Published in Howdy Cat Writing·PinnedMember-onlySo You Need to Send an Article Pitch: Tips from Editors + Writers On How to Do ThatMany freelance writers today know the pain of formatting a pitch, especially when the recipient is a new contact and the ins and outs of what they like is not known. Do they like something short and sweet? How much detail do they want? Is two paragraphs too long or…Writing5 min readWriting5 min read
PinnedMember-onlyThe first time I appeared in The New Yorker it was for my trauma and it wasn’t even a good quote: An EssayAnyone that knows me will tell you I talk a lot. They might even tell you I talk too much. In fact, I KNOW I talk too much because my motor mouth has gotten me into a variety of trouble over the 27 years I’ve been on Earth. Basically, I…Personal Essay8 min readPersonal Essay8 min read
PinnedMember-onlyI just spent six months in Oklahoma and all I got was…A little personal essay about my time back in the place I grew up. I still remember the day my parents told me we were moving out of Oklahoma. A few days prior we embarked on a spontaneous trip to Pensacola, Florida. This wasn’t completely out of the ordinary because…5 min read5 min read
Mar 3, 2022Member-only14 Movies to Watch During Women’s History MonthMarch is Women’s History Month and as a cinema lover I wanted to share some of my recommendations for films directed by women. In no way is this list complete and feel free to share more titles! To Stream: Atlantics (2019) directed by Mati Diop (Netflix) Mati Diop mixes romance, social…Womens History Month5 min readWomens History Month5 min read
Jan 14, 2022Member-only‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye’ and a Missed OpportunityFrom 1966 until 1987 Tammy Faye and Jim Bakker were the hottest thing on Christian television. While their ministry started with puppets and kids’ sermons, they eventually grew into a mega-conglomerate of all things Christianity, which included a television station that ran 24 hours a day, an amusement park, praise…The Eyes Of Tammy Faye5 min readThe Eyes Of Tammy Faye5 min read
Jan 9, 2022Member-onlyBradley Cooper is the Nightmare in Nightmare AlleyWhile driving to Los Angeles the other day for a visit to a coffee shop and the infamous Griffith Observatory, I asked my husband to rank all the Guillermo Del Toro films. Just the night before we had seen…Movies3 min readMovies3 min read
Dec 24, 2021Member-onlyMy Top 5 Movies of 2021Since becoming a film journalist in 2016 I have tried my best to watch as many new releases titles as possible. The irony is that so many movies that come out are of no interest to me, especially when there are film noirs from the 1940s or campy horror movies…Movies4 min readMovies4 min read
Oct 16, 2020Member-onlyMy rainy Friday afternoon attempt at a personal essayIf you cut me open, you’ll find I’m made of pure emotion. This might not come as a surprise by those who know me because I’m a cliche — I wear my heart on my sleeve. No amount of therapy or alcohol or sleep has relieved me of these overwhelming…Personal4 min readPersonal4 min read
Sep 25, 2020Member-onlyBreaking Down the Reveal in I Know This Much is TrueHBO’s I Know This Much is True is a cathartic search at how intergenerational trauma manifests. Dominick Birdsey and his twin Thomas, both portrayed by Mark Ruffalo, represent two different end results and are the main focus of the six-episode series. As Thomas struggles to cope with paranoid schizophrenia in…Mark Ruffalo6 min readMark Ruffalo6 min read
Published in ZORA·Jul 3, 2020Member-onlyWhy I Don’t Celebrate Independence Day‘Land of the Free’ is an odd nickname. This country was built on my ancestors’ stolen land. — I no longer celebrate Independence Day. Sure, I love a good slice of apple pie and fireworks, but this holiday is an annual gathering to celebrate a freedom that doesn’t exist. As citizens of the so-called United States, we’ve been told to use specific days that are set aside as…Equality5 min readEquality5 min read
