The following is a collection of some of my professional and academic writing. For some examples of my personal writings and photos, please visit my blog.
THE EVANOV RADIO GROUP
I have been writing creative pieces for the Evanov Radio Group for a year. In addition to commercial spots, I have written lifestyle segments for 1-minute talk breaks in regular progamming.
Sample Spot Script
[SFX: Dog barking]
(Female - soothing, like a psychologist)
What's that, Sparky? Oh, Sparky is very happy right now.
[SFX: More barking]
(Female)
He says that he just came back from Tails Up Grooming. They were really focused on his comfort and well-being. He left feeling clean, balanced and stress free.
[SFX: More barking]
(Female)
He says that they also offer Balanced Paws Daycare, with personalized walks tailored to each dog's needs. He wants to know if he can go!
(Male)
Tails Up Dog Grooming and Balanced Paws - inside Leaside Animal Hospital at 1662 Bayview, just south of Eglinton. Visit Tails Up dot ca.
Sample Promo Script
(Anncr)
Here at Proud FM, we know that moms come in all shapes and styles. She could be the woman who stood up for you at the PTA meetings.
(Female)
Well why can't Jimmy play Cinderella in the school musical? He has the best voice!
(Anncr)
She might be the Queen of the Court, who gave you your name.
(Drag Queen voice)
I dub you "Lady Lampshade."
(Anncr)
Or maybe she's you, bringing up a new generation of proud, positive kids.
[Music in: Shirelles "Mama Said"]
This Mother's Day, 103-9 Proud FM wants to help you celebrate moms of all persuasions. On May 6th, we're giving away Mother's Day Prize Packs all day. And these babies are worth over 800 dollars. They include:
[Sponsored Prizes]
(Anncr)
Show your mama some love. All you have to do is email mom at proud fm dot com and in 25 words or less tell us why your mom rocks. Be listening on March 6th and when you hear the cue to call, phone 416 870 1039 to win!
[Music in: Abba "Mamma Mia"]
(Anncr)
Brought to you by the mother of all stations - 103-9 Proud FM.
Sample Segment Script
As the saying would suggest, a blue moon doesn't really happen very often. In fact, the saying "blue moon" originally meant "never."
The first mention of a Blue Moon was in an tract entitled "Rede Me and Be Not Wroth" in 1528, declaring, "If they say the moon is blue/We must believe that it is true." Which was to say, a blue moon is a fiction, sort of like calling it a lump of green cheese.
However, blue moons do happen from time to time. A large enough cloud of sulphur particles floating in the upper atmosphere can cause the moon to appear blue from the right angle, but it takes a whole lot of sulphur.
One such "blue moon" appeared on September 26, 1950, when a British Columbia forest fire threw enough sulphur into the air to make the moon look blue to viewers in England.
So, over time, the saying, "once in a blue moon," came to mean "rarely."
Over the last 25 years, the popular conviction has risen that a "blue moon" refers to the second full moon in the space of a calendar month--but that isn't actually very rare at all. It happens every year or two, and in fact happened twice within three months in 1999.
For some audio examples of spots produced from my scripts, check out the Genie and John, the Very Interesting Man.
All scripts created by the Evanov Radio Group remain the property of the E.R.G. unless otherwise stated. Any duplication or distribution is prohibited. All rights reserved.
TRIPADVISOR, LLC
As a writer for TripAdvisor, I have created original content and compiled material that appears on the live site, as well as in TripAdvisor publications.
Editing, Researching, Compiling:
I have researched, compiled, edited and fact-checked content for over eighty-five TripAdvisor Travel Guides, strategically planning the content included and excluded based on the needs of the user.
Top Ten Bets for Bargain Travel Guide (.pdf)
Get the Truth. Then Go GREEN (.pdf)
In addition to guides I have helped to compile, I have written copy for and compiled entire travel guides for some destinations.
Costa Del Sol: Spring and Summer Guide 2008 (.pdf)
Travel Writing
I have researched and written descriptions for thirty world capitals and over one hundred and fifty popular North American cities. The following are examples of some of the copy I have generated for TripAdvisor. All materials belong to TripAdvisor, LLC and are reprinted with permission only:
There is nothing average about the average American town of Peoria, where the diverse population and Midwestern vibe has long had entertainment promoters asking, "Will it play in Peoria?" If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere, or so the logic goes. Its scenic skyline, energetic nightlife, lively performing arts scene and miles of mountain bike trails will have you wondering why you would want to make it anywhere else. Will you play in Peoria? Yes, you will!
Concorde is a city steeped in the history of the sword and the pen. The site of the historic Battle of Lexington and Concorde, the city provided the setting for the initiation of the American War of Independence, honored at Minute Man National Historical Park. Concorde's literary history is at least as rich. It was here where Thoreau penned Walden, inspired by the kettle pond of the same name, where Emerson philosophized on Self-Reliance and where Louisa May Alcott introduced her Little Women.
With its beaches of soft sand or smooth pebbles, sylvan hiking paths and historic lighthouses, Rockport may be the perfect place to sit down and compose that magnum opus, write your novel or paint your master work. The waters surrounding Cape Ann beckon scuba divers, kayakers and sailors to explore the bay. Watch for whales or puffins on one of many charters; hike through the wilds of Halibut Point or along the breathtaking Headlands. Find inspiration in the glades and bluffs of Cape Ann.
What will captivate you most about Haleakala National Park is the sheer diversity of the surroundings. Hike the trails toward the summit of Haleakala and witness the vast range of colors and vegetation along the path from coastal Maui to the top of the world. You will pass through bamboo forest and cinder desert, see an entire palette of color painted across the sculpted landscapes. Explore the low-lying Kipahulu Area on the coast and discover a magical world of freshwater pools and waterfalls.
All TripAdvisor content © 2008 TripAdvisor LLC All rights reserved.
I have completed an MA in Communication and Culture from Ryerson and York Universities in Toronto. My Masters Research Paper, "Airtime: The Public Sphere, the Public Screen, and AIDS Activism in Contemporary North America" is available for download. (.doc) (Bibliography)
I have also published a paper, "Walk Like a Man: Enactments and Embodiments
of Masculinity and the Potential for Multiple Genders", in The Drag King Anthology, available at Amazon.
Other publications include 4Corners: A Feminist Review, Volumes 1 and 2, for which I served as Co-Founder, Executive Director, Editor and Publisher from 1998 - 2000.
As a volunteer blogger for Shameless Magazine, a Canadian feminist magazine for "girls who get it," I create concise and thought-provoking blog posts for young women interested in feminism, culture and critical analysis. My area of focus is television and popular culture, which can touch on numerous related topics as well. Keeping to the concise length restrictions of the blog format, I am able to reach and interact with a diverse audience of readers in engaging dialogue. You can access all my posts on my profile page.