What was your first job as a journalist?
General assignment; Everything from police blotter to local politics.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes. But I much prefer the computer, thanks to the "backspace" and "delete" keys. For real.
How is social media changing news?
Social media is giving citizens parity with reporters and editors. It's democratizing information.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Lois Lane.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
To be endlessly curious, thick-skinned and soulful.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Face to face is really the best. But since we're living in the 21st Century, e-mail is the handiest way for me to access, read and hang on to
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Outlook 365, social media and the public library,
What's your favorite social network?
The neighborhood bar, Dan's Silverleaf.
Who do you wish followed you?
Rufus Wainwright. Tori Amos. The Rev. Al Green. Lila Downs.
Why did you become a journalist?
First, to change the world. Now, because the craft of making a nonfiction narrative out of relationships is hard, rewarding work.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yep. Started out as a reporter, ended up as an editor-in-chief.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Little d After Dark. It was a free monthly music and DIY magazine about the creative class of Denton, Texas.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Learn how to use a camera. Learn how to shoot video. And do everything you can to ward off paralysis of the imagination.
When's the best time to pitch you?
When you really have something to pitch.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
A local pitch about a Hoth Fest, organized by a guy who's email address was "nohopeforalderaan."
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
A pitch for a $6,000 commode.
What's your favorite drink?
My own cold brew recipe.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
On a treadmill.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The Atlantic.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That it's dull and that American students are selfish and entitled. But teachers are underpaid and overworked.
