Work with me in 2024!
Hope you had a wonderful holiday break and are excited about what the new year will bring. I am praying for more peace and understanding in the world.
But first, make a great move and get an individual or group subscription to my Substack :)
2023 Was An Amazing Year, Here’s a Brief Recap
It’s the year when I worked my butt off, chased my dreams & made most of my wishes come true! It will be hard to top this one 🥳
I published 87 articles (32 in PRINT)
Increased earnings from food & travel writing (best year yet).
Gave 3 TEDx talks. #NewYork #Montana #ThePhilippines
Took 24 trips to 11 countries and 12 USA states.
Sailed on 2 cruises. #Windstar #AmaWaterways
Learned to swim properly & went snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef. #Australia
Previewed the new drone show at Uluru. #Australia
Stayed at an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora. #FrenchPolynesia
Watched the sunrise over Angkor Wat. #Cambodia
Watched dozens of humpbacks from my hotel bed in Maui. #Hawaii
Celebrated the longest holiday season in Puerto Rico.
Ate at several Michelin star restaurants around the world. #Vienna #Toronto #NewYorkCity
Beat my own record of eating lobsters 🦞 #NewFoundland
Saw the Niagara Falls 3 ways. First time by helicopter. #Canada
Road tripped on highway 1 & through central Greece. #CarmelByTheSea
Attended a mango festival in the Caribbean. #Nevis
Celebrated 3 weddings. #Atlanta #SanFrancisco
Bought my dream car - Mercedes EQB EV in rose gold!
Got some version of the flu 3 times.
Went to ER once (for a moth flying into my ear) in my own neighborhood.
Cooked for several Airbnb Experience guests.
Befriended a few chef friends (some I’ll travel with in 2024). #Bahamas #Oaxaca
Did several talks & book signings across the globe. #Sydney #Florence #Atlanta #PuertoRico #Canada.
Made several new friends during my travels.
Who I wrote for…
AAA - The Extra Mile
AAA - The World
HuffPost
Marriott Traveler
Georgia Trend Magazine
Travel+Leisure
Atlanta Magazine
Savor Georgia
Khabar Magazine
Going
GaBiz Magazine
Explore Georgia
Explore Gwinnett
Thrillist
TIME Magazine
Fodor’s Travel
Go Eat Give
THANK YOU!
A big thank you to everyone who collaborated with me and invited me to visit their destinations, restaurants, hotels, spas, etc. It is thanks to you that I get to live my dream life!
Y’all know I do a lot of human interest stories which often require digging deeper into what may not be in traditional press releases. I really depend on YOU to help me find these stories.
I have been doing a regular shout out to feature exceptional PR people I have come across & will continue to do so through 2024.
And if you have enjoyed working with me, I would much appreciate a recommendation on LinkedIn.
Do’s and Don’t For Working With Me
If you have subscribed to my Substack that means you are interested in working with me. Let’s make it easier. Here are a few things to keep in mind…
Most of all, read my previous Substacks for lots of great tips including a monthly pitch calendar.
PITCHES
Please understand that as a freelance journalist my work style may be different from others you work with. I often get called on by editors to write about places I have already been to or am familiar with, rather sent to a place for an assignment. Which means, I can place your story in several places for many months after visiting!
Make yourself familiar with my previous work before pitching.
Be original in your pitch, keep it short & grab my attention, don’t send pictures in your email.
Remember to include What’s New, Why Now and Why Me?
Email 3-4 months in advance of special occasions, trends, holidays, etc.
Don’t send the same pitch to several writers & editors at once.
I read every single personalized pitch but none of the mass press releases. If I don’t respond, it means I am not interested.
And please don’t text or call my cell to follow up on a pitch, or anything for that matter. I am happy to schedule a call with you for when I am in the same time zone.
PRESS TRIPS
I have already been to 110 countries & 40 states so I am a bit picky about where I travel to given the limited number of days in a year. If you invite me to a place I haven’t been to, it will surely grab my interest :)
I prefer individual trips, but will occasionally accept small group press trips focused on a certain theme.
I won’t pitch a story or confirm an assignment prior to visit.
For flights over 6 hours, I would require a business class ticket. After 60+ hours of flying each month, my back has taken a beating.
I often travel with my professional photographer, my husband or an influencer friend to assist with photos and social media.
Plan to send your invites about 6-9 months advance. My press visits are currently booked until May 2024.
SPEAKING
With experience in journalism, consulting, entrepreneurship, publishing, diversity and cultural engagement, I can speak on various topics at conferences, workshops, team events and educational institutes. Click here to see my past speaking engagements.
Use my expertise at your destination by combining a speaking gig with a media visit.
Have me speak about my experience at your destination to the consumer audiences. For example I spoke about my cruise to Antarctica with Quark Expeditions for The New York Times Travel Show.
With me you also get a culinary expert to talk about the food. Cyprus Tourism Board hired me to do a cooking demo at one of the Travel Adventure Shows.
If you have a road show coming through Atlanta, let me speak to your audiences. The Philippines Tourism Board hired me to speak to their travel agent partners at a reception.
Speaking is another source of income for me. I can only offer 3-4 pro-bono in person speaking events each year.
I will be speaking at TravMedia North America IMM New York in Jan and PRSA in Greenville in June. See you there!
INTERESTS
I have never been on a private plane or seen polar bears in the wild. My 25th wedding anniversary is coming up this year so I would also love to have a destination re-vow or a second honeymoon! Here are some topics I am personally interested in…
Anything with wildlife
Behind the scenes access to unusual festivals
Exclusive culinary events
Cultural carnivals
Immersive travel
Over the top luxury experiences
Life altering wellness & spiritual experiences
Destinations with a South Asian outlook
Food & drink trends that have not been written about
Human interest stories esp. of BIPOC voices
New sustainable travel concepts
Recently Published
Not Ready for the Christmas Season to End? Head to This Part of the U.S. Where It Lasts Until February for Fodor’s Travel
Yemenite Kubaneh for Atlanta Magazine (PRINT)
Toronto: A Cosmopolitan Convergence of Cultures for Khabar Magazine (PRINT)
Eating Healthy in The New Year for Khabar Magazine (PRINT)
5 Tips for Booking Your First Cruise for AAA The Extra Mile
Quark Expeditions Ocean Adventurer Review for Fodor’s Travel
Call for Pitches
Looking for culinary stories (people, products, trends, events) from all over GA for my monthly dining column in Georgia Trend Magazine.
After 3 years of contributing to TIME Magazine’s World’s Greatest Places list, I regret to inform you they have changed their format. But you can still pay to apply at https://time.com/terms-and-conditions-time-2024-worlds-greatest-places-search/