Diana Parsell

Author Talks

Diana Parsell is a highly skilled speaker who has delivered author talks, both in-person and virtually, to many diverse audiences. She is a member of the Capital Speakers Club, and also employs her public speaking skills as a volunteer docent for tours of the Library of Congress, where she completed much of the research for her biography of the 19th-century pioneering journalist and travel writer Eliza Scidmore.

A popular feature of Diana’s author talks is her use of evocative historical images. She has adapted presentations, on request, to emphasize topics such as Gilded Age globetrotting and travel, the origin and symbolism of Japanese cherry blossoms, the origin of Washington’s cherry trees and Eliza Scidmore’s botanical interests and horticultural legacy.

Host venues for Diana’s talks have included bookstores, libraries, conferences, social and professional organizations, historical societies, garden clubs and book groups. Visit the Events page of this website for sample presentations.

Diana has been interviewed by NBC’s “Today” show, BBC2 and Japan’s NHK network, and has discussed her book as a guest on many podcasts. See the News & Press page for media coverage.

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Book Clubs

Members of book clubs have found Diana’s book Eliza Scidmore: The Trailblazing Journalist Behind Washington’s Cherry Trees a source of stimulating discussion on women’s advancement, historical research and book writing, the development of Washington, D.C., as the nation’s capital, the origin of D.C.’s cherry tree origins and other significant developments in the dynamic period from America’s Gilded Age to World War I.

Click here for a Discussion Guide on the book.

Click here for an Author Q&A.

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Craft Workshops

Over the years Diana has shared her expertise on nonfiction editing and writing in a range of forums, from adjunct teaching and small tutorials to author panels and literary workshops. She presented her latest workshop, “Shaping Your Book of Narrative Nonfiction,” at the New York conference of Biographers International Organization in 2023 and at the Writer’s Center in Bethesda, Md.

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Interested in arranging a talk or workshop? Contact Diana here with a brief note on what kind of presentation you have in mind and the desired time frame.

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Testimonials

“The Asian American Forum sends a heartfelt thank you for a wonderful presentation. It was timely, informative, and also lots of fun. I have heard from many people, some saying it was the best talk that our group has ever presented. How’s that for a nice compliment?”
— Molly Spitzer Frost, Asian American Forum in Washingon, D.C.

“Thank you so much for the outstanding presentation you made today to members of Welcome to Washington! I heard so many wonderful comments about it from those who attended. Eliza was clearly an exceptional woman, and you did such a great job in telling her story. It was fascinating to hear what you had to do to research source material.”
— Judy Page, Welcome to Washington International Club at Hillwood Museum

“Our conversation with you has been the talk of the town this afternoon in Glacier Bay headquarters. …  The fact that we went from thinking, ‘Eliza must have just been some wealthy heiress,’ to now knowing that she was a world-traveled, independent, indefatigable start-up, reminds me of the power of research to unearth voices of forgotten figures.”
— Caitlin Campbell, seasonal park ranger at Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

“The workshop was amazing and extremely helpful. It made me rethink the structure of my book. Not only was [the instructor] knowledgeable on the topic, but she was able to speak to all with different book ideas so the class was useful to everyone.”
— Francise Dyson, participant in “Shaping Your Book of Narrative Nonfiction”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you for your presentation on Saturday! It was SO interesting—everyone in attendance was raving about it.”
— Lesley Tourigny, AAUW-VA Northern District,

“It was inspirational to hear you speak, and your research was amazing. … We learned so much history in the story of this woman who lived beyond the expectations of her time. I can’t remember so much discussion and no distraction to other things when we met to discuss your book.”
— Linda Sours, book club moderator in Grand Junction, Col.