Events that have taken place

Saturday, February 3, 2024, 1:00 p.m. Pacific time online presentation
Linn County Oregon Genealogical Society, Albany, OR
The Big Picture: Weaving History into Family Narratives

Thursday, December 7, 2023, 7:30 p.m. ET, 4:30 p.m. PT
German Genealogy Group presentation
German Christmas Stories

Thursday, March 23, 2023, online presentation
Rogue Valley Genealogical Society, Medford, OR
The Big Picture: Weaving History into Family Narratives

Thursday, February 23, 2023(5:00 p.m. Pacific) online presentation
Bureau County Genealogical Society, Princeton, IL
The Big Picture: Weaving History into Family Narratives

Friday, December 2, 2022on Zoom
Beyond the Nutcracker: German Christmas Traditionsonline presentation
Eastside German Interest Group, Bellevue, Washington

Thursday, December 1, 2022 online presentation
German Christmas Markets: History and Traditions
German Genealogy Group, Hicksville, NY

Tuesday, November 15, 2022online presentation
Beyond the Nutcracker: German Christmas Traditions
Pennsylvania Chapter of the Palatines to America, Bloomsburg, PA

Thursday, October 20
On-line presentation for the German Genealogy Group, Hicksville, NY
Explore the Rhineland-Palatinate

Saturday, September 17, 2022
The Big Picture: Weaving History into Family Narratives

On-line presentation for the Jefferson County Genealogical Society in Northwest Washington State

Monday, April 18, 2022
Adventures in Blacksmithing, 19th-Century History, and Other Cleveland Tales

Online presentation for the Greater Cleveland Genealogical Society

Sunday, April 3, 2022
Online presentation for the Ontario Ancestors Irish Palatine Special Interest Group
Explore the Rhineland-Palatinate

Saturday, February 26, 2022
Online presentation for the German Genealogy Group, Dayton Liederkranz-Turner, Ohio
A Hidden Heritage: German Immigrants to Ohio

Thursday, January 27, 2022
Getting It Down: Writing Family Stories

online presentation for the Bureau County Genealogical Society, Princeton, Illinois

Thursday, December 2, 2021
Beyond the Nutcracker: German Christmas Traditions

online presentation for the German Genealogy Group, Hicksville, NY

Saturday, August 7, 2021
German Immigration Patterns
Genealogical Forum of the Oregon German Interest Group (Online presentation)

July 17-24, 2021
Two presentations with the International German Genealogy Partnership Virtual Conference
1. Explore the Rhineland-Palatinate
2. Following the trail: Emigrant Letters of the 19th Century with Angela Weber

Sunday, June 27, 2021
All Is Not Lost: Making the Most of your Research

Presentation for the Historical Novel Society 2021 Conference

Friday, May 7, 2021
From Pikeman to Pennsylvanian: Swiss Ancestral Origins

Online presentation for Eastside German Interest Group, Bellevue, WA

November 14, 2020
For the Record: Memoir, Oral History, and Family Stories
Seattle Genealogical Society Second Saturday program
ONLINE PRESENTATION

Fall Seminar Speaker for the Ohio Chapter Palatines to America, October 24 & 31
-Reading German Handwriting
-A Hidden Heritage: German Immigrants to America
-Creating a Legacy from Family Papers and Genealogy
-For the Record: Writing Memoir and Family Stories
ONLINE PRESENTATION

Monday, October 5, 2020
Stateline Genealogy Club German Interest Group

Beloit, Wisconsin
ONLINE PRESENTATION

Friday, October 2, 2020
Eastside German Interest Group, Bellevue, Washington

Explore the Rhineland-Palatinate
ONLINE PRESENTATION

Monday, September 21, 2020
Finding Your Family Stories
Private event
ONLINE PRESENTATION

Friday, August 28-Sunday, August 30, 2020
Virtual Ohioana Book Festival

Columbus Metropolitan Library
Columbus, Ohio

Thursday, June 11, 2020
Hidden Heritage: German Immigrants to America

forEastside Genealogical Society
ONLINE PRESENTATION

Wednesday, June 3, 2020
Explore the Rhineland-Palatinate
Family Tree Tours Heritage Travel, St. Louis, MO
ONLINE PRESENTATION

Friday, April 24, 2020, 11:00 a.m.
Writing Family History

St. Louis, Missouri book club presentation
ONLINE PRESENTATION

Tuesday, April 21, 2020, 10:30 a.m. – noon
Reading German Handwriting / Hidden Heritage: Germans to America
Orcas Island Genealogy Club meeting

