I’m obsessed with wild true stories.
I’ve reported on murder investigations gone wrong, the mating habits of endangered lizards, campfire monsters, hurricanes, riots and more. Along the way I’ve interviewed convicted serial killers, conspiracy theorists, rodeo stars, drag queens, and even Santa Claus.
I have a specialty in narrative enterprise — my favorite stories hit that sweet spot of compelling character-based writing with investigative, watchdog reporting as the backbone.
Hire me to tell tales in Texas and beyond that will captivate, inspire and inform your readers.
My writing has been published by…
Read my work
Catholic priest accused of sexual assault fathered children of victims, court hears — The Guardian
How a Texas serial killer went under police radar for years — The Guardian
Years of waiting ended in 45 minutes for the families of Billy Chemirmir’s alleged victims — The Dallas Morning News
‘I am not a killer’: In interview, Billy Chemirmir says he’ll be acquitted in 18 N. Texas murders — The Dallas Morning News
Families ‘devastated’ by mistrial in Billy Chemirmir capital murder case — The Dallas Morning News
‘I didn’t murder anybody’: Jurors hear from Billy Chemirmir, family of another alleged victim — The Dallas Morning News
Jewelry box, $2 bills tied Billy Chemirmir to last victim, prosecutors say as murder trial continues — The Dallas Morning News
Nearly $700,000 stolen from Dallas County jail inmate accounts in debit card scheme; FBI notified — The Dallas Morning News
Authorities say a Hood County man was killed by a cougar. Texas wildlife experts say it’s impossible — The Dallas Morning News
25 years after Amber Hagerman’s kidnapping, here’s why detectives stay hopeful for a breakthrough in her case — The Dallas Morning News
Police didn’t tell her they believed Billy Chemirmir killed her mom in 2017. She learned on Facebook — The Dallas Morning News
After QAnon conspiracy theorists latch on to video of distraught girl, Frisco police warn of misinformation — The Dallas Morning News
Jury sentences Brandon McCall to death for 2018 fatal shooting of Richardson police officer — The Dallas Morning News
Guardians: A two-part true-crime series — The Dallas Morning News
Defendant testifies that he made too much money growing pot to kill McKinney man for hire — The Dallas Morning News
Where is Elijah? Dallas family seeks answers 2 years after son vanishes on Cabo San Lucas mission trip — The Dallas Morning News
Backpage escort ad wrongly lists Thonotosassa school secretary’s number — Tampa Bay Times
Criminal Justice
The Monarch May Soon Be Listed as Threatened—With Big Implications for Texas Butterfly Breeders — Texas Monthly
Four Rare Baby Crocodilians Just Hatched at the Fort Worth Zoo — Texas Monthly
‘Dawn of a new creature’: after a vicious attack, a city ponders living with coyotes — The Guardian
Monarch Butterflies Are Migrating Across Texas. Here’s How to Raise Your Own — Texas Monthly
‘Cowboys and alligator gar.’ Anglers flock to North Texas’ Trinity River for the monster catch — The Dallas Morning News
While pondering how coronavirus has upended life in North Texas, nibble on this: Now we’ve got rats — The Dallas Morning News
Frisco’s recent string of coyote attacks is super weird, by urban wildlife standards — The Dallas Morning News
Where have all the horny toads gone? — The Dallas Morning News
Texas rattlesnake battle pits small-town economics against ecological activists — The Dallas Morning News
Environment/Wildlife
What Interviewing a Suspected Serial Killer and His Victims Taught Me About Empathy — Texas Monthly
A Texas Mutt Takes His Owner for a Ride — Garden & Gun
Raise your glasses to four lessons all writers can learn by judging craft beer — Nieman Storyboard
Yes, Caroline, there is a Willie Nelson — The Dallas Morning News
27 and lost in a mum shop: Never too late to right a homecoming wrong — The Dallas Morning News
Dad’s bucket — Indiana Daily Student
Essays
Breweries are starting to capture carbon — from beer — The Washington Post
Inside the 3D-printed box in Texas where humans will prepare for Mars — The Guardian
Inside Shutterfly’s memory factory — HP Innovation
‘Choose courage’: Inside Children’s Dallas PICU, where kids with COVID and RSV are filling beds — The Dallas Morning News
