What was your first job as a journalist?
I was chief writer for the commercial advertising and supplements department for a local newspaper group
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes, I used one in the mid80s. It belonged to my great-aunt Flo, who loved to write.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Bridget Jones
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Hard work accompanied by long hours but the reward of nailing a story and getting it published never loses its appeal.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
With intelligence, honesty, clarity and originality.
What's your favorite social network?
Instagram
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Learn to write.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Anytime - I'm always busy so there's never a good time.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
A note from a PR company encouraging me to promote a new sex toy when I worked for a luxury quarterly magazine...
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
On the dance floor or walking my dogs
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Vanity Fair
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
People generally believe that we live the luxury life we write about.
