Have you ever used a typewriter?
A typewriter, a dial-up phone, Tang, ice cube trays, gloves & hat for church, roll-down car windows....I'm a 54-year-old English major!
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Eleven-year-old Harriet M. Welsch of Louise Fitzhugh's "Harriet the Spy" - one of my all time favorite books of childhood.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
It's a great responsibility because you shape the way others think...for good or for ill. I try to cheer, empower, and boost my readers.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
I couldn't stop laughing over after Trump was so unkind.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
My fingers, an out-dated computer, Word 2003, Google, and coffee.
What's your favorite social network?
For me to use it's LinkedIn. But my favorite to view is my daughter's Instagram that chronicles her fun life in NYC.
Why did you become a journalist?
I've been writing and teaching since I trapped my sister in the basement with a makeshift desk. Journalism is the best way to combine them!
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I wish! I ran track and played the bassoon in the orchestra...my writing then was confined to little diaries with gold-plated locks.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I wrote "The Four Horseman of a Decent Job" in part for my millennial kids slogging away in their respective offices in NYC and Charlotte.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Write about things you know and are interested in. That makes your writing come alive.
When's the best time to pitch you?
I'm a morning gal! Up by 4:30 most mornings...not out of virtue but for my own pleasure. I've crashed by 9:15 pm.
What's your favorite drink?
Coffee. Black and strong with no cream or sugar. Starbucks is my favorite but I'll drink anything.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
In the kitchen - I love to cook, bake & entertain. I cook my husband breakfast, pack his lunch, and make dinner every day. Join us!
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
I read ALL the time and always have - I'll read the back of the air freshener can on the john...couldn't possibly pick one!
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That blue collar workers aren't smart. You may be smart if you've got a degree but there's no guarantee. Blue collar jobs need good brains.
