Mrs. Menagerie, From The Zoo, 411 Fans, 73 Hubs, Joined 17 months ago
|
|
LetitiaFT Interviews Mrs. Menagerie
Insights on food, writing, and life from a knowledge and nature-loving restaurant owner
You chose an intriguing pseudo for HubPages: Mrs. Menagerie. Why is that?
I love to learn and nothing inspires me like nature. I chose the name Menagerie because my fascination with wildlife was bound to show through in my writing. I am so fortunate to live in a part of the world that still has many native species of flora and fauna, ranging from the resilient alpine Forget-Me-Nots to the controversial
Gray Wolf.
“Woman who runs with the bears” would have been just as apt a name, judging from your Hubs. How did you become so intimately involved with the wild creatures and places around you?
I am an observer; I like to watch, read, study and learn. Then I like to write down what I’ve learned and share it with anyone who might be interested.
“In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.” -Aristotle
From simple three-ingredient macaroni to shrimp and sausage gumbo, not to mention drinks, your recipes are mouth-watering. Not surprising considering you've got your own restaurant. How did you come to the restaurant business?
I was in love, what else? About 13 years ago, my husband (fiancé at the time) and I were living in Dallas, Texas, and pursuing very different careers. He got this reckless idea that we should move to a small resort town in Montana and open a restaurant together. It sounds pretty crazy to me now, but at the time it all seemed copacetic. Fortunately, the outcome was successful and we now are raising our two boys in one of the
most beautiful places on earth.
As someone who runs both a restaurant and a home kitchen, what would you say constitutes a good recipe?
If all three of my guys approve, it’s a good recipe! Here, I must give credit to my wonderful mom-in-law. She is the maker of many-a-marvelous recipe, such as her
Clams and Linguini or delicious
Pumpkin Bread. Equally important: she is also the “creator” of my foodie-of-a-husband!
You have a background in journalism. How did you start writing for HubPages?
After a long hiatus from writing, I decided I wanted to start writing online. Online writing differs from traditional news writing in many ways and I didn’t really know a lot about it. I was looking for a site that offered a lot of support and instruction. HubPages is a fantastic place to learn. To join HubPages is to become part of a first-rate group of authors, many of whom are very helpful in offering tips and advice. Additionally, there are many sources of information within HubPages where you can find information, such as the Learning Center, Newsletters, Blogs and Forums. They even have a paid Apprenticeship Program which you can check out
here.
What journalist tips can you share to help us other Hub authors improve our skills and Hubs?
Here are 10 helpful tips I try to keep in mind…
- Tell the story, don’t preach morals.
- Keep it short and active.
- Proofread, edit, revise, repeat….
- Avoid abbreviations unless it is a universally recognized abbreviation such as: Dr., AARP, or A.D.
- Spell out numbers one through ten.
- Don’t start sentences with numbers, unless it is a date.
- Use hyphens instead of long, drawn out sentences. Example: The well-educated man was..., instead of The man was well educated and he was….
- Don’t overuse the words that or then.
- Never say never, always, or every.
- Purchase a copy of “The Associated Press Stylebook” and use it!
Between managing your own restaurant, raising a houseful of boys, rehabilitating wildlife, gardening, camping and running with bears how do you find time to write Hubs?
Good question! I have a small notebook computer which I drag around with me everywhere I go. Sometimes, I write in the car, at lunch, or during sporting events. (This makes my kids furious!) Often, I write late in the evening when I am waiting for those last few customers at the bar to finish their drinks.
Do you have any particular goals on HubPages? What sorts of Hubs can we expect from you in the future?
I have had the privilege of meeting so many captivating animals through my
wildlife rehabilitation efforts. I plan to start telling their individual stories. Every one of them has overcome trails and/or injuries. Some have been very fortunate to be found by kind, caring people who went to great lengths to help.
These animals are amazingly resilient, surprisingly gentle and intelligent beyond our realization. They deserve to have their stories told, and I think there are people out there who will care. I hope people will enjoy getting to know them as I have!
|
