Call Me “Columnist!”

HVWineMag-Summer2013-CoverA long-standing professional goal of mine has been to write a column. What surprised me is where the opportunity ultimately presented itself — Hudson Valley Wine magazine.  Wine is not a specialty of mine, and I’m as “casual” a wine drinker as you can get. However, I do love to tell stories of the people and places of the Hudson Valley, and this column lets me do that. In “Talking Terroir,” I’ll interview my region’s tastemakers, trendsetters, culinary champions and wine pros to find out what they’re drinking now, and get their take on the area’s wine scene.

You can read my first column from the spring 2013 issue here.

You’re Invited to Attend My Travel Blogger Seminar at the ASJA Conference

I’m excited to share that I will be producing and moderating a four-person panel seminar at the 42nd Annual ASJA (American Society of Journalists and Authors) conference, April 25-27, 2013.

The session, tentatively titled “So You Want to Be a…Travel Blogger?” will introduce writers to alternative travel blogging business models which can generate supplemental revenue. Professional bloggers will share how they have created various revenue streams, i.e. blog ads, sponsorships, brand ambassadorships, social media consulting, etc.

I hope to see you there! For more information about attending the 2013 ASJA Conference, click here.

Copywriting: An Integral Part of This Tourism Marketing Award

The bulk of my 20-year professional career has been involved in some way with the travel and tourism industry. I enjoyed many years in marketing positions, promoting the benefits of various tourism destinations.  I now draw upon this experience as a copywriter. Working with my client, BBG&G Advertising, we created a marketing campaign which recently won the Excellence in Tourism Marketing award from The New York State Travel & Vacation Association.

Print and online ads targeting various travel markets all reflect a unifying slogan: “Simple & Sophisticated. You Deserve Dutchess.” More of this award-winning campaign can be seen here.