Freelance copywriter, novelist, storysmith, educator, and occasional journalist.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
First journalistic job: writing for both the official high school newspaper and the underground one (simultaneously).
Have you ever used a typewriter?
In fact I wrote my dissertation on a 1932 Underwood #5.
How is social media changing news?
Social media is making news travel faster - which is great if you're part of a civil uprising in Syria, less so in other contexts.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Lois Lane. Seriously. She had an adventurous enough life even without the guy in the cape.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
To be a journalist is to tell the stories that happen - the ones people want, and the ones they need to know.
What's your favorite social network?
First time paid for journalism: Invited Op/Ed in the Peoria Journal-Star about why grammar instruction is not the path to good writing.
Who do you wish followed you?
William Shatner
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Oh yes, the Lancer. I played a dangerous double game writing investigative features about bringing the Establishment to its knees.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I wrote a piece on North Korea for Kyoto Journal back in 1999, after my 4-day visit there.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Don't be lazy, and trust no one.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.