I'm a writer, cat-person, cancer survivor and the author of four collections of short stories and one novella. Oh yeah! I used to be a crash test dummy.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
As a writer, I wrote product descriptions for an online Jewish store. My first job as a journalist was "Third World Parasite Plagues..."
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Many years ago in my 8th grade typing class.
How is social media changing news?
Social media puts an interesting spin on news.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Brenda Starr
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
The grossest one is #bluewaffle
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
No preference. Just pitch me!
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
It depends on the gig. To design book covers I use MS Word & MS Paint. Mostly I just use Word and my imagination.
What's your favorite social network?
LinkedIn, if you can count that. Otherwise, Facebook.
Who do you wish followed you?
Mitch Albom, Jonathan Safran Foer, and Isaac Bashevis Singer.
Why did you become a journalist?
I love to write. I am also curious to a fault. Learning about people and the world is pretty much what makes me tick.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No. I spent most of my high school days elsewhere.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
"The Welcome Wagon." It's on my blog and also in "Gutter Ball."
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Don't give up!
When's the best time to pitch you?
Anytime!
What's the best pitch you ever got?
I haven't gotten the best one yet.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Someone wanted to pay me 1/2 cent per word. LOL!
What's your favorite drink?
Cosmopolitan, IF the bartender knows what s/he's doing.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Asleep or out having a glass of wine.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The New Yorker
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
I don't know.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.