I speak at public events on topics ranging from journalistic ethics to writing with humor. Past appearances include:

• Moderator, Arts & Lectures Inaugural Book Club, November 2014
• Speaker, ProChoice Coalition's Great American Write In, August 2014
• Moderator: Babes, Books & Booze, July 2014
• Interviewer, CALM Celebrity Authors' Luncheon, March 2014
• Host, Broads & Barrels book-signing, Feb. 2014
• Featured speaker, Camarillo Democrats Club, June 2013
• Panelist, Santa Barbara Writers Conference, June 2013
• Emcee, Annual Democratic Party of SB County Roosevelt-Hamer dinner, May 2013
• Keynote speaker, UCSB Professional Women's Association Conference, May 2013
• Featured speaker, Art Career Day Conference, Santa Barbara City College, April 2013

Photo by R.S. Thurston

• Guest speaker, Laguna Blanca School, February, 2012
• Guest speaker, American Women in Communication Women of Achievement Awards luncheon, May 2012
• Honoree, American Women in Communication Women of Achievement Awards luncheon, May 2011
• Panelist, UCSB Reads discussion, SB Public Library, April 2011
• Featured author, CALM Authors Luncheon, March 2011
• Panelist with bestselling novelist Jane Heller and Shape Magazine columnist Jenna McCarthy at Planned Parenthood's Choice Affairs authors salon "Love, Laughs & Life as We See It", April 2010
• Featured speaker, student body assembly, Laguna Blanca High School, February 2010

• Featured speaker, Screenwriters Association of Santa Barbara, Borders, November 2009
• Featured speaker, private luncheon, Domestic Violence Solutions, Santa Barbara Club, October 2009
• Moderator, "Women's Mysteries" authors panel, Cafe Shell, October 2009
• Panelist, New Authors panel, Santa Barbara Book & Author Festival, Faulkner Gallery, Santa Barbara Public Library, September 2009
• Panelist, Women's Literature, Ventura Book Festival, Crowne Plaza Hotel, July 2009
• Featured speaker, Cupcakes for Cancer Luncheon, Coach House, Santa Ynez, May 2009
• Moderator, "Best Kept Secrets" Book Tea and Authors Panel, Cafe Shell, May 2009
• Guest author, Santa Barbara City College Creative Writing program, Fé Bland Forum, March 2009
• Featured author with Lisa See ("Peony in Love") and David Lawrence ("Boy Eats World") for the annual Author Luncheon of the Brandeis University National Women's Committee, Ventura Chapter. March 2009
• Guest speaker for the Ventura County Writers Club. Topic: Column Me Crazy: Why Column-Writing Is a Dream Gig. March 2009
• Introduction of Anna Quindlen for UCSB Arts & Lectures, Feburary 2009

• Guest speaker, Santa Barbara Humanist Society, 2008
• Judge, Reel Loud Film Festival, UCSB, 2008
• Celebrity guest, American Women in Communication, Santa Barbara chapter meeting, 2008

• Book signing, Santa Barbara Book & Author Festival, 2007
• Guest speaker, Santa Barbara Women's Health & Wellness Symposium, 2007
• Guest speaker, Senior Summer School, 2007
• Guest speaker, Santa Barbara Council for Self-Esteem, 2007
• Author/speaker, Women's Literary Festival, 2007
• Guest, "Creative Community" television series, Channel 21, 2007
• Series host, "Santa Barbara Connection" television series, Channel 17, 2007-2008
• Story reading, "Hocus Bogus," Borders Books, 2006

For speaking rates and availability, please contact me.

"Thanks for your column this morning. I found it, as usual, refreshing and thought-provoking. You are a real treasure to this paper and to our community."

John I

Recent columns:

July 30, 2015
Click, Cluck Goes the Online Shame Game

July 16, 2015
Tongs for Nothing: My (Latest) Parenting Failure

July 2, 2015
Can Transgender Folks Futz with Pronouns?

June 4, 2015
Crude Awakening: When the $#!% Hits the Sand

May 21, 2015
Hot for the Dad Bod?

More >>

Most E-mailed:

What the Focus This?

The Cacophony of Corporate Squawk

More >>