Hello and welcome to Behind Editor Lines! My name is Megan and I am the executive editor for a family owned community newspaper/magazine company.
Think of this blog as a tool to understand what I look for when it comes to storytelling. I'll also share personal experiences, book recommendations, tips for new writers, and much more. I want to help inspire the next generation of great writers!
Why not start off this new blog with a little bit about me?
My name is Megan Roche and I was born and raised in northern New Jersey. I recently relocated to the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. I have a bachelors degree in communications and a masters degree in journalism.
When I first entered the field of journalism, I started out as a freelancer for many different publications in New Jersey. As a freelancer, my articles appeared in iPain Living Magazine, the Morris News Bee, The Citizen of Morris County, Roxbury Register, Observer Tribune, TAP into Denville, TAP into Randolph, Randolph Reporter, Hanover Eagle, Mount Olive Life, Denville Life, Hackettstown Life, Morristown Life, Black River News, Hanover Life, and Wayne News.
During college, I participated in internships at various media outlets. During my undergrad, I was heavily involved in our college radio station, where I proudly hosted three shows, as well as oversaw the news department. I hosted many live remotes and also periodically helped out with sports coverage. During grad school, I was an associate producer of the Sacred Heart University Media Exchange.
In my free time, I am often not at home. I love to travel and it's a bucket list goal of mine to visit all 50 states. High on my list to visit is Pearl Harbor and New Orleans. I have a big interest in military history, culture, catastrophic weather, and pop culture. My travels to date have brought me to 18 different states and four different countries.
I am an avid reader and I am one of those people who reads about four different books at a time. I am currently enjoying the work of Tom Brokaw and his memoir of covering the Watergate Scandal, famed Japanese organizer Marie Kondo, and the recollections of Captain Phillips and his experience with the Somali pirates.
A fun fact about me is that I am a big fan of Paula Abdul's. I have seen her over 30 times in concert and have been a part of her fan club for many years. I have made lifelong friends through her websites and forums and I have met her more times than I can count. My recently released memoir, Forever Her Girl: The Stories and Experiences of a Major Fangirl is all about our friendship and a small portion of my memories with her. While I can't sell the book, I'd love to send you a copy if you'd like to read it. Send me an email with your address and I'll get it out to you right away!
I'm a huge animal lover. I have two dogs (Oliver and Ranger) and two cats (Jet and Sabrina). I am also an avid gymnastics fan, I enjoy watching baseball and football, and I have been known to yell at the TV when the game isn't going the way I want it to. I enjoy writing and receiving handwritten letters from my penpals around the world. I'm also a sucker for 90s pop and boy bands.
Overall, I am using this website as a way for myself to market my skills in the freelance job market. I would love to work with you on any writing adventure so please don't hesitate to reach out and ask me anything you'd like!
Signing off,
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