John’s love of the old farms, stone walls, and beautiful country roads in the “boondocks” of eastern Connecticut made Wilhelmina’s story jump off the newspaper page and grab his interest. As a longtime journalist, he knew this was a special story waiting to be re-told.

John built his journalism career over twenty-two years in Washington, D.C., after earning a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University in 1986. Back home in Connecticut, he has tended a large vegetable garden in a community garden located in the backyard of Samuel Huntington, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. A student of American history, the setting feeds John’s body and soul as he revels in the connections to the country's earliest years. It also fuels his nickname of “Farmer John.”

Although Wilhelmina Goes Wandering is his first children’s book, John is the author of several other books that reflect his diverse interests. His award-winning Victory Deferred chronicles how the AIDS epidemic in America transformed lives and institutions. On a lighter note, Hot Stuff: A Brief History of Disco/Dance Music is a serious look at a fun subject.

John's latest book was published by Rowman & Littlefield first in hardcover in October 2017, and in paperback in 2020. Stonewall Strong: Gay Men's Heroic Fight for Resilience, Good Health, and a Strong Community draws upon John's personal story, nearly 100 original interviews, and leading-edge research.

John writes a blog about building resilience, also called "Stonewall Strong," for Psychology Today. His work has been published since the early 1980s in print and web outlets ranging from The Atlantic to the Washington Post.

John was named Calf Pen Meadow Elementary School's "Favorite Author" and reads Wilhelmina Goes Wandering to the assembled students and teachers.

Reading Wilhelmina Goes Wandering to the assembled students and teachers at Calf Pen Meadow School in Milford, Connecticut.