This blog has fallen a little behind with keeping up to date with my recent publications. To catch up, I’ll list some of the cover stories that were not yet featured on this blog.
The Bus Stops Here, March 10, 2010
The Bus Stops Here was a story I pitched to my editor over a year ago. There was a lot going on with renovations and improvements in downtown Wilkes-Barre, so the story was put on hold for a little while. When the issue finally came out, I was so pleased this story idea was accepted. I rode two different buses to get a first-hand look at the experience, as well as meet people who ride the bus on a daily basis. Aside from interviewing people I met during my rides, I interviewed the heads of the Luzerne County Transportation Authority (LCTA) and the County of Lackawanna Transportation System (COLTS), as well as two bus drivers and a Wilkes English professor who rides the bus daily and also implemented the Poetry in Motion program for LCTA. This was one of those stories that just had so many great interviews but it had to be condensed.
Let’s Get Physical & Fitness for the Lazy Person, January 2010
This was a two-part cover story (actually, three… Nikki M. had an interview with Richard Simmons!) where I first covered fitness trends of 2009, including Zumba. I interviewed an instructor, a local radio personality who is into the exercise fad and a young lady who lost 40 pounds (more since press time!) with her commitment to Zumba and offered me a free workout guide pdf. Fitness for the Lazy Person was a sidebar story talking about ways to burn calories by doing every day things, like parking in a spot farther from the front door or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. This story reminded me how lazy I really am! With results like the one woman I interviewed, what the heck am I doing?!
On the Record: Resurgence of Vinyl in NEPA , December 2009
On the Record is one of the stories I am most proud of this year. A friend and fellow Wilkes University creative writer has an obsession with vinyl. He’s friends with the owners of Paper Kite Press & Paper Kite Studio. The idea of vinyl night was born when Jim and Dan took their Tuesday new release listening ritual and opened it to the public. Vinyl Night at Paper Kite is like open mic night for your record collection. From 7:00 until about 9:00, people of all ages and musical tastes enjoy music and company. This article, which was first going to be about vinyl night, turned into a feature on the popularity of vinyl and includes interview with local record store owners, a record show promoter, and fans of vinyl. This was a fun story to write and research and one for which I received some great feedback.
That sums up the Weekender cover stories I’ve had since the last blog post about cover stories. Soon, I’ll recap the eBiz Insider articles as well as general weekender articles.