ONLINE PRESENTATION

Tuesday, November 12, 2019
For the Record: Memoir, Oral History, and Family Life Stories

at Timber Ridge, 100 Timber Ridge Way NW, Issaquah, WA 98027

Tuesday, September 18, 2019
Creating a Legacy with Family Papers and Genealogy

Haller Lake United Methodist Church, Seattle, WA

Saturday, September 14, 2019, 8 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Tricks of the Trade: Historical Writing that Rings True

Session of the 2019 Pacific Northwest Writers Association Conference

Friday, July 5, 2019, 3 p.m.
Creating a Legacy with Family Papers and Genealogy
at Aljoya – Era Living, 2430 76th Ave. SE, Mercer Island, WA 98040

June 15-17, 2019
International German Genealogy Conference

at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Sacramento, 1209 L Street, CA 95814.
April 5-7, 2019
Orcas Lit Fest panelist: “Truth Across Genre: Exploring truth as readers and writers” with authors Claire Gebben, Deborah Nedelman, Lois Brandt, Mare Heron Hake, and Heather Durham.

Tuesday, April 2, 2019 Creating a Legacy with Family Papers and Genealogy, Trilogy at Redmond Ridge

Saturday, March 16, German Immigration Patterns
South King County Genealogical Society presentation, Auburn, WA

Friday, March 1, German Immigration Patterns
Eastside German Interest Group meeting presentation, Bellevue, WA

Saturday, February 16, 2019, Explore the Rhineland-Palatinate
at the Mercer Island Library

Tuesday, February 12, 2019 Book club guest author for How We Survive Here (2018). Private event.

Tuesday, February 5, 2019 Book club guest author for The Last of the Blacksmiths (2018). Private event.

Saturday, February 2, 2019 Edmonds Bookshop, noon to 1 p.m. 111 Fifth Ave South, Edmonds, WA 98020 How We Survive Here: Families Across Time Book signing and talk on Writing Family Stories.

All Is Not Lost: Tips and techniques for research beyond the book
Presentation at “Write on the Sound” Conference in Edmonds
Sunday, October 7, 10:45 a.m.

Creating a Legacy from Family Papers and Genealogy
Presentation: Eastside German Interest Group
Friday, October 5, 1:00-3:00 p.m.

at LDS Chapel, 10675 NE 20th St, Bellevue, WA

Saturday, September 15, Pacific Northwest Writers’ Association
Historical Panel: Validity and Credibility found in Research Rabbit Holes

Claire Gebben with historical novelists DL Fowler, Carrie Kwiatowski, and SJ McCormack presenters

Monday, August 27, 4 p.m.
Guest author, Book Discussion

Seattle, Washington. Private event.

Reading German Handwriting presentation
Friday, May 6, 2018

Eastside German Interest GroupA presentation on resources to help read, transcribe and learn Old German Gothic.

Sunday, December 3, 2017
Good Lord, the Stories! A tour of First Church History Gems
180 Denny Way, Seattle, WA 98109
Claire Gebben, church archivist, offers some “greatest hits” of First Church’s 164-year existence in Seattle.

Wednesday, August 23, 2017
Creating A Legacy From Family Papers and Genealogy

Harbor History Museum, 4121 Harborview Drive, Gig Harbor, WA 98332

International German Genealogy Conference, July 28-30, 2017
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Saturday, July 22, 2-3:30 p.m.
Historical Novelist Panel: Taming the Research Dragon

as part of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association Conference
Authors: Claire Gebben, Carrie Kwiatkowski, SJ McCormack

Thursday, June 22-Saturday, June 24, 2017
Historical Novel Society Conference at Hilton Portland

A conference put on by the Historical Novel Society, a literary society devoted to promoting the enjoyment of historical fiction.

Sunday, February 26
Local Author Festival on Mercer Island

At Island Books. Appeared with Martha Crites, mystery writer; Jody Gentian Bower, literary scholar; Ron Donovan, leadership expert; Rebecca Clio Gould, psychology and health writer; Marianne Lile, memoirist; Leonide Martin, historical novelist; Stephen Murphy, autobiographer; Rebecca Novelli, historical novelist; Phillip Rauls, rock and roll promoter

Saturday, February 18, 2017
Pacific Northwest Writers Association Historical Novel signing
at the Writers’ Cottage in Issaquah, WA

Wednesday, January 11, 2017 – 7:00 p.m.
The Big Picture: Weaving History into Family Narratives

Wesley Terrace, 815 South 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198

Friday, October 7, 1:00 p.m.
Marburg, Germany, historic capital of Hessia

Eastside German Interest Group, LDS Church, 10425 NE 20th St, Bellevue, WA 98006

Wednesday, September 6, 7:00 p.m.
Adventures in blacksmithing, and other tales

Wesley Gardens Senior Living, 815 South 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198

