Upcoming Events
October 6-31, 2020
Teaching at the online FlourishWriters Conference on “Making Historical Fiction Come to Life.” Open access registration is free from Oct. 6-31, 2020, with a paid option for later viewing.
February 25-27, 2021
West Coast Christian Writers Conference, Online. Teaching a workshop on “Fiction Boot Camp.” Details coming later.
Recent Events
August 13, 2020
Taught at online Heart of America Christian Writers Network on “Crafting Characters.”
April 23-25, 2020
Taught online in the Story Embers Authentic Characters Virtual Summit on “How to Honestly Depict People of Other Times and Cultures.”
April 16, 2020
Zoom visit with eighth-grade English class in Sacramento, CA.
April 14, 2020
Taught at American Christian Fiction Writers Northwest Georgia and North Georgia via Zoom on “Making Fiction Come to Life.”
March 21, 2020
Taught a workshop via Zoom for American Christian Fiction Writers San Francisco Bay Area on “Super Synopsis – From Dread to ‘Done!'”
February 28-29, 2020
On board and faculty at West Coast Christian Writers Conference LIT Masterclass in Livermore, CA. I taught a mentoring circle on “For the Long Haul – Career Planning and Goal Setting.”
February 22, 2020
Keynote speaker and taught at Oregon Christian Writers Winter One-Day Conference at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, OR. In addition to my keynote addresses on “In God’s Waiting Room” and “Blessed Are…Beatitudes for Christian Writers,” I taught workshops on “Making Fiction Come to Life” and “Platform–Find Your Unique Light and Let It Shine.”
February 8, 2020
Book signing at Barnes & Noble, Antioch, CA.
January 14, 2020
Spoke at Clayton Valley Woman’s Club in Clayton, CA, on “Rosie the Riveter & Friends: Lessons from the 1940s Woman.”
November 4, 2019
Spoke at Fresno State University, Fresno, CA, on “Rosie the Riveter & Friends: Lessons from the 1940s Woman.”
September 26-28, 2019
Attended American Christian Fiction Writers Conference in San Antonio, Texas, and sat on a panel called “Your Writing, Your Process.”
July 10, 2019
Met with a book club in Concord, CA, as they discussed The Sea Before Us.
June 13, 2019
Spoke at GFWC Woman’s Club of Antioch in Antioch, CA on “Rosie the Riveter and Friends: Lessons from the 1940s Woman.”
June 10, 2019
Met with a book club in Antioch, CA, as they discussed The Sea Before Us.
April 27, 2019
Met with Bibliovores book club in Livermore, CA, as they discussed The Sky Above Us.
April 12-16, 2019
Served on faculty at Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference, Mount Hermon, CA. I taught a fiction mentoring clinic and a workshop, “Serious about Series: Tips on Writing a Seriously Good Fiction Series.”
March 20, 2019
Spoke at the Golden Age group at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Brentwood, CA on “Rosie the Riveter and Friends: Lessons from the 1940s Woman.”
February 14-16, 2019
Served on the board and the faculty at West Coast Christian Writers Conference in Livermore, CA. I taught workshops on “Platform: Find Your Unique Light and Let It Shine” and “Crafting Characters.” I also taught a mini-mastermind on “Making Your Fiction Come to Life.”
February 9, 2019
Book signing at Barnes & Noble, Antioch, CA.
January 15, 2019
Spoke at Summerset IV book club, Brentwood, CA, for their discussion of The Sea Before Us.
October 16, 2018
Spoke at Maplewood Presbyterian Church, Greensburg, PA on “Rosie the Riveter and Friends: Lessons from the 1940s Woman.”
September 20-23, 2018
Served on faculty at American Christian Fiction Writers Conference in Nashville, TN, moderating the historical fiction panel.
September 8, 2018
Keynote speaker at Inspire Christian Writers Quarterly Workshop, Sacramento, CA. Keynote address on “In God’s Waiting Room: Turning Trial to Triumph,” and a breakout session, “Serious about Series: Tips on Writing a Seriously Good Fiction Series.”
February 17, 2018
Coached fiction writers at LIT Masterclass, hosted by West Coast Christian Writers Conference, in Pleasanton, CA.
February 10, 2018
Spoke at Delta Kappa Gamma Teachers Association in Petaluma, CA on “Lessons from the 1940s Woman: What Women of Today Can Learn from Rosie the Riveter and Her Friends.”
February 9, 2018
Book release party for The Sea Before Us! My literary agent gave swing dance lessons, plus we had fun giveaways, a reading, book signing, and snacks! At Barnes & Noble, Antioch, CA.
January 4, 2018
Spoke at WINGS (Women in God’s Spirit) at St. Charles Borromeo Church, Livermore, CA, on “Lessons from the 1940s Woman: What Women of Today Can Learn from Rosie the Riveter and Her Friends.”
November 4, 2017
Spoke at PEO Pleasanton’s Author Tea, on “Lessons from the 1940s Woman: What Women of Today Can Learn from Rosie the Riveter and Her Friends.”
October 14, 2017
Skype chat with American Christian Fiction Writers Arkansas Chapter.
September 28, 2017
Skype chat with Faith in Fiction Christian Fiction Book Club, Tottenham, ON.
September 21-24, 2017
Taught at American Christian Fiction Writers At-Home Conference on “Research Without Headaches” (tips on how to document and organize your research material).
April 7-11, 2017
Served on the faculty at Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference in Mount Hermon, CA.
