What was your first job as a journalist?
I wrote for my college newspaper.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yep.
How is social media changing news?
Social media is radically changing news, for better and for worse. I recently found a cold-case witness solely because of social media.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
I'm going to say Mikael Blomkvist, but only because Lisbeth Salander is not a journalist. Salander is the supreme warrior-researcher.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
I try to be fearless, accurate and honest. I focus on cold cases and I want justice for the victims whose cases I write about.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
I couldn't stop watching that video.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
It doesn't matter how you pitch me, what matters is the story itself. Send smoke signals for all I care.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
I've got two laptops, an HP and an air-gapped Lenovo. I use a lot of online archived resources.
What's your favorite social network?
I like reddit because the true crime community there is massive, smart and dedicated. FB also has many excellent cold case forums.
Who do you wish followed you?
Matt Taibbi
Why did you become a journalist?
It's corny, but I became a journalist to tell the truth. Not kidding.
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?
Stay tuned.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Do your research. Be persistent. Keep writing.
When's the best time to pitch you?
In the afternoon.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
I haven't gotten it yet, but I'd love someone to ask me to write a story about vacationing in Tahiti.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
When I was working for a newspaper during one summer during college, I had to write a story about popular dog names.
What's your favorite drink?
Coffee.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Reading, drinking coffee, walking my huskies, hanging with family, planning my next trip.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
I read a lot of Substack publications. They provide news and opinion you can't find elsewhere.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That it's clickbait. That is not what I write. I spend hundreds of hours pouring over old files.
