What was your first job as a journalist?
Restaurant reviews
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes, I learned to type on a Selectric.
How is social media changing news?
More people are being heard through social media.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
I don't have a favorite.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Someone who relates the facts and truth.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
Haven't seen one yet.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email me with ideas.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Canon mirrorless camera, iPhone, Lightroom, Photoshop, Office 365, iMac, MacBook Pro, iPad, Zoom
What's your favorite social network?
Instagram
Who do you wish followed you?
Tim Denning
Why did you become a journalist?
I became a journalist to share my experiences.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
We didn't have a high school newspaper.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Light rail in Phoenix, Arizona.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Write every day. Never give up. Never surrender.
When's the best time to pitch you?
In the middle of the night Pacific Time.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Covering astrophotography in the desert.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Someone seeking a guest post on my website. They were totally off base - hadn't even reviewed my website to see if it was a fit.
What's your favorite drink?
Wine, beer, spirits, saké.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
On my iPhone.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Medium, Sunset
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That travel writing is glamorous.