Trauma from last year’s winter freeze has forever changed how some North Texans respond to weather — The Dallas Morning News
Dallas County team fights misinformation to sway unvaccinated to get COVID-19 shot — The Dallas Morning News
Science/Tech
The Brewing Tradition Passed From Mother to Daughter — The New York Times
No Longer Just For Macro Lagers, Craft Beer Is Finally Embracing Rice — VinePair
‘It’s a weapon to hunt people!’ Why so many Americans hate – and love – the AR-15 — The Guardian
How a Veteran Coach Learned to Stop Yelling and Start Collaborating — The New York Times
A Chef’s Delicious Dallas: Chef Tiffany Derry’s favorite downtown eats, plus her go-to spots in the suburbs — Garden & Gun
Got burst pipes? These are the plumbers working to get Texas water flowing again — The Dallas Morning News
‘It’s a struggle’: How Dallas’ drag queens are making it work in the COVID-19 pandemic — The Dallas Morning News
After two kids test positive for COVID-19, Arlington family learns to separate while stuck together — The Dallas Morning News
Watch: As a Texas dance hall ages with its owner, a son hangs on to his family legacy — The Dallas Morning News
What’s it like to play Jesus Christ? For actor with a fear of heights, key moment is a leap of faith — The Dallas Morning News
Hank the Cowdog series author still hunting for a happy ending after devastating Texas Panhandle fire — The Dallas Morning News
Eyes on the fries: Winner rules the Whataburger in friendly Texas high school football feud — The Dallas Morning News
For Cowboys’ anthem performer, focus is on the song, not the debate — The Dallas Morning News
Small Texas paper's name co-opted by Ukrainian site to peddle fake news — The Dallas Morning News
Five years after Dr Pepper left Dublin, Texas town bubbles with new sodas — The Dallas Morning News
Why I own an AR-15: Four Texans say how they use the most popular rifle in America — The Dallas Morning News
Why Austin’s breakfast taco feud is a form of microaggression — The Dallas Morning News
Hoping for the ‘real deal’ but harboring doubts, boy delivers Christmas wish list to Santa — The Dallas Morning News
These real-life Jedis follow the way of the Force, find universal truth in ‘Star Wars’ — The Dallas Morning News
Out in the heartland — IU Alumni Magazine
Pushing the limits — The Dallas Morning News
A queen comes home — Indiana Daily Student
Culture/Lifestyle
Texas mass shooting: volunteer group helps grieving family identify body — The Guardian
Uvaldeans demand more security at schools and ‘serious culture change’ in policing — The Guardian
‘I have no children left’: protesters take on NRA convention after Texas shooting — The Guardian
‘I’m angry and hurt’: Deep Ellum shop cleans up after looters smashed window and grabbed sneakers — The Dallas Morning News
Just before it’s time to push, tornado warning forces mom-to-be into Rowlett laundry room for delivery — The Dallas Morning News
‘She became ours’: How three Frisco teachers answered a Virginia teen’s cry for help — The Dallas Morning News
As JFK theories linger, assassination buffs dig for gold in new files — The Dallas Morning News
Helicopters, pickups and airboats: How your donations are getting to Harvey’s victims — The Dallas Morning News
Texas families passing through Buc-ee’s stock up on supplies, brace for Harvey’s arrival — The Dallas Morning News
Slain Dallas Officer Michael Krol honored in his Michigan hometown — The Dallas Morning News
Boy meets ‘real heroes’ — Dallas cops — on night off in Detroit — The Dallas Morning News
Octogenarians become historic Dallas newlyweds — The Dallas Morning News
Active duty soldiers take citizenship oath at White House ceremony — Scripps Howard Foundation Wire
Breaking News
‘He has done more to further the cause of hate in the US than almost anyone’: the rise and fall of Alex Jones — The Guardian
To comply with federal law, Dallas County adds Vietnamese translations to elections materials — The Dallas Morning News and Votebeat
Dallas County judge candidate, local GOP leaders trade barbs as party infighting goes public — The Dallas Morning News
Clay Jenkins wants to be re-elected on his COVID record. His challengers say that’s why he shouldn’t — The Dallas Morning News
‘It is overwhelming’: Daughters testify in support of Texas bill filed in response to Chemirmir case — The Dallas Morning News