What was your first job as a journalist?
My first job was writing up "Cook of the Week" for a newspaper in Salinas, California.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
I learned how to type in a high school class. My favorite typewriter: IBM Selectric. Those babies were heavy but great.
How is social media changing news?
Social Media curates new issues as they develop, helping reporters ask up-to-minute questions.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Lois Lane. She's fearless. She was my inspiration when I was a kid devouring her comic books. I still have them!
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Go out & inform by providing: clarity, due diligence in reporting + expeditious turnaround, whatever the topic, to be of service.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
From Anthony Weiner's antics:
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Via email.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Pen, reporter's notebooks, mobile phone, computer, Internet, car. I also love my Japanese highlighters.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter
Who do you wish followed you?
Julia Child. Oh, wait...
Why did you become a journalist?
I love learning new things, unwinding details & sharing that info w/ people to help them become better informed.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
My high school didn't have a student newspaper so I submitted my writing - movie reviews - to the local paper. They declined nicely.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Am proud of 2 series when I covered Boston Public Schools: the appalling Hispanic failure rates; editorials on school committee incompetence.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Accuracy can never be over-rated. Always tell source you may call back to verify info. Even the little things can bite you.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Any time. I might not answer right away because 1) I'm assessing the story value; 2) pitching it to my editor; 3) walking the dog.
