Biography

I have always loved writing, and don’t remember a time when I wasn’t making up stories and imagining new worlds.

The first story I can remember with any specifics was one I wrote in Judd Elementary School, probably second or third grade. It centered on a man who liked to start fires in buildings and watch them burn. But justice prevailed. The climax of the story involved him setting a building ablaze but accidentally locking himself in and burning to death. That early tale resulted in a meeting between the principal, my mother and me where I had to promise never to set any building on fire. A promise, I should note, that I have kept (so far).

As I grew up, I didn’t know how to make a living by making up stories, so I went into journalism (yes, I know, go ahead and make some wisecracks if you want).

Over the decades I wrote for newspapers, radio, magazines, wire services, websites and social media, on three continents. The jobs included police reporter for a small-town newspaper; general assignment reporter for The Associated Press in Philadelphia; freelancer in Santiago, Chile; and editor in London, UK for Bloomberg News.

In 2018, I went out on my own and founded Rule Communications, an editing and writing service for a range of clients that included retailers, lawyers, compliance firms, accountants and non-profit organizations. I also gave public-speaking workshops and coached individuals on how to be more effective when speaking in the office.

When my mother died, I gave a eulogy that led a number of people in attendance to say it captured her so well I should write a how-to manual to help others who want to pay tribute to a someone they lost. The manual, “Heartfelt Goodbye: How to Write and Deliver the Eulogy Your Loved One Deserves,” debuted in 2023 to very good reviews.

My next how-to manual, “Speaking With Confidence: How to Find Your Voice at Work,” is scheduled to come out in December 2025.

Titan Books will published my first novel “The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Debutante Detective” in July 2026.