What was your first job as a journalist?
As far as out of college (I did work for The State News at Michigan State University), my first newspaper job was at the Wausau Daily Herald.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Oh, totally! I learned to type on a beautiful IBM Selectric in early high school. I had a little manual typewriter when I was a kid.
How is social media changing news?
It's diluting it with a lot of falsehoods. I do get frustrated because I feel like there are no true journalists anymore.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Nancy Drew, in a way -- though she's more of a plunky detective.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Being a journalist means keeping people informed, serving the public with integrity.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
I don't pay a lot of attention to hashtags when I'm scrolling my feeds.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
I'm not taking story pitches right now, but if there was an idea of a Michigan serial killer for a book project, I would listen.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
I write in MS Word. I know the full MS and Adobe suites but don't use them daily.
What's your favorite social network?
I enjoy the discussions on Reddit, and I feel like people are more respectful and decent there.
Who do you wish followed you?
Really just anybody -- my socials are pathetic (still pretty new). Help a sister out!
Why did you become a journalist?
Because I always liked to write, and my junior high guidance counselor pointed me in that direction.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Nope -- we didn't have a newspaper at our high school.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I am happy with my research on two of Detroit's most notorious serial killers. It fascinated me; I would like to do more in true crime.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Forget ego. At least lay it aside. Ego is the downfall of a lot of us.
When's the best time to pitch you?
I'm not really inviting pitches right now -- have quite a few projects going on.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Probably from my collaborator for the first true-crime book, Dr. Gerald Cliff, a retired Detroit cop.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Not sure.
What's your favorite drink?
Iced coffee in some exotic mix or flavor from Dunkin'.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
In front of the TV -- I'm a TV junkie.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The Bible.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
We'll call it Detroit true crime, so I guess it would be that Detroit is the crime capital of the U.S.