Wednesday, June 15, 7:00 p.m.
Adventures in blacksmithing, and other tales

Wesley Terrace, 815 South 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198

Thursday, March 10, 7:00 p.m.
For the Record: Writing Family Stories
Monthly meeting of the Eastside Genealogical Society, held at
Bellevue Regional Library, 1111 110th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA

Thursday, February 4, 2016, 10 a.m. – noon
The Big Picture: Weaving history into family narratives
Fiske Genealogical Society, Seattle, WA

Friday, October 16, 2015, 10 a.m. – noon
Getting It Down: Writing Family Stories
at Bainbridge Island Genealogical Society

Sunday, October 4, 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Write on the Sound Writers’ Conference presentation
For the Record: Memoir, Oral History, and Family Life Stories

Your life and family stories comprise an important legacy, but recording them gets complicated with decisions– which format to choose (memoir? autobiography? genealogical narrative?), what to include, what to leave out, and more. In “For the Record,” author and archivist Claire Gebben leads participants through exercises and strategies for writing about the past. The session will guide you to the art, and heart of telling your story.

Wednesday, September 2, 2015, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Who do we think we are? A journey of ancestral discovery with author Claire Gebben

Rotary Club of Ellensburg, 117 E. 4th Avenue, Ellensburg, WA 98926

Wednesday, September 2, 7:00 p.m.
For the Record: Memoir, Oral history, and Family Life Stories

Ellensburg Library, 209 N Ruby St, Ellensburg, WA 98926

Saturday, May 16, 2015, 2:00 p.m.
Writing Historical Fiction Workshop by Claire Gebben

Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Portland, OR

Tuesday, August 4, 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Novel Research: Ready, Set, Go!

At the Whidbey Writers Workshop MFA residency, co-taught with Roz Ray.

Tuesday, July 14
Book Club private event in West Seattle
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Book club guest author

Saturday, April 25, 2015
Ohioana Book Festival Author

A book fair featuring more than 100 Ohio authors, expanded children’s programming, food, and entertainment.
12:45 – 1:30 pm Historical Fiction Panel: Stories Set in Real Places & Times

Wednesday, April 15, 2015, 3:00 – 4:30 p.m.
National Library Week Featured Author

Cleveland State University Michael Schwartz Library

Tuesday, April 14, 2015, 7:00 p.m.
Who Do We Think We Are: A Journey of Ancestral Discovery

Orange Branch of the Cuyahoga County Library

Monday, April 13, 3:00 p.m.
Author Talk and Signing at Breckenridge Village, Ohio

Monday, April 13, 2015, 7:00 p.m.
A Hidden Heritage: German immigrants of the 19th century

Olmsted Falls Library, Ohio

Sunday, April 12, 3:00 p.m.
Letters from America: Cleveland Germans in the 19th century

Shaker Hts. Historical Society

Saturday, April 11, 1:00 p.m.
Speaker for Opening Day of 2015 season, Historic Zoar Village
Letters from America: Ohio Germans in the 19th century

Saturday, April 11, 7:00 p.m.
Mac’s Backs — Books on Coventry Reading and Signing

Come say hello. I’ll be appearing with Cleveland author Susan Petrone.

Friday, April 10, 7:00 p.m.
Letters from America: Cleveland Germans in the 19th century

Keynote speaker for the German-American Kulturabend at
Baldwin Wallace University

Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at 7:00 p.m.
“Talking Pages” evening at Eastside Writes in Issaquah, WA

Tuesday, January 27, 2015 at noon
Letters from America: Researching the Last of the Blacksmiths

Washington State History Museum

Tuesday, January 13, 2 p.m.
Author Talk, Northwest Institute of Literary Arts, Whidbey Island, Washington.

Thursday, December 11 — A visit with a book club – Bellevue, Washington – private event

Saturday, November 29, Indies First Small Business Saturday, 1-2 p.m.
Bellevue University Book Store, 990 102nd Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
With local authors Janet Lee Carey, Robert Dugoni, Dana Sullivan, Samantha Vamos, Dan Richards, Kazu Kibuishi, Justina Chen, Christina Dudley, and William Dietrich for this annual event to support local bookstores.

