My best talks, like my writing, come straight from life.

I chat with book clubs about what inspired me to create the character of Tito Amato. Hint: these roots go way back to a puppet opera I fell in love with when I was nine years old. With writing groups I share the nuts and bolts of making Tito and other characters jump off the page in an authentic and relatable way. That’s where my career in mental health becomes particularly valuable. My favorite workshop topic is Creating Characters from a Psychiatrist’s Point of View. And then there’s the mid-life career switch that took me from a highly structured clinical practice to self-directed creation at a writer’s desk. I’m glad to share the tale of my journey down that path with anyone contemplating a similar change.