What was your first job as a journalist?
An assistant editor in 1976 at Horizon Magazine, then a, hard-cover, bi-monthly mag of culture, art and history published by McGraw-Hill.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
I took typing classes in high school and am a speed typist. Learning to type so fast initially hindered my ability to write on a computer.
How is social media changing news?
Speed at spreading wave action in big stories but frequently fanning hyperbole and misinformation.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas in "The China Syndrome."
What does it mean to be a journalist?
To be a fair and accurate reporter and a careful writer, whatever your subject or beat.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
I'm mostly doing personal commentary these days so probably not very pitchable.
What's your favorite social network?
The Great Lawn in Central Park, where I meet up with all my dog-walking friends. Or my own family.
Why did you become a journalist?
To work with smart people, the self-image seemed to fit, and I am super curious person.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Didn't everyone work for their school paper? I was the cliche - a humor columnist writing about bad food in the cafeteria.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
An extended interview with writer Isaac Bashevis Singer for People Magazine right after he won the Nobel Prize for Literature.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
There are so many outlets today - continue producing your own pieces and you'll find many opportunities publish and build a portfolio.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Some of the worst pitches have come from editors! But mostly restaurant publicists seeking interviews for their chefs with holiday themes.
What's your favorite drink?
Grapefruit juice with seltzer. But at bars and restaurants I always order a Virgin Mary....with no ice!
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Walking around New York City - especially in Central Park with my dog Zeno.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Wall Street Journal every day!
