What was your first job as a journalist?
Writer and associate producer for PBS affiliate WPSU.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes, ages ago.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Jake Barnes
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
I prefer story ideas, and only story ideas. Please no vendor-centric pitches.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Twitter, Hootsuite, Office (obviously), and most importantly, single malt scotch and/or small-batch bourbon
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter
Who do you wish followed you?
Paul Krugman
Why did you become a journalist?
I've always been good at it (or told I was, anyway), and I like to write.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yep. Many odd things, such as writing a fake advice column and editing a tabloid news section.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Wow. That's a tough one, but my story "The Future of Malware" is still relevant a few years after I wrote it:
http://bit.ly/LDMlvx
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Read more, and read smarter. Get off the internet and read the classics. I'd also recommend reading more long-form journalism.
When's the best time to pitch you?
When I announce a story I'm working on. Everything else has a very low hit rate.
