Events

In addition to readings, book signings, and the usual assortment of convention panel topics, I’m available to speak on subjects such as urban fantasy, weird fiction, steampunk, science fiction, fantasy fiction, writing education, horror, collaborative fiction, and genre poetry.

If you’d like to invite me to be a speaker, workshop instructor, or program participant at your event, please contact me.

Upcoming Events

Columbus Book Festival in Columbus, OH on July 13-14, 2024.

Scary Saturday in at the Columbus Metropolitan Library Main Branch in Columbus, OH on Oct. 26th, 2024 from 11:30am-2:30pm.

Past Events

Ohioana Book Festival in Columbus, OH on April 20, 2024.

Author Appearance at HPB Springhurst in Louisville, KY on Nov. 8, 2023 at 7pm.

Columbus Book Festival in Columbus, OH on July 15-16, 2023.

Book discussion with Maxwell I. Gold at the Columbus Metropolitan Library South High Branch in Columbus, OH on April 29th, 2023 from 2-3pm.

Ohioana Book Festival in Columbus, OH on April 22, 2023.
Panel: “Writing LGBTQ+ Genre Fiction”

With Chuck Wendig at The Doylestown Bookshop in Doylestown, PA at 6pm on March 13, 2023.

With Gretchen Felker-Martin at Porter Square Books in Cambridge, MA at 7pm on March 10, 2023.

With Tara Whitehead at The Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg, PA at 7pm on March 7, 2023.

With Gwendolyn Kiste at Riverstone Books in Pittsburgh, PA at 7pm on March 6, 2023.
With Cheyna Roth at Schuler Books in Okemos, MI at 6:30pm on March 2, 2023.

With John Scalzi at The Book Loft of German Village in Columbus, OH at 7pm on February 21, 2023.

World Fantasy Convention in New Orleans, LA on Nov. 3-6, 2022.

Fright Fest Readings, October 27, 2022 from noon-1pm Eastern.

Ohioana Book Festival Online in Columbus, OH on April 29 – May 1, 2022.
Panel: “Don’t Turn Out The Lights!”

Reading/Q&A for Poe’s Birthday Bash via the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Library at 6pm Eastern on Jan. 26, 2022.

Game On! Virtual Writing Workshop via the Wright Memorial Public Library, Oakwood, OH on Jan. 22, 2022.

Omnium Gatherum Online Release Day Party, 8pm Eastern on January 15, 2022.

Featured Speaker at Writers of Kern, 12pm Eastern on November 20, 2021.

Poetry Panel for Fright Fest via the Hampton Public Library, Hampton VA from 6pm-8pm Eastern on Oct. 2, 2021.

Online panelist at Origins Game Fair in Columbus, OH on Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 2021.

Presenter at the Writing in the Dark Online Symposium on Sept. 24-26, 2021.

Presenter at the In Your Write Mind Virtual Workshop on July 8-11, 2021.
Workshop: “Characterization and Dialogue”
Panel: “Women Writing Dark Fantasy and Horror”

Ohioana Book Festival Online in Columbus, OH on April 19, 2021.
Panel: “Worthington Authors at the McConnell Arts Center”

HWA Skeleton Hour: “Writing Horror In a Post-Covid World” at 6pm Pacific on April 8th, 2021.

Southern Nightmares Reading Series at 8pm Eastern on Oct. 22, 2020.

Online Book Launch for Halloween Season at 7pm Eastern on October 5th, 2020.

Ohioana Book Festival Online in Columbus, OH on August 28-30, 2020.
Panel: “Adventures in Speculative Fiction”

Virtual NASFiC 2020 on August 21-23, 2020.
Panels: “COVID-FX: Horror Beyond 2020” • “COVID-FX Writing & Reading About Pandemics During a Pandemic” • “The Future of Anthologies”

Gen Con Online on July 30-August 2, 2020.
Panel: “Apocalyptic Fiction: What COVID Has Taught Us”

ConFusion in Detroit, MI on January 16-19, 2020.
Panels: “Working with a Small Press: What Should I Know?” and “Writing Critique Groups”

Seton Hill University MFA residency in Greensburg, PA on Jan. 3-8, 2020.

An Evening of Horror with the Ohio HWA at the Bexley Public Library in Bexley, OH on Oct. 17, 2019 from 7-9pm.

