I have three passions in life: Maine, traveling and skiing. Okay, four: chocolate. Maybe five, spa-ing (is there such a word?). I guess writing would be my sixth passion. And cheese, oh yeah, artisan-crafted and farmstead cheeses. What can I say, I’m a passionate kinda gal.

When I dropped out of grad school, I became a ski-and-whitewater bum, working at a ski resort in winter, for a kayaking and whitewater rafting company in summer, and supplementing my wages year round by bartending and waitressing. So I’m pretty well versed in tourism and outdoor recreation.

When I got tired of hearing my parents ask: “When are you going to get a real job?” I became communications director of the U.S. Men’s Professional Ski Tour, responsible for a weekly newspaper and an annual magazine. That’s where I learned the difference between glamour and reality. Glamour = traveling the country with a bunch of hunky guys from around the globe and visiting ski resorts. Sign me up! Reality = 18-hour work days, driving back and forth across the country, and a $15 (no, there’s no digit missing) per diem. (I can work a buffet like no one, baby).

I put the writing experience to work a few years later as managing editor for Gourmet News, a trade tabloid for the gourmet foods industry. Twenty-five pounds later, I segued to a position as features editor responsible for arts and travel for a daily newspaper. Lost the weight, but not my taste for good food.

Now, I’m a full-time freelance writer specializing in travel. I’ve written on assignment for for publications ranging alphabetically from AARP to Yankee, topically from Art & Antiques to National Geographic Adventure. I’ve kissed a codfish for SKI, cast a line for National Geographic Traveler, break-danced an Olympic downhill for VIA, bared my soul for Organic Spa, dished on lobster for Down East, savored truffles for Islands, slept around for Maine, stargazed at 44 below zero for Private Clubs, noodled byways for American Style, and learned to pronounce Passawassawamkeag while researching my three Moon guidebooks: Maine, Coastal Maine, and Acadia National Park.

Here’s a list of markets for which I’ve written on assignment:

• AAA Northern New England Journey
• AAA Car & Travel
• AAA Westways
• AAA Via
• AAA Home & Away
• AARP
• Air Tran Go
• American Style
• Art & Antiques
• Black Card Mag
• Boston Globe
• CAA
• Consumer Traveler
• Dallas News
• Down East
• Endless Vacation
• Executive Traveler
• Experience
• Global Traveler
• GMC The Mag
• Golf Connoisseur
• Golf for Women
• Islands
• Jetsetter
• Maine
• Mountain Life
• National Geographic Adventure
• National Geographic Traveler
• New England Travel & Life
• New Jersey Life
• Organic Spa
• Powder
• Private Clubs
• Ski
• Ski Press
• Snow
• USA Today
• US Air
• Where to Retire
• Yankee

I share my Maine experiences as the Maine Travel Maven. On this site, I’m sharing my adventures beyond Maine’s borders.

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Disclosure: I accept free or discounted travel assistance when my editors have approved or requested it, but my writing always reflects my actual experiences. I will not knowingly lead you astray. Truth is, I prefer to travel incognito. I find it far easier in many ways, although it’s less kind to my budget.