Meet the Keynote Speakers: 2026 Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop

Photo via University of Dayton

Riley Howell | Contributing Writer

Pack your pens and your sense of humor: The Dayton Riviera is calling. From March 26-28, the University of Dayton will once again set the stage for American humor writers across the country to gather for the biennial Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop. Known for its “supportive, warm, positive atmosphere,” the event has long been a sanctuary for writers who find funny in the unexpected.

This year’s keynote speakers are radiating with talent, but two names are drawing particular attention: Ann Garvin and Steven Rowley. Garvin, a USA Today bestselling author and founder of the Tall Poppy Writers, writes for women who are “tired and in a double burden.” Rowley, a New York Times bestseller and winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor, is a master of “gallows humor” and emotional connection.

This Flyer News reporter spent some time with both to discuss their upcoming trip to Dayton, their new 2026 releases, and why humor isn’t just a luxury in an increasingly heavy role – it’s a survival tactic.

Steven Rowley: Finding the Truth in Dark Humor

Rowley is no stranger to making light of heavy situations. Whether it’s a dog with an octopus on its head or a “Guncle” navigating grief, there’s always a joke just a page away. This trip marks Rowley’s first time in Dayton. “I can’t think of a better experience for my first time,” he said.

Rowley’s writing often tackles the heaviest of human experiences, particularly grief, but he approaches it with care to ensure the jokes never drown out the true feelings behind them.

Q: How do you balance the humor so that it doesn’t undercut the emotion in your books?

Rowley: “I tend to write a lot about serious subjects, particularly grief and grieving and approaching it with sort of a humorous take. But that’s always because humor has been such an important part of my way to get through difficult times. And I do think that there is something about humor, our ability to laugh, that is sort of deeply human. I’m always sort of looking for ways to connect with readers with something that they will recognize in themselves, and that doesn’t mean that the humor doesn’t change when talking about something serious. It might be in moments directed inward. It might be, you know, sort of self-deprecating humor. It might be dark humor or gallows humor or whatever the moment calls for. But I think humor has always been the way through for me, and that’s reflected in my characters as well.”

His upcoming novel, arriving in May, Take Me With You, turns toward magical realism, sparked by a real-life disagreement with his husband, writer Byron Lane.

Q: Where did the “beam of light” premise come from?

Rowley: “It stems from a disagreement that Byron, my husband, and I get in. You know, if a UFO showed up over our backyard and the beam of light shone down and you didn’t have time to pack, you didn’t have time to think about it…would you not go? And he always says he would go. And I’m like, well, wait a minute. Am I not enough to stick around for? Whereas I always thought I would stay… And so while the hook, that beam of light might be fantastical as well, it’s not a story about exploring the universe or aliens or UFOs or anything. It is told entirely from the perspective of the person who is left behind and feeling very weighted down to the earth, of this sort of pressure of abandonment in a way. And so, it is another way to explore sort of grief or abandonment or these very serious topics.”

Ultimately, Rowley’s message to the workshop attendees is that humor is a tool for honesty. “Humor is a mode of engagement with the truth,” he says. “It is a way to explore truth…regardless of political stance, the world is a difficult place right now. And so I think humor is more important than ever.”

Ann Garvin: Louder for the Patriarchy in the Back

Ann Garvin doesn’t just write books: she builds communities. As the founder of the Tall Poppy Writers, she is dedicated to the idea that a “rising tide lifts all boats.” Her brand – writing for women who do too much – is perhaps more resonant in 2026 than ever before.

Q: Why is this “overwhelmed woman” archetype so resonant right now?

Garvin: “Women can do anything and do everything, and when you’re excellent at what you do and caring and empathetic and have gotten the message your whole life that you are to be the helper in the world… then you indeed become the helper in the world. I would argue there isn’t a woman alive that doesn’t feel the pressure from both inside herself and the culture – to extend herself because there are so many needs in the world.”

Q: Many attendees of the workshop may be juggling caregiving, jobs, creative work, and self-doubt. What do you most want them to walk away believing about themselves?

Garvin: “Find and create a group of people that will cheer you on and tell you the truth. That will give you permission to take a break when things are hard and to remember that even though you’re not writing on the page, your brain is processing information and turning it into stories while you feed your mother or help your father to walk. If you can, pay for good help either at home or in writing. It is ridiculous to think that writing is a one-person job. Alexander Hamilton was able to write the Federalist Papers because his wife was home taking care of every other little thing in the world.”

Garvin’s seventh novel, Tell Two Friends, launches in June 2026. She continues to be drawn to stories of “personal survival, psychological survival, physical survival,” focusing on how regular people find the inner strength to become heroes. Her final word for the workshop? “Maybe it’s the title of the talk: Louder For the Patriarchy in the Back.”

For more on the workshop’s history and its deep ties to the University of Dayton, check out the workshop and other events.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Riley Howell is enrolled in the Flyer News Practicum, a course in the Department of Communication that focuses on experiential learning. The Practicum, part of the journalism sequence, is offered fall and spring semesters.