Running cemetery tours, architecture tours, boat tours, and more - in person and virtually. Talking head work on cable shows, several books covering material presented on the tours in more depth. Lots of historical research, digging through old newspapers, dead peoples' diaries and letters, and crumbling Victorian legal paperwork looking for new stories and data.

Tour director for school groups, primarily in Chicago and New York City. Responsible for getting the groups to each appointment, coordinating up to four buses, pointing out interesting things and providing running commentary, suggesting itinerary modifications, meeting with hotel security, organizing meal money, taking care of any problems that come up along the way, and otherwise keeping the machines running smoothly and serving as an ambassador for the very concept of city living.

Presentations at schools, libraries, etc. Most common topics are Ghostlore and HH Holmes. Also covered The Civil War in Chicago, Silent Film in Chicago, A Smart Aleck's Guide to American History, and general "author visits" at schools and libraries.

Author of several published books, fiction and non, many with major publishers. Non fiction tends to revolve around Chicago History. Credits include:HOW TO GET SUSPENDED AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE (YA novel, Random House 2007)PIRATES OF THE RETAIL WASTELAND (YA novel, Random House 2008)I PUT A SPELL ON YOU (Middle Grade Novel, Random House 2008)ANDREW NORTH BLOWS UP THE WORLD (Random House 2009)YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD GIVES ME THE CREEPS (Llewellyn Worldwide 2009)WEIRD CHICAGO (White Chapel 2009)THE SMART ALECK'S GUIDE TO AMERICAN HISTORY (nonfiction, Random House 2009, YASLA nominee)I KISSED A ZOMBIE AND I LIKED IT (Random House 2010, film rights optioned by Disney)SPARKS (YA novel as SJ Adams) (Flux 2011; Stonewall Honor from the American Library Association, YALSA popular paperbacks 2013)SPEAKING ILL OF THE DEAD: JERKS IN CHICAGO HISTORY (nonfiction, Globe Pequot 2013)AMERICAN MAFIA: CHICAGO (nonfiction, Globe Pequot)GHOSTS OF CHICAGO (nonfiction, Llewellyn Worldwide 2013)PLAY ME BACKWARDS (YA Novel, Simon and Schuster 2014)FLICKERING EMPIRE: HOW CHICAGO INVENTED THE US FILM INDUSTRY (with Michael Glover Smith, University of Columbia Press 2015)GHOSTS OF LINCOLN (nonfiction, Llewelyn Worldwide 2015)JUST KILL ME (YA Novel, Simon and Schuster 2016)MYSTERIOUS CHCIAGO (Skyhorse 2016)HH HOLMES: THE TRUE HISTORY OF THE WHITE CITY DEVIL (Skyhorse 2017)MURDER MAPS USA (Thames and Hudson 2021)GRACELAND CEMETERY: CHICAGO STORIES, SYMBOLS and SECRETS (Univ of IL Press, 2022)

Creating and running historical tours, including cemetery tours and "grave robbing 101" tours in Chicago and New York, also creating and appearing at events such as a screening of the 1916 Sherlock Holmes film (in the room where it was filmed,) with live music and craft cocktails), "Drink Like the Dickens," and more.

Provided research materials and visuals for the series AMERICAN RIPPER, gave numerous historical consultations; appeared in four episodes.

Freelance tour guide; currently running 250-300 bus tours per year for Chicago Hauntings. Tours are based on primary source research; my research has led to my being featured on TV and radio frequently.

Manager of a ghost/historical bus tour company. I served as chief historian (lots of research, both library/online and field), handled graphic design and marketing, wrote books, managed staff, and ran tours.