- Taught a Fiction Mentoring Track
- Taught a workshop on “Historical Research Without the Headaches”
March 25, 2017
Spoke at Alameda Free Library Writers’ Group on Writing Is Rewriting: Polish Your Rough Draft to a Shine. Alameda Main Library, 1550 Oak Street, Alameda, CA. Press Release.
March 18, 2017
Book signing at Barnes & Noble, Antioch, CA.
March 16, 2017
Spoke at the meeting of the PEO group in Brentwood, CA.
March 7, 2017
Spoke at Petaluma Woman’s Club on “Lessons from the 1940s Woman: What Women of Today Can Learn from Rosie the Riveter and Her Friends.”
February 17-18, 2017
Taught workshops at West Coast Christian Writers Conference in Pleasanton CA, on “Crafting Characters” and “Making Fiction Come to Life.”
January 29, 2017
Spoke at North Bay Red Hat Society on “Lessons from the 1940s Woman: What Women of Today Can Learn from Rosie the Riveter and Her Friends.” Petaluma, CA.
September 15, 2016
Skype chat with the Marshfield Book Club in Marshfield, WI.
August 22, 2016
Met with the Trilogy Book Club in Brentwood, CA.
June 11, 2016
Spoke at Girls’ Morning Out, Mariner’s Discovery Church, Discovery Bay, CA, on “Lessons from the 1940s Woman: What Women of Today Can Learn from Rosie the Riveter and Her Friends.”
May 21, 2016
Spoke at Lutheran Women’s Missionary League Spring Rally, Resurrection Ministries, Brentwood CA, on “Lessons from the 1940s Woman: What Women of Today Can Learn from Rosie the Riveter and Her Friends.”
May 21, 2016
Signed books at the Pittsburg Historical Society’s Armed Forces Day from 2-5 pm. The museum celebrated the dedication of a special sign from Camp Stoneman, under which all soldiers passed on their way to the Pacific! Pittsburg Historical Society. More information in the East Bay Times
May 7, 2016
Book signing at Barnes & Noble, Antioch, CA.
April 13, 2016
Spoke at the Pittsburg Chamber of Commerce’s Empowering Women in Business group on “Lessons from the 1940s Woman: What Women of Today Can Learn from Rosie the Riveter and Her Friends.” Pittsburg, CA.
March 18-22, 2016
Served on the faculty at Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference in Mount Hermon, CA.
- Taught a Fiction Mentoring Track
- Taught a workshop: “No Missed Deadlines: Strategies to Keep You on Track”
- Taught a workshop: “Platform: Find Your Unique Light and Let It Shine”
- Served on the Critique Team
March 11-13, 2016
Speaker for John Knox Presbyterian Church’s ladies’ retreat. Presentation Center, Los Gatos, CA, on “Encouraged in Faith: Blessings from the Beatitudes.”
November 7, 2015
Spoke at Holiday Luncheon & Boutique at Northpark Community Church in Fresno, CA on Simplifying Christmas.
October 17, 2015
Taught a Pre-NaNoWriMo Writing Workshop at Alameda Free Library Writers’ Group. Sat. October 17, 2015 at the Alameda Main Library, Alameda, CA.
September 17-20, 2015
Taught a workshop at American Christian Fiction Writers Conference in Dallas, TX, on Historical Research Without the Headaches.
September 16, 2015
Book signing at Living Room Bookstore in Bastrop, Texas.
August 8, 2915
Launch Party for Through Waters Deep at Barnes & Noble, Antioch CA. Swing dance lessons taught by my agent, Rachel Kent! Refreshments, giveaways, readings, and a book signing. 1940s attire optional – but welcome! Heritage High School’s Music is Medicine organization held a book fair, with proceeds donated to Homes for our Troops, which builds adapted homes for wounded veterans.
April 18, 2015
Spoke at Alameda Free Library Writers’ Group on Writing Is Rewriting: Polish Your Rough Draft to a Shine. Sat. April 18, 2015 at the Alameda Main Library, Alameda, CA.
January 18, 2015
Spoke at California Writers Club, at the Oakland Main Library on “How You Can Build Your Novel Using the Snowflake Method.” Does plotting your novel ever feel like a smack-down wrestling match? And how can a simple snowflake help you win that match? Author Sarah Sundin will explain how she uses Randy Ingermanson’s famous Snowflake Method with her own adaptations. Building your story from a one-sentence summary up to an intricate outline helps you work out the details of your characters and plot and pull them into a cohesive unit. Even if outlines give you hives, you’ll find techniques you can apply to the writing or editing process.
October 17, 2014
Spoke at Simply Women, Golden Hills Community Church, Brentwood, CA on “Simplify Christmas.”
October 13, 2014
Skype chat with eighth-grade classes at Discovery School, Lancaster CA on “Writing Is Rewriting.” See news release.
July 9, 2014
Spoke at Greensburg Hempfield Area Library, Greensburg, PA on “Birth of a Novel.”
May 3, 2014
Spoke at Latte and Lit Book Club, Peoples Church, Fresno CA on “Lessons from the 1940s Woman: What Women of Today Can Learn from Rosie the Riveter and Her Friends.” People’s Church, Fresno, CA.
May 3, 2014
Spoke at Tulare Public Library, Tulare CA on “Birth of a Novel.”
April 11-15, 2014
Taught at Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference, Mount Hermon CA on “Historical Research: Enrich and Deepen Your Story”; also contributed to the “Refresh, Reboot & Refocus Your Writing Adventure” morning track.