Friday, November 7, 1 – 3 p.m.”German Immigration Patterns”
Eastside German Interest Group, LDS Church,
10675 NE 20th St, Bellevue, WA 98004

Monday, October 20, EPIC Writer’s Group, 11:00 a.m.
Author Talk

October 8 – October 12
Frankfurt Book Fair

Monday, October 6 – Author book presentation, 7:00 p.m.
The Last of the Blacksmiths
English and German
Altes Spital, Retzstr. 3, Freinsheim, Germany

9/26-9/28 — Freinsheim, Germany Weinwanderung (“Wine Hike”)

Thursday, September 18, 7:00 p.m.
Author book talk and signing, Trilogy at Redmond Ridge

Wednesday, September 17, 10 a.m. – Noon
Writing Our Family Stories,
Fiske Library, 1644 43rd Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112

Sunday, September 7, Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Bellevue Regional Library Computer Lab
Writing Workshop: Mining Our Memories For Hidden Gems

Saturday, September 6, 1:00 – 2:15 p.m.
Bellevue Regional Library Genealogy Boot Camp
1110 10th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
Getting It Down: Writing Family Stories

Thursday, August 21, 1:00 p.m.
Author Talk and Signing

Island House, Merrill Gardens, 7810 SE 30th, Mercer Island, WA 98040

Thursday, August 21, 7:00 p.m.
The What and Where of Novel Research

Co-taught with Michele Genthon
Whidbey Island Writers Association monthly meeting presentation
Old Bayview School, 5611 Bayview Road, Langley, WA 98260
Claire Gebben and Michele Genthon share tips and tricks for researching your novel.

Friday, August 8, 7:00 p.m.
A Whale of a Tale Alumni Reading at Coupeville Library

presented by the Whidbey MFA Alumni Association
August 2014 Reading with fellow authors Charlotte Morganti, Stephanie Lile, Lois Brandt, Stephanie Hammer, Sharon Mentyka, Joe Ponepinto and Steve White

Wed. and Thurs., August 6 & 7, 2-5:30 p.m.
Presenter for “Writers Talking to People”

Northwest Institute of Literary Arts, Whidbey Island, WA

Friday, June 13, South Seattle Community College
Guest presenter for GENEALOGY class instructed by Sarah Little

Monday, June 9, University Bookstore
Talk and Signing

Wednesday, May 28, 7:00 p.m.
Wheelock Library, 3722 N 26th St., Tacoma, WA 98407

Talk and Signing

Monday, May 12, 1:00 p.m.
South Whidbey Genealogical Society

Friday, April 25, 11:00 a.m.
Western Reserve Historical Society Immigrants to Cleveland presentation
Cleveland, Ohio

Thursday, April 24, 7:00 p.m.
Cuyahoga County Library: Fairview Park Branch
A Hidden Heritage: German immigrants of the 19th Century
A Conversation with author Claire Gebben

Tuesday, April 22, noon
Author Talk and Signing
Ohio Center for the Book
Cleveland Public Library Main library
325 Superior Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44114
Facebook photos here

Monday, April 21, 2:00 p.m.
Author Talk and Signing

Wesleyan Village in Elyria, Ohio
807 West Ave, (440) 284-9000

Saturday, April 19, 1:00 p.m.
Crossing Oceans with Authors Gebben, Hanssen, & Page
Book Buzz at A Book for All Seasons in Leavenworth

Tuesday, April 15, 2:00 p.m.
Bayview Retirement Community
The Last of the Blacksmiths Talk/Signing

Tuesday, April 8, 7:00 p.m.
Third Place Books/Lake Forest Park
The Last of the Blacksmiths Talk/Signing

Wednesday, April 2, 7:00 p.m.
Village Bookstore in Bellingham
The Last of the Blacksmiths Talk/Signing

Sunday, March 9, 4-6 p.m.
The Last of the Blacksmiths
Meet the Author: Claire Gebben
Island Books on Mercer Island

Friday, March 7, 4 p.m.
KSER –90.7 Radio — Everett
Author Interview hosted by Ed Bremer
Listen here

Monday, March 3, Marysville Historical Society, 6:00 p.m.
Genealogy Research Tips and Tricks
Marysville Public Library, 6120 Grove in Marysville

Thursday, February 27-Saturday, March 1
AWP Seattle: Conference of the Association of Writing Programs
Washington State Convention Center/Sheraton in downtown Seattle

Tuesday, February 25, 1:30 p.m.
The Last of the Blacksmiths Talk
Meet the Author: Claire Gebben

Coupeville Library on Whidbey Island

Wednesday, February 19, 7-9 p.m.
A Hidden Heritage: German Immigrants of the 19th Century … A conversation with author Claire Gebben
at Bayview Community Education Center on Whidbey Island

BOOK LAUNCH at Georgetown Stables
The Last of the Blacksmiths (Coffeetown Press, 2014)
Saturday, February 15, 2-6 p.m.

Sunday, February 9, noon – 1:00 p.m.
American Identities: Who Do We Think We Are?
A Conversation with Author Claire Gebben

At First United Methodist Church, 180 Denny Way, Seattle