I was honored to be the featured speaker at the opening event of The Real Talk Conference: Stories of the Past, Visions for the Future at my alma mater Northern Illinois University on Feb 5. The objective was to examine what we can learn from history and the lived experiences of other generations. I talked about being on Campus in 1969-1970 and how two of the most pivotal events during the Vietnam War --the First Draft Lottery and The Kent State killings --played out at NIU. And, how I translated them into my novel The Fourteenth of September. What a conversation!

The Fourth Annual Chicago Hall of Fame Fundraiser on 2/28 was another great success, this year honoring author Willa Cather. I’m shown with friends Michael Tropea, Mary Petrine Livoni, Kelsey Westenberg, and Landis Blair.