Book Events
One of the things I enjoy is sharing my writing. If it's my latest books of poems, how nice to have an opportunity to read them aloud. If it's a local history book, I not only get the chance to share how I researched and wrote it, but also to hear the group’s memories of my topic. My program includes a PowerPoint presentation and plenty of time for questions. Compensation for my programs can be either $50 or the purchase of books totaling that amount. I do not charge for mileage within Oswego County or the immediate Syracuse area. If you’re interested in having me present for your group, click on the "Contact" link at the top of the page to let me know.
Upcoming Readings and Book Signings
Friday, November 1, 2024 1:00-2:00pm
SUNY Morrisville College
Morrisville, New York
I will take part in Chenango County Historical Society’s “National Author’s Day.” I’ll be among the presenters, sharing my PowerPoint photos and stories about CNY Historical Snowstorms. Details of how to register for this event will follow as we get closer to the date.
Monday, November 25, 2024 12:00 noon
New Haven Seniors
New Haven Fire Station, 4211 Route 104
New Haven, NY 13121
I’ll be presenting an overview of my books, with a focus on how I select local history topics to research and write about. I’ll include some tips I’ve learned on how to interview people who have lived the history of my book topic. Join us for the conversation!
Tuesday, March 4, 2025 6:30 pm
Beauchamp Historical Club
Van Buren Town Hall, 7575 Van Buren Road
Baldwinsville, New York 13027
I’ll be co-presenting with fellow author Tim Carroll. Tim and I have been working on a book, as yet untitled, that covers the full history of Lake Neatahwanta, located in Fulton, and the site of many memories made swimming, fishing and boating. We’ll be offering great photos and images of the lake over its life, as well as stories from those who love the lake.
Monday, April 28, 2025 7pm
Hannibal Historical Society
162 Oswego Street
Hannibal, New York
I’ll be co-presenting with fellow author Tim Carroll. Tim and I have been working on a book, as yet untitled, that covers the full history of Lake Neatahwanta, located in Fulton, and the site of many memories made swimming, fishing and boating. We’ll be offering great photos and images of the lake over its life, as well as stories from those who love the lake.
Looking for a program for your group or organization?
I enjoy providing programs based on my books. Here are some topics I offer:
1) Remembering our Biggest Snowstorms. After publishing Voices in the Storm, Stories from the Blizzard of ‘66, I continued to hear memories and recollections from folks who lived through major winter weather events in our area. Their stories were every bit as good as those in my Blizzard book, so I decided to research major snowstorms as far back as the late 1700s. The result is my newest book (published October 2022), Historic Snowstorms of Central New York. This program includes stories from folks throughout the region and PowerPoint photographs and images that stretch back as the late 1800s. As always, I’ll include time for members of the audience to share their snowstorm memories.
2) Camp Hollis, the children’s camp on Lake Ontario in the town of Oswego, has been making summers happier for boys and girls since 1946. But its history goes back even farther. In 1928, the site became the home of a Health Camp for children at risk of contracting tuberculosis. By the time I attended as a camper, Hollis was a summer respite for Oswego County children and available to all families regardless of their financial resources. I worked at Hollis for many years, and over the years I’ve compiled its history by researching the founders’ paperwork and interviewing former staff and campers. My PowerPoint program, developed from my book, Oswego’s Camp Hollis: Haven by the Lake, features photographs and stories of the camp’s nearly century-long dedication to children.
3) For nearly 0ne hundred years, the Nestle chocolate factory in Fulton provided the United States with candy bars, chocolate chip morsels, and beverage-enhancing powders like Nestle’s Quik and Strawberry Quik. My book, Nestle in Fulton, New York: How Sweet it Was, covers how the Swiss-based company first came to the United States and its century of success in Fulton. As part of this Nestle program, I provide a PowerPoint presentation which includes an overview of the factory’s history, stories I collected from former Nestle employees and their families, and information about the invention and development of Nestle’s most successful products: The Crunch Bar, Quik, Toll House Morsels, etc.
