EVENTS - 2026
Sept. 1 - Oct. 6 6 Tuesdays
WRITING THROUGH
THE PAIN OF LOSS
7-9 p.m. Eastern
ONLINE
An in-depth exploration
of how writing can heal.
Sept. 16 - Oct. 21 6 Wednesdays
FROM NOVICE TO NOVELIST 7-9 p.m. EasternONLINEAn in-depth explorationof how to write a novel.
September 18-20
I'll be leading a writing workshop and selling copies of my Lark Chadwick novels at Creatures, Crimes, and Creativity (C3 Con) in Columbia, Maryland.
September 24-26
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
"From Journalist to Novelist:
(Or How I Learned to Start Making it Up)"
National Federation of Press Woman
Annual Conference
Turf Valley Resort
Ellicott City, Maryland
October 22-24
MILITARY WRITERS SOCIETY OF AMERICA
Orlando, Florida Conference
Keynote Address:
"From Journalist to Novelist
(Or How I Learned to Start Making it Up)"
Plus!
One-on-One Manuscript Critiques
And!
A "surprise" workshop
Oct. 28 - Dec. 9
6 Wednesdays
FROM NOVICE TO NOVELIST 7-9 p.m. EasternONLINEAn in-depth explorationof how to write a novel.
So Far This Year.....
January 15 - Led a grief-writing workshop for volunteers at The Wendt Center for Loss and Healing in Washington, DC.
January 17 - Click HERE to hear Carolyn Colleen's interview with me on her "Finding Your Fierce" podcast.
January 19 - Click HERE to see Author Randy Weir's interview with me on "Bringing Characters to Life."
January 21 - Spoke in person to the Cumberland chapter of the Maryland Writers Association on "From Journalist to Novelist: (Or How I Learned to Start Making it Up."
January 24 - Click HERE to see my 1-2-1 interview with my former CNN colleague Carol Lin. In her memoir, she writes about becoming a widow when her baby was 10 weeks old.
January 26 - Click HERE to see Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Zander Sprague interview me about our shared grief experiences,
January 27 - Click HERE to see Wade Fransson and I mix it up on his "Created in the Image of God" podcast. We discuss "Truth and Fiction in the Newsroom."
January 28 - Click HERE to see Germany's Bru Frasca interview me for his Bru-Cast podcast.
January 31 - Click HERE for John Gallagher's conversation with me on his podcast "Talks with Gallagher." We discuss "Writing Through Grief: Loss, Healing and Finding Meaning on the Page. "
February 3 - Begin teaching a 6-week online writing workshop, "From Novice to Novelist. Sponsored by Prolific Writers Life
February 5 - Click HERE for Hedinn Sveinbjornsson's interview with me on his global podcast from Iceland, "Inspiring Conversations."
February 7 - Click HERE for Kim Sorrelle's interview with me on "Writing Through Loss."
February 11 - Click HERE for The Man Space podcast where Russ and Less interview me about the dangers of bottling up emotions after a tragic loss, journalism in the Trump presidency, and much more.
February 12 - I read an excerpt from my yet-to-be-published memoir at the "Love Stories to Tell in the Dark" author reading at Cult Classic Brewing in Stevensville, Maryland
February 18 - Click HERE for Ana Murbry's conversation with me on her "Honest Christian Conversations" podcast. She voted for Trump twice because she thought that's what God wanted her to do. Now she's not so sure. We discuss.
March 11 - Begin teaching a 6-week online writing workshop "From Novice to Novelist" sponsored by The Writer's Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
March 14 - Returned to the Suffolk, Virginia Author Festival, where I sold books, met old and new friends, and moderated a panel discussion.
March 17 - Led a live online workshop "Writing Through the Pain of Loss" for The COPE Foundation (Connecting Our Paths Eternally)
March 21 - Led an in-depth writing seminar on "Becoming a Master Writer" at Elaine's Literary Salon in Alexandria, Virginia
March 23 - "Is Donald Trump a Russian asset, a useful idiot, both, or neither?" That's one of the more provocative questions I asked former CIA analyst Bill Rapp in our "One-to-One with John DeDakis" interview. We also discuss Bill's latest Cold War thriller, "The Prague Spring." Click HERE to see and hear our conversation.
March 26 - Led "The Spooky Power of the Subconscious" writing workshop online for the Eastern Shore (Maryland) Writers Assocation.
March 28 - Led my "From Novice to Novelist" writing workshop at Cult Classic Brewing in Stevensville, Maryland. Sponsored by Brackish Books.
