I've been a writer my whole life, and made my first submission (and received my first rejection!) when I was 16 years old. I started writing professionally in 1996, when I got my first technical writing job. I've been a tech writer ever since then, working for various companies as a contractor or staff members, as well as writing computer books. My most recent book, Videoblogging for Dummies, came out in July, 2006. I currently live in a motorhome with my husband and travel around the United States full-time, working entirely from the road. My website and blog are at http://www.mortaine.com/

My passion is ...

reading, writing, and knitting.

I know too much about ...

cows.

My parents always told me ...

to do my homework!

My childhood ambition ...

was to be a professional writer, actress, and astronaut. Two out of three ain't bad!

My favorite memory ...

was playing Scrabble with my grandfather before school.

Why I write ...

Like most writers, I write because I must. I could no more stop writing than a greyhound could stop running.

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...

I'm reading history books and listening to R&B and blues music. This week.

My first job ...

I was a check-out clerk in a family-owned hardware store.

My best moment ...

was finding my first book in an end-cap display in a Parisian bookstore (translated into French, of course!)

My inspiration ...

is my husband, my family, and the greater online communities I belong to.

Jobs & Careers > Job Interviews The importance of first impressions in getting a job

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Last year, I probably went on twenty-five job interviews. I got some of the jobs, and didn't get others, and there were a couple that didn't get me.

The interview is an important part of the hiring process for me as a writer. It's where I show off my writing samples. It's also the best place for me to demonstrate to my potential employer that I can communicate as well as I claim to. As a result, I'm not too bad at interviewing, particularly when I'm feeling confident. I've noticed that a number of employers have tried to delay the in-person interview phase for as long as possible, someti...

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