Awards
finalist, Lunch Ticket, Diana Woods Memorial Award in Creative Nonfiction
nonfiction piece named a notable essay in Best American Essays 2012 by Robert Atwan
River Teeth Literary Nonfiction Book Prize
Chautauqua Nonfiction Prize
Literal Latté Ames Essay Award
Sipple Poetry Prize
finalist, Crab Orchard Review’s First Poetry Book competition
finalist, Ruminate Magazine essay contest
Editor’s Prize, Honorable Mention, Spoon River Poetry Review
Illinois Arts Council Award nomination
Two Pushcart Prize nominations
Interviews and Reviews
Interviews
Widows and Widowers Magazine (United Kingdom), October 2016
Art and Society Magazine, “Travelers Through Life: Grandview Hotel Poets,” September 2016
”Laughter and Grief,” From Grief to Grace with Chaz Wesley, Unity Radio, May 2016
Good Grief radio, with Cheryl Jones, on VoiceAmerica network, May 2016
Under the Gum Tree Journal, March 2016
Writers' Talks at Studio West in Los Angeles, with Linda Schreyer
"From Grief to Grace," with Chaz Wesley, Unity Radio
Chautauqua Literary Journal
Peoria Journal Star
Poets’ Voices, radio interview with Jim Sullivan, WAZU-FM You can also listen online at poetsvoices.podbean.com.
Wisconsin State Journal
Yosemite book reviews
Elaine Mansfield, “A Mystical Pilgrimage Into Nature and Grief”
North Dakota Review
Sierra Club review
Kirkus Reviews
Blogcritics.org
Shelf Awareness
Recent Speaking Engagements and Presentations
“Grief and the Holidays,” Unitarian Universalist Church, Peoria, IL, November 2016
Visiting Writer, creative nonfiction and nature writing lecture and reading, Bradley University
Visiting Writer, spoke to creative nonfiction and poetry classes, Illinois Central College
Presented a paper on nature writing, National Conference of the Western Literature Association, Berkeley, California
Led all-day workshop on creative nonfiction, All Writers’ Workplace, Waukesha, Wisconsin
“The Music of Writing” Presentation with Marcia Henry Liebenow, violinist, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Bradley University
Presentation on poetry, Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books, Waukesha, Wisconsin
“Nature Writing and Spirituality,” Interfaith Alliance, Peoria, Illinois
Discussion of Bob Hicok’s poetry with graphic arts students, Bradley University
Nature writing, Sierra Club of Central Illinois
Adjudicate, James Ballowe Essay Contest, Bradley University
Readings - selected
Poetry reading, Grandview Hotel Poets, I Know You Like a Book Bookstore, Peoria Heights, IL, November 2016
“Driving to Find Home,” Under the Gum Tree Journal, virtual reading of grief essay
“Nature writing”, Illinois Central College, East Peoria, Illinois
“Directions Home,” Bradley University, publication of letterpress folio of poems, Grandview Hotel Poets
“Nature writing”, Red Lodge Bookstore, Red Lodge, Montana
“Mountains of Light,” Bradley University, book release (Univ. of Nebraska Press)
poetry reading with violinist Marcia Henry Liebenow, Anshai Emeth Synagogue, Daniel Pearl Celebration
“Bluffs and Five Bridges,” Prairie Center of the Arts, publication of the poetry chapbook, Grandview Hotel Poets, with Marcia Henry Liebenow, violin; Kelly Krainak, painter; and Lisa Raabe, fiber artist
poetry reading, Unitarian Universalist Church, Peoria, Illinois
Quoted In
Sienna Jae Fein, “Sex and the Grieving Widower,” article, Huffington Post
Dr. Melody McCloud, “Widows and Widowers: Marking the First Anniversary Since Death,” All Things In Mind, article, October 2016, PsychCentral
Victoria Noe, Friend Grief and Men: Defying Stereotypes, book, King Company, 2016, p. 52