Saluki Con in Carbondale, IL on Sept. 28-29, 2019.

Intensive Genre Writers Weekend in Huntington, WV on Sept. 20-22, 2019.

Camp Write in Columbus, OH on Sept. 1, 2019.
Workshop: “Subtext”

Gen Con in Indianapolis, IN on August 1-4, 2019.
Panels: “Writing About Places You’ve Never Visited” • “Climax: Don’t Let It Fall Flat” • “Capturing the Creepy: Getting the Details Right” • “What Makes a Good Cover?”
Workshops: “Writing Horror” • “Blogging 201” • “Writing Weird Fiction”

Athanor Writing Retreat in Ann Arbor, MI on July 22-26, 2019.

Readercon in Quincy, MA on July 12-14, 2019.

Pines Writing Retreat at Our Lady of the Pines Retreat Center in Fremont, OH on July 5-7, 2019.

Seton Hill University MFA residency in Greensburg, PA on June 25-30, 2019.

In Your Write Mind Workshop in Greensburg, PA on June 27-30, 2019.
Workshops: “Crowdfunding,” “Descriptions”

Panelist at Origins Game Fair in Columbus, OH on June 12-16, 2019.
Panels: “Short Stories” • “Next-level Worldbuilding for Prose or Gaming” • “Crowdfunding” • “Collaboration” • “Ask the Editors Anything”

Ohio Horror Writers Association Readings at Kafe Kerouac, Columbus OH from 6:30pm-9pm on June 8, 2019.

StokerCon 2019 in Grand Rapids, MI on May 9-12, 2019.
Panels: “Websites, Blogs, Newsletters, and Facebook: What Do I Need?” • “Writing Horror For Kids and Teens” • “Creating Memorable Villains”

Mo*Con 2019 in Indianapolis, IN on May 3-5, 2019.

Ohioana Book Festival in Columbus, OH on April 27, 2019.
Panel: “Fantastic Fiction”

Odyssey Online Writing Class: Riveting Descriptions: Bringing Your Story to Life in the Reader’s Mind. Online from 7:00-8:30pm on January 3, January 17, and January 31, 2019.

ConFusion in Detroit, MI on January 17-20, 2019.

Seton Hill University MFA residency in Greensburg, PA on January 4-10, 2019.

Speaker at Wayne County Public Library in Wooster, OH from 6:30-8:00 pm on October 29, 2018.

Gen Con in Indianapolis, IN on August 2-5, 2018.
Panels: “Minding Your Ps and Qs: Grammar and Punctuation for Authors” • “Writing Monsters” • “Freelancing Life” • “Revising Your Story” • “Support Systems for Writers” • “Friendship in Spec Fic” • “The Ins and Outs of Patreon”.

Seton Hill University MFA residency in Greensburg, PA on June 19-24, 2018.
Workshop: “Writing Short Stories”.

In Your Write Mind Book Signing, Seton Hill University Performing Arts Center, Greensburg, PA on June 23, 2018 from 6-9:30 pm.

Panelist at Origins Game Fair in Columbus, OH on June 13-17, 2018.
Panels: “Setting As Character” • “Writing Short Stories” • “Character Building: Heroes, Villains” • “Worldbuilding” • “Brown Bag Story Time” • “Crowdfunding” • “Writer Horror Stories: Don’t Let It Happen To You”

Penguicon in Detroit, MI on May 4-6, 2018.
Panels: “Writing Short: Creating the Impactful Short Story” • “Making a Living as a Midlist Writer” • “Crowdfunding for Creatives”

Workshop instructor at the Belmont County District Library on April 28, 2018.
Workshop: “Creative Kickstart”

Participating author at the Ohioana Book Festival in Columbus, OH on April 14, 2018.
Panels: “Transcending Genres” • “HERStory”

Athanor Writing Retreat in Ann Arbor, MI on April 6-8, 2018.

Judge for Winton Woods High School Writer’s Club contest in Cincinnati, OH on April 2, 2018.

Panelist at ConFusion in Detroit, MI on January 18-21, 2018.
Panels: “Using Real Scientific History To Enhance Fantasy World-Building” • “You Got Magic In My Science Fiction!” • “A Novel Look at the Short Story”

Seton Hill University MFA residency in Greensburg, PA on January 5-10, 2018.

