I grew up in Chicago’s south suburbs before heading to Marquette University, with the hopes of becoming a doctor. Turns out, I’m no good at the medical sciences.

I became an English major, fell in love with writing and editing, and have been doing both ever since. I bounced around newspapers, from Dallas to the Twin Cities and Milwaukee again, before finding my way back home to Oak Park, Ill.

After a couple decades running the family business — the World’s Largest Laundromat in Berwyn — I decided to bet on myself: I’m now a travel advisor specializing in Disney vacations. But despite multiple career paths (including as a USPTA tennis instructor and a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador), I’ve always found my way back to writing.

I’m passionate about emotional stories, and love writing novels and stage plays. And I hope you’ll check out all of my books.

But nothing I do in writing will be as impactful as creating Writerly, the community of writing strangers-turned-family. This diverse group of talented writers meets once a year in the Smoky Mountains, to write and enjoy each other’s company.

If you’re a writer out there, you need to find your people. It’s not just helpful: it’s a survival technique.

Today, I live with my wife and our kids in Forest Park, Ill.

I’m so happy you stopped by my page, and I hope you’ll enjoy my words.