What was your first job as a journalist?
Reporter at my hometown paper (obits, police beat, features, and more!)
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes, and I still have the typewriter I inherited from my mother. It was given to her by my grandfather.
How is social media changing news?
Immediacy puts more pressure on getting stories out quickly; inaccuracies in social media make good reporting more essential than ever.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Tie between Hildy Johnson (His Girl Friday) and Holly Evans (Press on BBC) Girl power!
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Being a journalist means finding both sides of a story. A journalist has to report what is there, not just what she agrees with.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
... Not hilarious but slyly funny. So many layers here ...
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Word, Dropbox, Chicago Manual of Style, Grammar Girl, AP Stylebook ... and stacks of books!
What's your favorite social network?
Instagram
Why did you become a journalist?
I was drawn to journalism through an affinity for good stories and good writing.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yes! That's how I learned to love the newsroom. I was an editor, and did a bit of everything from reporting to layout and design.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Read, read, read. Write, re-write, and re-write again.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Monday morning
What's the best pitch you ever got?
The best pitch is not a pitch, it's someone who gets in touch, reads my work, and builds a relationship before trying to pitch anything.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
One of the worst pitches I've received was from a self-published author of a vampire love story who wanted me to review her book.
What's your favorite drink?
Coffee!
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
When I'm not working, I'm often reading a book, cooking for my family, or taking part in something going on in my neighborhood or church.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Charleston (SC) Post and Courier, Azalea magazine, The Washington Post, Summerville Journal Scene, Stars and Stripes
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
Military life: That it's all about deployment. Military family life is rich in experience and challenges. Deployment is just one part.
