Age: 45

Location:Montclair, NJ

What's the latest thing you've worked on?
I'm always working on several projects at once...my own fiction and non-fiction which I squeeze in between the paying work. So my most recent things have been ghostwriting a biography of an early twentieth century Gold Coast millionaire/ne'er do well, ghostwriting a novel with many exciting plot twists and a memoir. My most recent publication was a review of Todd Solondz's latest movie in the NY Times (Jersey section).

What has been your most difficult assignment and how did you deal with its challenges?
All of my assignments seem to me initially the most difficult thing I've ever done. And then I do them. So I guess the most difficult is always what I'm working on right now. The only way to deal with that is to take it all one step at a time. I think I get bored if I'm not scared by the prospect of failure.

What's the best or most helpful thing that an editor has told you?
My dissertation advisor said to write as if I were explaining things to a fourth grader.

What's the worst writing or freelancing advice you've ever gotten?
I was told to go to law school.

You work in a lot of different genres. If you had to focus on one specialty, what would it be and why?
My favorite kind of thing to work on is something which makes me learn. I love to do research which is why I got my doctorate but I hate writing in an academic style. So if I can do something where I am able to incorporate my own style and tidbits of information culled form a million disparate places I'm quite happy. Even if I could afford to only write fiction, I would still want to keep myself planted in the real world. As long as I didn't have to footnote it.