EVENTS - 2026

April 24/25

I'll be leading a weekend Writing to Heal retreat at the Franciscan Spirituality Center in my hometown of La Crosse, Wisconsin.  To learn more, click on the button below.

details / register

April 28

WRITING THROUGH GRIEF AND LOSS
9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Skaalen Retirement Community
400 N. Morris St.
Stoughton, Wisconsin 53718
free admission

May 5-9

I'll be returning to Thrillerfest in NYC, where, once again,  I'll be among the QueryFest editors critiquing the first pages of manuscripts submitted by registrants. 

details / register

June 1-3

INTERNATIONAL DEATH, GRIEF, 
AND BEREAVEMENT CONFERENCE
University of Wisconsin - La Crosse
I'll be on a panel exploring Masculinity and Grief

details / register

July 2-5

I'll be leading my "Writing Through the Pain of Loss" workshop at the national conference of The Compassionate Friends in Baltimore. World-renowned grief expert David Kessler will be the keynote speaker. 

details / register

July 24-26

I'll be a keynote speaker and workshop leader at the National Gathering Conference of the Bereaved Parents USA in Pittsburgh.

details / register

July 27-Aug. 7

Once again, I'll be returning to the historic Chautauqua Institution in southwestern New York state for weeks 5 and 6. I'll be teaching my popular "From Novice to Novelist" writing class that demystifies and deconstructs the novel-writing process.  
Tickets for classes go on sale April 29.

chautauqua institution website

August 14-16

I'll be the keynote speaker for The International Dublin Writers' Festival at Trinity College in Ireland. I'll also be leading a writing workshop, plus critiquing the first pages of registrants' manuscript submissions.

Details / register

August 20-23

Once again, I'll be returning to the Killer Nashville Writers' Conference, where, among other duties, I'll be among the editors critiquing the first pages of submitted manuscripts. 

details / register

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.

details / register

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 