What was your first job as a journalist?
Worked at a college paper. I was 14.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
I used to own an old electric typewriter that'd been decommissioned from the CA Bar Exam. I like the way it feels, but I hate the noise.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Peter Parker and Clark Kent used to be high on that list. When I became an editor, though, that spot was taken by Lois Lane.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Journalists are scavengers at heart, gnawing on scraps of truth and following strings of clues. You have to stay hungry to stay relevant.
What's your favorite social network?
I like Instagram. It's a neat exercise in photojournalism for the masses.
Who do you wish followed you?
Brennan Lee Mulligan of Dropout TV. Not a journalist, but a seriously interesting guy.
Why did you become a journalist?
I was a kid. I was searching for the truth. I still am, even if I'm more tired than I was. I've always been too curious for my own good.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
You're a human being first and a journalist second. Keep a thick skin, but have a heart. That's where the best stories come from.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Between 10 and 2 Monday-Wednesday. I'm always almost booked 7 days a week and this is my designated pitch window.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
A writer told me she was going to write a food review without tasting anything. She wanted the owner of the restaurant to describe the menu.
What's your favorite drink?
During the day? Coffee. Favorite after-hours cocktail? Death in the Afternoon.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
I like to take long walks and sit down in the sun by the lake. Or I'm at a coffee shop working in my sketchbook. Or I'm asleep.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
I'm subscribed to Psychology Today, but honestly The Needling gets me every time.