Workshop instructor for Day of Reckoning on November 18, 2017.

Special Guest at AcadeCon in Dayton, OH on November 10-12, 2017.

Indie Author Day at the Pickerington Public Library in Pickerington, OH on Oct. 14, 2017.

Imaginator Guest at Imaginarium in Louisville, KY on Oct. 6-8, 2017.
Panels: “Driving Your Story With Your Characters” • “Sharpen your Point of View” • “Crowdfunding for Creatives” • “Fantastic First Lines”

Panelist at the Ohio Library Council in Dayton, OH on Oct. 5, 2017.
Panel: Horror Discussion Luncheon

Panelist at Gen Con Indy in Indianapolis, IN on Aug. 17-20, 2017.
Panels: “Writing A Synopsis” • “Worldbuilding: Creating Fantasy Cultures” • “World Building: Cataclysms” • “Writer’s Life: Finding a Mentor, Being a Mentor” • “Business of Writing: Success Without an Agent” • “Business of Writing: Story Length Labels: Novel vs. Novella vs. Novelette” • “Business of Writing: Handling Problem People: From Divas to Needy Fans” • “Fantasy Fiction: Turning Tropes Upside Down” • “Writer’s Craft: Using Setting as a Character”

Workshop instructor for Day of Reckoning on August 12, 2017.

Panelist at Confluence in Pittsburgh, PA on August 4-6, 2017.
Panels: “Building Secondary Fantasy Worlds” • “Slightly Out of Phase” • “Learning For… Free?” • “Kaffeeklatch: Writing and Selling Short Stories” • “Playing in Someone Else’s Sandbox” • “Kickstarter 101” • “When the Abyss Looks Back at You” • “Prose That Sings” • “Bring Me the Head of my Co-Author!”

In Your Write Mind Workshop in Greensburg, PA on June 22-25, 2017.

Panelist at Origins Game Fair in Columbus, OH on June 14-18, 2017.
Panels: “Burning the Envelope” • “Fear” • “Character Assassination” • “Them’s Fighting Words” • “Pointed Views” • “The Short and Shorter of It”

Participant in the Launch Pad Astronomy Workshop at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, WY on June 4-10, 2017.

Workshop instructor at the Pickerington Library in Pickerington, OH on May 6, 2017.
Workshop: “The Plot Thickens”

Participating author at the Ohioana Book Festival in Columbus, OH on April 8, 2017.
Panel: “How We Write, What We Write”

Survival of the Fictitiousest in Dayton, OH on April 1, 2017.

Author speaker at the Westerville Public Library in Westerville, OH at 7pm on March 27, 2017.

Panelist at ConCoction in Cleveland, OH on March 10-12, 2017.
Panels: “Shaping the Short Story” • “Favorite Creatures” • “What is Urban Fantasy?” • “Publishing Expectations” • “Speculative Poetry” • “Why Villains Matter”

World Fantasy 2016 in Columbus, OH on October 27-30, 2016.

Panelist at Gen Con Indy 2016 in Indianapolis, IN on Aug. 4-7, 2016.
Panels: “Writer’s Craft: Show, Don’t Tell” • “Crowdfunding 101” • “Crowdfunding: Preparing for the Campaign” • “Writing Novels: Ending It Right” • “Character Craft: Representing Unconscious Motivation” • “Read & Critique”
Also served as a judge for the Gen Con Costume Contest

Workshop instructor (“Selling Your Fiction”) at the Goddard College MFA Residency in Plainfield, VT on June 25, 2016.

Panelist at Origins Game Fair in Columbus, OH on June 15-19, 2016.
Panels: “Characterization and Dialog” • “Social Media 101” • “The Plot Thickens” • “The Art of the Short Story”

Panelist and writing workshop instructor at StokerCon in Las Vegas, NV on May 12-16, 2016.
Panel: “Diversity & the HWA”; Writing Workshops: “The Plot Thickens” • “Selling Your Fiction”

Writing workshop instructor at Marcon in Columbus, OH on May 6-8, 2016.
Writing Workshops: “Creative Kickstart” • “The Plot Thickens”

Participating author at the Ohioana Book Festival in Columbus, OH on April 23, 2016.
Panel: “Horror, Suspense, and the Supernatural”

Panelist at ConCoction in Cleveland, OH on March 11-13, 2016.
Panels: “Writing for YA” • “Graphic Violence – What’s it Good For?” • “What is Urban Fantasy?” • “Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing” • “Common Problems of New Writers” • “Crowdfunding”

Workshop instructor (“Selling Your Fiction”) at the Goddard College MFA Residency in Plainfield, VT on January 9, 2016.

