My Writing Life

I strive for precise, powerful storytelling in all of my writing. That includes essays, poems, plays, and 23 books, most notably The Perilous Journey of the Donner Party: Updated Edition, published by HistoryWords in 2026 and available on Amazon and Ingram. Currently I focus on creative writing and teaching. My work has been broadcast on NPR, produced at local theaters, and published in venues ranging from The New York Times to Italian Americana. Since 2005 I’ve led writing workshops at the Montclair (NJ) Public Library. Other passions: theater, jazz, Steely Dan, cats, Italy, business history, competitive Scrabble®, and life in New Jersey. Rutgers grad. Authors Guild and Amherst Writers member. Essays from my blog, The Practical Mourner, will become a HistoryWords book later this year.