What was your first job as a journalist?
Aside from internships, my first job was as a general assignent reporter in Norwood, Mass., a small town about 15 miles southwest of Boston.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes, but only to fill out hard copies of forms and applications in the pre-PDF days.
How is social media changing news?
The focus has become fast reporting instead of in-depth journalism, and people undervalue stories that are less immediate but more important.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
I loved Raoul Duke as a younger writer, but now I think Hunter S. Thompson was more than anything a wasted talent (in more ways than one.)
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Thinking for myself instead of taking other people's answers at face value.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
It's sad and funny in equal measures that had its moment in the trending sun.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
I'm always glad to work on an idea in one of my areas of expertise that an editor needs to be developed.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
I'm trained on CMS systems but usually write in a simple Word document.
What's your favorite social network?
For now, I lurk on Twitter, but most of my engagement is with friends and family on Facebook.
Who do you wish followed you?
Bill Kurtis. (He helped me woo my fiancee. You'll have to follow up for the full story.)
Why did you become a journalist?
I like learning about the world and explaining it to other people.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I usually wrote news analysis about whatever stories were affecting our suburban Philadelphia town.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
A long-gestating lawsuit my town eventually lost at my first gig. I had to learn a lot about energy regulations and follow up for months.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
If you can, be flexible in every way. Be ready to move/commute, change your area of expertise, find income outside your writing work, etc.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Right now I'm furloughed due to the coronavirus, so any time... but otherwise, I usually work nights, so any time before 3 p.m. Eastern.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
My editor pitched me a feature on the BostonBeta tech convention, and it was great to see how that industry spread beyond Silicon Valley.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
As a community newspaper editor, I got lots of pitches with no news peg from readers. Rejecting them delicately was a challenge.
What's your favorite drink?
As a craft cocktail bartender, I have a lot of favorites in my quiver, but if i had to pick one, it'd be a Negroni.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Either in the kitchen working on dinner, or somewhere else in my condo working on a renovation project (Right now I'm refinishing furniture!)
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
When I want a break from the news I read pop culture analysis on The AV Club and The Ringer.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
People emphasize the physical writing, where the most work is in the reporting, research and story development.
