When people ask what I write about, I don’t know what to say. Because I pretty much take on any topic and run with it. Example: I kill plants. I’m just not good with keeping them alive and happy. Yet…
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Goodbye to Dot
Dot McLeod died in January of last year. I’d known her since Hurricane Katrina destroyed her home and sent her into exile. I wrote about her death for The Philadelphia Inquirer and The (New Orleans) Advocate. The papers agreed to…
Me and Pope Francis
Pope Francis is coming to Philadelphia in September and people are PSYCHED. I’ve been working with the Associated Press on articles related to this upcoming visit. My latest went out on the wire tonight. It’s about the changing face of…
You never can tell…
When an editor asked me to write about an upcoming sale of furniture designed by Wharton Esherick, I thought it would be a throw-away story. I had never heard of Esherick. I had no idea what kind of work he…
A Home Repair Program that Helps Those in Need
It was a pleasure to meet Jennifer Harris and her daughters. They don’t have an easy time of things, but you could feel the love in their house. I hope these improvements, courtesy of the non-profit Rebuilding Together Philadelphia, make…
Katharine Drexel, two ways
As a freelancer, it’s great to be able to pitch a story on something I’ve already written about to another publication. Late last year, The Daily News here in Philadelphia asked me to write a piece about Cordelia Frances Biddle’s…
Breaking News … about Betsy Ross. Yes, that Betsy Ross.
Recent evidence uncovered at Mount Vernon — a receipt for bedding — proves George Washington knew Betsy Ross two years before he allegedly asked her to sew the nation’s first flag in 1776. The discovery silences doubters who questioned how…
Writing about food for www.today.com
Another good part of my job? I get to write about things I like. Like food. I’m a big fan of Domenica, a New Orleans restaurant that has some of the best pizza in the US, so I was psyched…
My Sunday column for The Philadelphia Inquirer
I began writing a monthly column for The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Sunday “Currents” section in September. My most recent one ran on Easter. It’s about a school’s decision to a gender-neutral bathroom. It was inspired by a former student who is…
Fun features
One of the best things about my job is the variety. I’m a regular contributor to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s feature section. This week, you can read my story about Jersey, a therapy dog on staff at Drexel University. Other recent…