May 18, 2020

Boredwalk Community: The Argentinian Tango & Milking Goats


Welcome back to another Boredwalk Community series, where we ask Boredwalk fans fun questions! This week we're talking to Betsy F., who is looking well-read in her Oxford Comma Appreciation Society tee!


1. What's your actual day job and what's your dream day job?

I'm a writer of novels and other randomness, having been a journalist, then PR maven. Among my sidetracking and checkered past, I studied animal husbandry at university with hopes of running a horse stable. But it doesn't pay, and it costs a lot to properly maintain horses. Lose-lose.

2What keeps you up at night?

The current lack of civility and humanity and my dog's snoring.

3. What's a book you think the Boredwalk community should read?

Since I'm a writer, I'm going with two. First, Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. Like Tolstoy, but Korean. It's epic, emotional, and excellent (note proper use of the Oxford Comma). Second, Neelie's Truth by Betsy Fitzgerald (that's moi), in the style of Harper Lee, is a novel about loss, revenge, and the decisions that forever change our lives. Set in rural 1950s New England. (Available at Amazon and by request to your fave indie store). For an autographed copy, message me!

4. What's the most useful piece of advice you've ever received?

"If you're afraid, that's the reason to do it." Truly. We get nowhere by staying safe.

5. What experience do you most want to cross off your bucket list?

Learning the Argentinian tango. (Ed. note: I fully realize I'm about to step in it, but I had no idea there were different versions of the tango depending on the country. See? I learn new stuff every day!)

6. Clear up a misconception (about your job, where you are from, some other topic you know a lot about).

Journalists and most of the news business is not fake. I worked early on for The New York Times and wish I had the guts to hold on, but having kids intervened. Journalists don't get rich; they work long hours, and most care deeply about what they do. If a reporter gets it wrong, they made a mistake. Career journalists deserve our gratitude. (Agreed!)

7. What's a surprising fact about you?

I know how to milk a goat (see dream job above).

8. Got an article from your social media feed this week that everyone should see?

I go backwards to manage today. In my blog, If Wishes Were.

9. Where can the rest of the Boredwalk community find you?

On Twitter: @betsyfitzgerald

On Instagram: @b_writer

On Facebook: Betsy Fitzgerald Author