Author speaker at the Pickerington Library Book Club at 7-8pm in Pickerington, OH on Oct. 10, 2015.

Author speaker at Sisters in Crime at 12:30-2:30pm in Columbus, OH on Aug. 22, 2015.

Chattel House Books featured guest at AnimeKon Expo in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Aug. 15-16, 2015.

Workshop instructor (“Publishing Popular Fiction”) at the Goddard College MFA Residency in Plainfield, VT on July 1, 2015.

Seminar leader (“Blog Like A Pro: Tips For Everyone”) at the Teaching & Learning in Higher Education Conference in Columbus, OH on June 5, 2015.

Panelist at Origins Game Fair in Columbus, OH on June 3-7, 2015.
Panels: “Networking” • “More Than Black Hats: Creating a Villain” • “The Short Story and You” • “Flora and Fauna” • “Creating a Steampunk Setting” • “Flash Fiction”

Author speaker (“Character Development and Riveting Descriptions”) at Writers’ Ink at the Upper Arlington Public Library in Columbus, OH on May 17, 2015.

Panelist at World Horror 2015 in Atlanta, GA on May 7-10, 2015.
Panels: “Degrees of Dread: Horror Goes to College” • “Stabbing Through the Glass Ceiling: Advice for Women Writers Starting Out” • “Terrifying Tropes: Urban Fantasy”

GoH at Mo*Con X in Indianapolis, IN on May 1-3, 2015.
Panel: “Women Destroy Mo*Con”

Participating author at the Ohioana Book Festival in Columbus, OH on April 25, 2015.
Panels: “In Brief: Essays, Poems, and Short Stories” and “Publishing: Everything You Wanted to Know”

Workshop leader for i4 Workshops: Spring into Creative Writing! at the International Institute for Innovative Instruction in Columbus, OH Feb 20-April 10, 2015.

Afternoon of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror at the Bexley Library in Bexley, OH on Feb. 7, 2015.

Participant at the RDSP Writing Retreat in Logan, OH on Dec. 5-7, 2014.

Panelist at Context 27 in Worthington, OH on Sept. 26-28, 2014.
Workshop: “Writing Urban Fantasy and Supernatural Horror”. Panels: “MFA Programs” • “Skewering the Trope: ‘Tough Women’ in Literature” • “Crowdfunding”

Confluence 2014 in Pittsburgh, PA on July 25-27, 2014.
Panels: “Happiness in Horror” • “The Games We Play” • “SF as Games; Games as SF”• “Collaboration” • “Writing and the Day Job” • “Truly Creative: Financial Realities of the Writing Life” • “The Amazon’s Right Breast: Women in Combat”

DetCon1 in Detroit, MI on July 17-20, 2014.
Panels: Author reading, “Zombie Culture” • “Doctor Who” • “Iron Author Detroit!”

Goddard College MFA Residency in Plainfield, VT on June 25 – July 4, 2014.

Marcon 49 in Columbus, OH on May 9-11, 2014.
Workshop: “Writing Horror”. Panel: “Publishing Mishaps”

2014 Ohioana Library Book Festival in Columbus, OH on May 10, 2014.
Panels: “Fiction: Short Stories” • “From Another Realm: Paranormal, Science Fiction & Fantasy II”

GoH at Mo*Con 9 in Indianapolis, IN on May 2-4, 2014.

Legendary ConFusion in Detroit, MI on January 17-19, 2014.
Author Reading (with Ferrett Steinmetz). Panels: “Missed Trends in Urban Fantasy” • “If I Knew Then What I Know Now” • “Hybrid Publishing” • “How do I find the right fit when looking for an Agent?”

Seton Hill MFA Residency in Greensburg, PA on January 11-15, 2014.

Signing at Main Street Books in Mansfield, OH from 1pm-4pm on December 7, 2013.

