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Freelance

I’ve published many freelance pieces in newspapers, magazines, and online and I’ve included some of them here. They range from first-person essays to travel pieces to more journalistic subjects. Print samples of these and many other published pieces are available. (And I own all the reprint rights, should you publishers be hunting for piquant content.)

Smoothing Out the Wrinkles in Classic Aluminum

Profile of a couple who innocently bought a new Airstream trailer, plunging them down the fateful path of Airstream infatuation: they now own—and are refurbishing—nine vintage Airstreams, including some cool collectibles. Published in the Fall 2010 edition of Airstream Life magazine.

Color and Form

A colorful (and form-filled) collection of essays written by the members of Triiibes, Seth Godin’s network of entrepreneurs, marketers and wily poker players. Mine is the last one in the ebook, titled Ideas Take Shape. Published in August, 2010 on Scribd.

Steinbeck’s Roads Were Made for an Airstream

Airstream Life article on an intrepid fellow who retraced John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley route on the 50th anniversary of the book’s publication. And he brought his Maltese along too (though that pup goes by Max, not Charley). Published in the Summer edition of Airstream Life magazine.

Pancakes to Go

Airstream Life article on modern miracle: organic pancake mix in a can. Next thing you know, they’ll give away plastic toys at burger joints. Published in the Summer edition of Airstream Life magazine.

At Pinnacles, Looking In on a Condor Nursery

LA Times travel piece on the first nesting condors (and baby chick) in 100 years at Pinnacles National Monument, one otherworldly place. Published in April 2010 in the Sunday edition of the Los Angeles Times.

7 Things I’ve Learned So Far

A chance for me to trumpet my broad knowledge of writing in a dictatorial fashion, on the Guide to Literary Agents blog. (Well, really just me taking a shot at how to get some writing done, amidst all those publishing parties and Oprah invitations.) Published in April 2010.

Trailers for Sale or Rent

Airstreams—restored vintage trailers or spankin’ new—are now available for rent from individual owners, some even with towing privileges for the renters. See some beautiful restorations and learn about the Airstream rental world. Published in Airstream Life magazine, Spring 2010 edition.

Marty’s Violin

A short essay on a desert setting’s magic soothing the seethings of camping antagonism. Winner of the “adult entry” category of the National Steinbeck Center’s “What’s Your Story” contest. Published in February 2010.

Flight Lessons

Being the goggled-eyed witness to a fledgling swallow’s first flight (and everything leading up to blastoff, after being the happy (?) host to the swallow’s parents in my garage. Published in The Ultimate Bird Lover anthology, January 2010.

Here’s How

and

Fear and Loathing 2010

ebooks (PDFs)

Two ebooks inspired by Seth Godin’s free What Matters Now ebook, supplying the advice of 70 "big thinkers" on moving ahead with insight and progression in the new year. Here’s How and Fear and Loathing, which offer variations on how to make a practical difference in behavior and practice for the social good, were produced by the members of Godin’s Triiibes network. I wrote a piece for both books, and was one of the principal editors for the project. Published in January, 2010.

The Unkindest Cut

What could be more fun than reading about my vasectomy? (But it’s funny, honest.) Published in You & Me magazine, August 2009.

Crime Pays

What do you do with your youthful indiscretion? Sell it! A story about a story about shoplifting, good enough for second place in the Writer’s Market 2010 Freelance Success Stories contest.

Liquor Without Labels

Who knows what’s going on in your neighbor’s house—or more precisely, their bathtub? A piece on home distillers of booze, currently in resurgence, and not restricted to the Southern rum runners of old. Published in the July/August issue of Draft magazine.

All that Jazz (and Airstreams too)

A profile of jazz musician and Airstream aficionado Teresa Doyle, who fills the air of her Prince Edward Island artists’ retreat with music (and fills the fields with Airstreams). Published in Airstream Life magazine, Summer 2009.

Debbie Israel Takes Flight

Think you’ve got a commute? Debbie Israel commuted five years, twice a week, from Houston and Santa Cruz to a Los Angeles rabbinical school to become a rabbi. She made it. Published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, May 2009.

The Soul of Charcoal

Good grilling starts with your attitude, according to the lads at Blackboard Catering. Published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, May 2009.

A Sweaty, Sweet Time on Kauai

How to work off some Kauai-made treats by treating yourself to some of the island’s fabled—and heart-accelerating—wonders. Published in the Los Angeles Times, April 2009

Tropical Whine

A desperate cry of thirst for a glass of good wine on a tiny Micronesian island. Published in Wine Enthusiast magazine, April 2009.

Grow Food Parties plant sustaining seeds

Harvesting volunteer labor, Grow Food Party crews create instant gardens—and a network of sustainability and friendship—in Santa Cruz backyards. Published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, April 2009

Alladin Nursery: Blossoming at 90

Earthquakes, floods and fires—nothing stops the progress of one of Santa Cruz County’s most venerable nurseries. Published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, April 2009

Rabbinical Rock

Rock Shabbat tilts the temple for Friday night service at Santa Cruz’s Temple Beth El. Published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, April 2009

For the Dunphy Brothers, Life’s a Kick

Profile of two brothers, both martial arts experts, whose pursuits have taken somewhat divergent paths. Published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, March 2009

There’s Magic in the Music

A St. Paddy’s day profile of Mary Mc Laughlin, Santa Cruz, CA–based singer and teacher of Gaelic choir and Celtic music. Published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, March 2009

The American Engine

Silver (2nd Place) winner of the 2009 Best Travel Writing Solas Awards in the "Travel and Transformation" category, sponsored by Traveler’s Tales. A stab at capturing the essential Americanness of hitting the open road. Published February, 2009

Santa Cruz Kisses Back

Profiles of five Santa Cruz, CA couples, looking at how the special qualities of Santa Cruz County are expressive of their romance and their relationships. Published in Santa Cruz Magazine, February 2009.

