What was your first job as a journalist?
Regional correspondent and columnist at the Island Independent, an alt weekly published in the islands in northern Puget Sound.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
An ancient manual Underwood with lots of chrome and a sticky "L" key.
How is social media changing news?
Like everyone else, I'm still trying to figure that out. Anyone who says they've got it sussed is full of shit.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Henry Hackett, city editor at the New York Sun, played by Michael Keaton in the Ron Howard film "The Paper."
What does it mean to be a journalist?
I still take inspiration from the old Finley Peter Dunne quote: "My job is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable."
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
E-mail only. And don't lie to me. Give me your best shot, but I *hate* being bullshat ... Really ...
What's your favorite social network?
Facebook ... For all it's increasingly creepy, intrusive tendencies, I love how it allows me to maintain long distance relationships.
Who do you wish followed you?
100,000 adoring, worshipful and highly influential decision-makers.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I was co-founder and editor of my high school's first, last and only "underground" newspaper, "Old Mole."
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
An investigative series that revealed the sordid financial history of a developer that proposed a massive new project on a remote island.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Everything's up for grabs now. There's no road map any more. Good luck!
When's the best time to pitch you?
09:00 to 12:00 GMT+1
