginia on "From Journalist to Novelist (Or How I Learned to Start Making it Up)."
July 15 - Led my writing workshop "Bringing a Scene to Life" online for The Writer's Center in Bethesda, Maryland
July 21 - August 1: Taught "From Novice to Novelist" during weeks 5 & 6 at The Chautauqua Institution
August 9 - Was interviewed about jazz and journalism by Rick DellaRatta for his "Jazz for Peace" podcast. See it HERE
August 16 - Taught "Capturing Your Story: The Art of Memoir" online for Prolific Writers Life
August 21-24 - Killer Nashville writers' conference. Provided professional manuscript feedback for 9 writers, and was on several panels. Enemies Domestic won the Silver Falchion Award for "Best Book by an Attending Author."
August 25 - Was interviewed about grief and loss by Kelly Buckley for her "Broken Beautiful Me" podcast. Both of our sons died in their early twenties, so this conversation was powerful. See and hear it HERE.
August 31 - Was interviewed about suicide prevention by Rich LaMonica for his "MisfitNation" podcast for veterans. See and hear it HERE. This felt powerful and important.
September 3-7 - Attended the Bouchercon convention for mystery readers and writers in New Orleans where I moderated a panel on writing characters who are journalists.
September 11 - Was interviewed about my novels by Ruth Douthitt for her podcast "A Writer's Life" podcast. Hear it HERE
September 12 - Was interviewed about journalism, writing, AI, grief, and other topics by former UPI journalist Bob Gatty on his "Lean Left" podcast. See and hear it HERE
September 13 - Was interviewed about journalism, writing, and grief by Joel Albrecht for his podcast "Were You Still Talking?" See and hear it HERE
September 13 - Taught "Characterization Through Dialogue" online for Prolific Writers Life
September 19-21 - Moderated two panel discussions at the Creatures, Crimes, and Creativity (C3 con) writers' conference in Columbia, Maryland
September 21 - Click HEREfor a stimulating conversation with Gareth King in Australia on his podcast in which he asks me the question, "Has the Internet ruined journalism?"
September 24 - October 29: Led "From Novice to Novelist," a live online deep-dive writing class for six Wednesday evenings. Sponsored by The Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis.
October 2 - Downtown La Crosse, Wisconsin Rotary club - Spoke at the noon luncheon on "Writing as a Way to Heal"
October 3-4 - Wisconsin Writers' Association fall conference, Stevens Point - Co-led "Writing Through the Pain of Loss" intensive workshop with bestselling Wisconsin author Patricia Skalka.
October 4 - Led a live online workshop "The Ticking Clock: How to Write a Thriller" sponsored by Prolific Writers Life.
October 8 - Appeared on the "Radiant Moments" podcast. We discussed how storytelling can be an agent of healing. The show notes can be your guide. See and hear it HERE
October 11/12 - Led the writing workshop "From Boring to Believable: Making a Scene Come to Life" at the Brain to Bookshelf Writers' Conference in Baltimore. Sponsored by the Maryland Writers Association
October 14 - Click HERE to see and hear Helena Strauss ask me deep, thoughtful questions about writing as a way to heal
October 18 - Click HERE to listen to James Moffitt interview me for his "Father's Refuge" podcast, a safe haven where parents who have lost children can gather to find hope. I discuss how writing as helped me heal.
October 21 - Click HERE for Matty Dalrymple's interview with me on her podcast about Writing to Heal.
October 25 - Delivered the keynote address to the annual meeting of the Maryland Library for the Blind and Visually Disabled in Baltimore
October 28 - Click HERE for Laura Diehl's interview with me on her "Grieving Parents Sharing Hope" podcast. We talk about spirituality, writing as a way to heal, plus I read a short excerpt from my novel Fake.
October 31 - Click HERE for former funeral director Scott Allan's interview with me about using writing to heal.
November 1 - Hosted a live, free, online "Ask the Author Anything" session. Sponsored by Prolific Writers Life.
November 5 - Ad libbed a version of my standard stump speech, "Writing as a Way to Heal," on the Step Up to the Mic podcast hosted by Rory Paquette. After my presentation, Rory had some follow-up questions for me. Click HERE for the full program.
November 12 - Bestselling Wisconsin Author Patricia Skalka and I presented an online class on "Writing Through the Pain of Loss" to the Wisconsin chapter of Sisters in Crime.
November 15 - Spoke in person to the Delaware Valley chapter of Sisters in Crime in Wayne, PA near Philadelphia
November 15 - Led a live online writing workshop on "How to Write in the Voice of Other Genders." Sponsored by Prolific Writers Life
November 19 - Spoke to the Annapolis chapter of the Maryland Writers Association on "Facing Your Writing Fears."
November 28 - Click HERE to see Brent Lindstrom interview me for his "LightMinded Arts" podcast. We discuss writing, journalism, grief, writing as a woman, plus I give a major shout-out to my wife Cindy.
December 3 - Led the online workshop "Writing to Heal" for The Writer's Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
December 10 - Click HERE to listen in on my conversation with Heather Vickery and Alan Seales on their "Was it Chance?" podcast. Their podcast is about embracing opportunity and taking intentional risks for your creative life.
December 13 - Book Signing at Cult Classic Brewing, Stevensville, Maryland.