What was your first job as a journalist?
Cops reporter at the Daily Herald in Columbia, Tenn.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
A long, long time ago.
How is social media changing news?
Everything is faster. And it feels like reporters are never really off-duty.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Lois Lane
What does it mean to be a journalist?
I feel a lot of responsibility - to readers, sources, colleagues and myself.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Quickly. Get to the point, please.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Methode, Twitter, Facebook, ScannerPro, Audio Notes,
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter
Who do you wish followed you?
Serious readers who understand, appreciate what we do.
Why did you become a journalist?
I was drawn to it from somewhere deep inside, and when I got that first front page byline in college I was hooked.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I wrote one year for the Pony Express at David Lipscomb High School in Nashville, Tenn. I'm not sure we even published four editions.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I survived time as a combat correspondent. Other than that, any story that makes a difference.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Take every opportunity you can find to experience new stories, go new places, meet new people.
When's the best time to pitch you?
In the morning.