Still Winning at 90 Years Young

A inspiration at 90: a profile of Ernie Rideout, Santa Cruz sailor and raconteur, having just won another National-level sailing race, and showing no sign of slowing down. Published in Sailing magazine, December 2008.

East vs West Smackdown: Which Literary Agents Are Better?

New York has been the hub of the publishing world for a long time, but in Internet days, much about closing a publishing deal has changed. Or has it? Published on the Guide to Literary Agents blog, December 2008.

Life and Death in the Emergency Room

An article on a harrowing day spent with my elderly father in the emergency room. Luckily, we both got out alive (though others weren’t so lucky). Published by You and Me magazine, December 2008.

Tribes Casebook and Q&A<

I’m a member of Seth Godin’s Tribes, a (to this point) closed social network centered around his concepts of tribes, as detailed in his new book, which examines associated notions of leadership and viral ideas in tribe-building. Four of my "case studies" were accepted for Godin’s Tribes Casebook.
The casebook is a compilation of various Tribes members’ explorations of what tribes are all about, how they begin, work, and don’t work. My pieces can be found on page 15, 58, 60 and 61.

The Q&A explores, though a series of related and evolving questions and answers, concrete examples of tribal origins, communications, challenges, business applications and future-focused discussions on changing the nature of business through tribal principles. I contributed several questions, answers, and was an editor for the entire book. Below is a video that will give you a sense of what the Q&A is all about.

Marshal South and Wally Byam: Parallel Roads, Different Destinations

Profiles the convergence and divergence in the pursuit, achievement and defeat of dreams in the lives of Marshal South, an artist, writer and self-styled desert hermit, and Wally Byam, the inventor of the Airstream. Published in Airstream Life, Fall 2008.

Volunteers, the Soul of the Monterey Bay Aquarium

A tribute to the depth and dedication of the vast volunteer force at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Published in ExpressLane, the in-flight magazine of Express Jet, June 2008.

Going to (and Away From) the Dogs

Silver (2nd Place) winner of the 2008 Best Travel Writing Solas Awards in the "Travel and Sports" category, sponsored by Traveler’s Tales. A cautionary tale of avoiding becoming canine lunch while bicycling on a Micronesian island. Published March, 2008.

Adventures in Man Land

A puzzled piece on the "Man Land" phenomenon. Published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, August, 2007.

Honey, Saddle Up the Spider

A light look the small cracks in travel’s wide road. Published as one of the "Thanksgiving Turkeys" in the Los Angeles Times, November 2006.

The Sony Reader Is a Work in Progress

A look at Sony’s new ebook reader, with enthusisasm and skepticism vying for attention. Published in Wired, September, 2006.

From Crags to Coast

Looking for a couple of days of classic California? Take some hints from my article on the dizzying array of delights found on a weekend trip from craggy heights to the coolest of coasts. Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, May 2006.

For Sale: English, Cheap

My struggled—and strangled—attempts to teach English on a tiny island in Micronesia, published in the May/June 2006 issue of Adjunct Advocate. (To all my students: would it have been better if I’d worn the clown shoes?)

Fading Father, Falling Son

An effort to peer into the gaps, distances and bridges of understanding and emotion between my father and me, filtered though the prism of his Alzheimer’s disease. Published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, April, 2006. Fourth-place winner in Writer’s Digest 74th annual writing competition, in the Inspirational category.

The Beat Goes On (The Road)

A look at the Beatmobile, Jerry Cimino’s Beat Generation rolling museum and its travels across the U.S. Published in Airstream Life, Winter 2006 issue.

The Bully and his Booty

An account of the infamous pirate Bully Hayes and the potential of his stolen riches having been buried for over a century on the Micronesian island of Kosrae. Published in Treasure Cache, the 2006 annual digest of Lost Treasure magazine.

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Is Big All Over

A piece detailing the boggling oddity of viewing local S.F. Bay Area broadcasts on our "local," regular channels–on a Micronesian island 5,000 miles away. Published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, May, 2005.

It’s All About the "I"

A first-person essay about writing first-person essays, published in Personal Writing, a special edition of Writer’s Digest magazine, April 2005. Reprinted in the newsstand Writer’s Digest, August 2005.

Trailer Park Transformation

A succint piece on using a vintage Airstream as the aluminum flagstone (besides bathroom and kitchen) for the expansion of a home on and around the trailer. Published in Airstream Life, Winter 2005.

The River Never Ends

First-place winner of the LP WordSolutions First Reader essay contest, December, 2004. A short piece on why The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a treasure.

Another eBay Treasure

The perils of eBay shopping, where with a click you can buy an Airstream trailer–sight unseen–and have its antique aluminum amazements delivered to your driveway from hundreds of miles away. Published in the Summer 2004 issue of Airstream Life magazine.

Airstream Restorers

A condensed version of this profile of three Airstream restorers–whose work sometimes results in exotic trailer reworkings upwards of $100,000–was published in Airstream Life’s Summer issue, 2004.

Man vs. Rat

A grisly account of a pitched battle between a flustered homeowner and a crafty rat (and nobody wins). Published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, June, 2004.

A Juarez Holiday

Stick an 18-year-old in a Greyhound for three days and then let him loose in Juarez. Oh dear. Published as an Editor’s Choice in
Traveler’s Tales, June, 2004. Here’s an

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broadcast on KUSP in Santa Cruz, CA in 2004, as part of the Foreign Stories Project.

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