Reading at Wright State University in Dayton, OH at 4:00pm on October 23, 2013.

Context 26 in Columbus, OH on September 27-29, 2013.

Panelist at Gen Con Indy 2013 in Indianapolis, IN on Aug. 15-18, 2013.
Panels: “Horror”, “Urban Fantasy”, “Dark Fantasy”

Special Guest at the PMP Writers Retreat in Yellow Springs, OH on Aug. 10, 2013.

Seton Hill MFA Residency in Greensburg, PA on June 28-30, 2013.

Bram Stoker Weekend/World Horror Convention in New Orleans, LA on June 13-16, 2013.

Mo*Con 8 in Indianapolis, IN on May 3-5, 2013.

Marcon 48 in Columbus, OH on March 29-31, 2013.

Guest of Honor at Indiana Horror Writers annual retreat in Indianapolis, IN on Feb. 22-24, 2013.

Signing at Bookmamas in Indianapolis, IN on February 23, 2013.

Seton Hill MFA Residency in Greensburg, PA on Jan. 5-8, 2013.

Special Guest at AnthoCon in Portsmouth, NH on Nov. 9-11, 2012.

World Fantasy 2012 in Toronto, Canada on Nov. 1-4, 2012.

Context 25 in Columbus, OH on September 28-30, 2012.

Gen Con Indy 2012 in Indianapolis, IN on Aug. 16-19, 2012.
Panels: “Writing from Life”, “Ghosts, Spirits, and the World Beyond”

Confluence 2012 in Pittsburgh, PA on July 27-29, 2012.

Writing workshop at the Massillon Museum in Massillon, Ohio from 2pm-4pm on May 26th, 2012.

2012 Ohioana Library Book Festival in Columbus, OH on May 12, 2012.

Mo*Con VII in Indianapolis, IN on May 4-6, 2012.

Signing at the Arboretum Barnes & Noble in Austin, TX on April 7th, 2012.

Signing at Hastings Books in San Angelo, TX on April 4, 2012.

Authors’ Fair at That Book Place in Madison, Indiana on March 17, 2012 from 10am-5pm.

Signing at Backlist Books in Massillon, Ohio on December 31st, 2011 from 2pm-4pm.

Context 24 in Columbus, OH on August 26-28, 2011.

Signing at the Barnes & Noble at La Cantera in San Antonio, TX on July 17th, 2011.

Mo*Con VI in Indianapolis, IN on May 20-22, 2011.

2011 Ohioana Library Book Festival in Columbus, OH on May 7, 2011.

Signing at Backlist Books in Massillon, Ohio on March 12, 2011 at 1pm.

Take 190 West Festival in Killeen, TX on March 5, 2011.

Apex Day at Joseph Beth Booksellers in Lexington, KY on December 11, 2010, from 2-4pm.

World Fantasy 2010 in Columbus, OH on Oct. 28-31, 2010.

Context 23 in Columbus, OH on August 27-29, 2010.

Talk and Q&A at Central & Southern Ohio Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators at the Upper Arlington Public Library in Columbus, OH on August 18, 2010 at 7:00pm.

Marcon in Columbus, OH on May 28-30, 2010.

Featured Author at the 2010 Ohioana Library Book Festival in Columbus, OH on May 8, 2010.

Mo*Con V in Indianapolis, IN on April 30 – May 2, 2010.

Led session on “Writing Urban Fantasy” at Sinclair Community College’s 36th Annual Writers’ Workshop in Dayton, OH on Friday, April 16, 2010.

Signing at That Book Place in Madison, Indiana on March 20, 2010 from 1pm-6pm.

Signing at Backlist Books in Massillon, Ohio on March 6, 2010 at 1pm.

Take 190 West Festival in Killeen, TX on Feb. 27, 2010.

Reading/Signing at Borders Books in Indianapolis, IN on Feb. 19, 2010 at 7pm.

IHW Writers’ Retreat in Indianapolis, IN on Feb. 19-21, 2010.

WCBE Writers’ Talk Fundraiser at Kafe Kerouac in Columbus, OH on Nov. 21, 2009.

Writers Workshop of Horror signing in Barboursville, WV on September 5, 2009.

Context 22 in Columbus, OH on August 28-30, 2009.