March 29 - Dr. Andrew Wilner is the only interviewer to ask if I feel guilty about seeming to capitalize on my son's death. Click HERE for our conversation on his "The Art of Medicine" podcast.
March 30 - Led a "Writing to Heal" workshop for the staff members of the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing in Washington, DC.
March 31 - Appeared on Heather Holt's "Change Happened" podcast. She took me back to the raw emotions I felt 45 years ago when I had to tell my parents their daughter was dead. Click HERE to hear the entire conversation--which leads to healing and hope.
April 2 - In this fast-paced conversation, Danielle Hutchinson gets me talking about the importance of moving toward our inner pain. Click HERE to see and hear it.
April 4 - Read brief excerpts from all six of my novels as a way to introduce readers to my protagonist, Lark Chadwick. Hosted by artists Penny & Hilmar at their Sanctuary Studios, Flintstone, Maryland
April 21 - Was interviewed by Laura Williams about The Writer/Editor Relationship. Hear our conversation HERE on her The Writing Biz podcast.
April 24-25 - Led a weekend retreat, "Writing Through the Pain of Loss," at the Franciscan Spirituality Center in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
April 28 - Led the workshop, "Writing Through Grief and Loss," at the Skaalen Retirement Community in Stoughton, Wisconsin.
April 28 - Spoke to the Edgerton, Wisconsin Rotary Club on the topic "Writing Through Grief and Loss."
April 30 - GRADUATION DAY! Officially become a Certified Grief Educator by world-renowned grief expert David Kessler - Grief.com
May 5-9 - Attended ThrillerFest in NYC where I critiqued the query letters, synopses, and first pages of 10 writers, plus was part of a panel discussion on Plotting.
May 5 - Click HERE for Audley Stephenson's interview with me on his Audacious Living Podcast. We talk about the importance of being vulnerable as a writer (among other things).
May 16 - Spoke to the Frederick chapter of the Maryland Writers' Association on "Whatever Happened to Objectivity? Journalism in the Era of Fake News."
June 1-3 - International Death, Grief, and Bereavement Conference, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Led a roundtable discussion on Writing to Heal and moderated a panel discussion on Exploring Masculinity and Grief.
June 4 - Book Talk - "Introducing Lark Chadwick" - Northwind Books, Spooner, Wisconsin
June 10- July 15 - Led "From Novice to Novelist," a 6-week online writing seminar. Sponsored by The Writer's Center, Bethesda, Maryland.
June 17 - Click HERE to hear Boston radio legend Jordan Rich interview me about journalism and grief.
June 22 - Writing Through Grief is the topic when Kary Youman interviews me for his The Resilient Author podcast. Click HERE to listen.
June 26 - When three bereaved parents get together to talk, meaning happens. Click HERE for my conversation with Bruce Barker and Kristin Glenn on their appropriately named podcast "Don't Forget to Breathe."
July 2-5 - Led the workshop "Writing Through the Pain of Loss" at the national conference of The Compassionate Friends in Baltimore, where grief expert David Kessler was a keynote speaker.
July 8 - Interviewed Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Steven A. Holmes about racism in America, bias in journalism, and his historical fiction novel Black Messiahs set in WWII. Click HERE to see and hear our in-depth conversation.
July 9 - Interviewed biker/psychotherapist Patrick Harris about surviving a shoot-out that killed 9 people, masculinity and grief, and how humor can heal. Click HERE to see and hear our conversation.
July 24-26 - Was a keynote speaker and workshop leader at the National Gathering of the Bereaved Parents of the USA in Pittsburgh
July 27 - August 7 - Returned to the idyllic and historic Chautauqua Institution in southwestern New York State to teach "From Novice to Novelist," speak at the Smith Memorial Library, and sign books.
August 7 - One of the wonderful things about the internet is that you can talk wth people on the other side of the world. Click HERE for my interview on The Soul Mirror podcast in India. The subject: "Writing Through Grief."
August 14-16 - Delivered "Deep Listening for Writers" keynote talk at the International Dublin Writers' Festival in Dublin, Ireland.
August 20-23 - Was deeply involved with the Killer Nashville Writers' Conference: Co-led a Master Class on editing; delivered a keynote address on "Facing Your Writing Fears"; met one-on-one with several writers to critique the first pages of their manuscripts; led a workshop on editing; and moderated three panels, including a lively one on Artificial Intelligence.