WORK

FEATURES EDITOR

During my time as features editor at the Lawrence Journal-World, we told the stories behind aspiring (and actual) world champion air guitarists, artwork found in a dumpster, a short film about cats getting high, the legacy of the most famous writer of the Beat Generation, the weirdest food on local restaurant menus, a tattoo made from the ashes of a dead dog, and one reporter’s attempt to eat a cheeseburger bigger than her head.

Each week I was responsible for the story budgeting, editing, designing, web posting and online promotion of several sections that covered food, bars and restaurants, concerts, event previews, health, home and garden, women’s lifestyle, fashion, shopping, and the arts.

It was a privilege and a joy to work with talented writers and photographers and bring such interesting and colorful features about local artists, restaurants, lifestyles and events to the community and help tell the story of what makes Lawrence unique.

COPY EDITOR

Noticing people’s grammar mistakes and thinking of puns to use in headlines is what I was born to do. Correcting a misused “lay” that should be “lie” while editing a story never gets old. Seeing an “its” that should be “it’s” in a movie subtitle drives me nuts. And I love the feeling of writing the perfect headline — that dopamine rush of coming up with a pun that walks the line between clever and cringing.

In this era of “fake news,” where reporting basic facts and having common sense is somehow seen as having a political bias, the truth is constantly under attack. Copy editors are needed more than ever to fulfill their role as guardians of truth and to protect their publications from falsehoods (and lawsuits). It’s a responsibility I take seriously and am proud to have. When I come across a fact error in a story I’m editing, I take it personally. Nothing makes me more upset than seeing a story that leaves out facts and context and doesn’t give its readers the most accurate picture possible.

MUSIC BLOG POST: LA GUERRE WILL WRITE YOU A LOVE SONG FOR VALENTINE'S DAY

SOCIAL MEDIA PROJECT:
FAVORITE SIGNS OF #LFK

I love typography. I love old stuff. Here's a social media photo project I did on my own time featuring some of my favorite cool-looking signs in Lawrence and a little history behind them.

See the gallery

WRITING

Most of my work focused on editing and design, but I would write the occasional short story or blog post as needed. Here are a few samples.

FOOD BLOG POST: WHERE TO EAT SOME FANCY FRANKS FOR NATIONAL HOT DOG DAY

MUSIC BLOG POST: LA GUERRE WILL WRITE YOU A VALENTINE'S DAY LOVE SONG

I have experience taking press releases and other newsworthy announcements and quickly rewriting them into briefs for print publication and sometimes online-only blog posts.

VARIOUS NEWS BRIEFS

Having trouble coming up with the words to tell a special someone how much you love them this Valentine's Day? Don't worry: one local musician is here to play Cupid.

Today is National Hot Dog Day, and lovers of encased meats are rejoicing across the country. Here are four places in Lawrence with special kinds of frankfurters on their menus to help you celebrate this special day.

Just in time to appease the Taco Tuesday masses, Taco Zone has opened its new restaurant space at 13 E. Eighth St. in downtown Lawrence.

FOOD REPORTING: TACO ZONE COMES OUT OF ITS SHELL

“Uncharted 3” is a blast to play and is one of the most-fun games to come out this year. But some frustrations with the gameplay and pacing problems keep it from totally escaping the shadow cast by “Uncharted 2.”