John has spoken about the meaning of the Potter books in settings as diverse as your local Barnes and Noble bookstore, an elite secondary school and church community in Houston, and an academic ‘fan-cons’ about Harry at Disney World in Florida and in Los Vegas. His talk on ‘Alchemy in English Literature’ at Nimbus 2003 was voted best presentation of the 67 academic papers and boards given during the four day conference and was published in the November, 2003, issue of Touchstone magazine as The Alchemist’s Tale. Among 190 “spin-off” books on Harry Potter, Unlocking Harry Potter was highlighted in the May 10, 2007 issue of The Wall Street Journal.

Various groups want John to speak both because of what he has to say and how he says it. His expertise in traditional literature and the Harry Potter books allows him to speak at depth about the meaning of the books and Potter mania. His charity and wit makes his common sense observations as engaging as they are challenging and stimulating. In the summer of 2007 John was a featured speaker in conventions in Philadelphia, Toronto, and London, and in 2008, a featured speaker in Ottawa.