4) Based on the research I conducted for my Blizzard of '66 book and biography of Oswego weatherman Bob Sykes, I have put together a one-hour program about Central New York winter weather as seen through the eyes of its longtime residents. Using some of the incredible stories about what happened to people during the blizzard and anecdotes about our area's most memorable meteorologist from his SUNY Oswego students and colleagues, I shine a spotlight on the hearty people who manage to survive winter after winter of our amazing weather. A PowerPoint presentation brings the stories and memories alive. The program concludes with a question and answer period.
5) I have developed a presentation for my latest book of poems, The Best of Fulton. Using the city of Fulton as a backdrop, I share my memories of growing up in rural Central New York during the 1960s. My poetry will explore life on muck farms, progressing through elementary school, the sights and smells of a town that had both a chocolate factory and a frozen vegetable processing plant.
6) It’s a joy to offer a slideshow of various locations in Central New York based on my book Of the Earth: Stories From Oswego County's Muck Farms. The book is a compilation of interviews with local muck farmers, their family members, neighbors and agricultural agency representatives. In the book I weave the interviews together to tell the story of how this unique type of farming got established in Oswego County, how it developed and prospered into a major industry and what the future holds for the mucks. After the presentation I introduce any muck farm families in attendance and take questions from the audience.
7) In July 1971, while vacationing with his family in the Adirondacks, an eight-year-old boy became lost. Despite a major search effort that drew nearly 1,000 people, the boy was never found. At the time, no organized search & rescue teams existed and as word spread about the boy's tragedy and the struggles to find him, a man in Fulton took action to address the lack of trained support in searches. Gathering a group of like-minded people, he started the first volunteer professional search & rescue team in New York State. They are the subject of my book Pioneers: The Story of Oswego County's Search and Rescue Team. My PowerPoint program includes stories of how the team developed their effective search techniques, descriptions of the high-profile searches they have participated in and information of how they continue to evolve and serve the families of those who go missing. Former and current members of the team often join me for these presentations.
In the last few years, I have had the pleasure of meeting people at:
The Fulton Public Library
Old Brutus Historical Society
Antiques Club of the Finger Lakes
Community Library of Dewitt & Jamesville
Bridge Street television show
Barnes & Noble, DeWitt
The Canal Walk Cafe
The Joe Kelly Show
CNY Arts Center
Jordan Historical Society
CNY Literacy Festival
The Jordan Historical Society
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County
The Red Creek Free Library
The New Haven Seniors
The Rome Historical Society
The Clay Historical Society
The Liverpool Library
The Marcellus Free Library
Cayuga Community College, Auburn and Fulton campuses
SUNY Polytech College, Utica, NY
Daughters of the American Revolution, Baldwinsville Chapter
Porchfest Oswego!
Granby Town Hall
Syracuse Antique Club
Hannibal Senior Center (The Elderberries)
Hannibal Historical Society
Phoenix Senior Nutrition Center
Alliance Church
Fulton Senior Nutrition Center
Scriba Historical Society
Volney Town Hall
Marcellus Historical Society
Town of Oswego Historical Society
Oswego Library Author program
Towpath Towers
Mill Apartments
Sterling Historical Society
Barnes & Noble, Clay
Fair Haven Artisans
The Fair Haven Arts Center
Fair Haven Hardware Cafe
Half-Shire Historical Society
Springside at Seneca Hill
The Niagara Mohawk Retiree's Organization
The Town of Minetto Historical Society
The Oneida County Historical Society
The Auburn Bookstore
The Singing Seniors of Trenton, New York
The Parish Library
The Pulaski Library
The Sandy Creek Library
The Central Square Library
Fulton Kiwanis Club
Fulton Lions Club
Fulton Sunrise and Noon Rotary Clubs
Parthenon Books
Beauchamp Historical Club
History on Tap at Steamers
Newark-Arcadia Historical Society
Jervis Public Library
Rice Creek Field Station
Brewerton Library
If you know of a group or organization that would like to have one of my programs, please contact me by using the "Contact" link at the top of this web page or by calling (315) 402-6164.