Experience Highlights

Writer/Editor/Photographer

  • antarcticaAuthor, children’s non-fiction (over 230 titles published and over 40 more in production)
  • Freelance editor, children’s non-fiction, chapter book fiction, and picture books
  • Freelance editor, adult non-fiction, memoirs, and fiction
  • Events and venue writer and photographer, AOL Digital City/Seattle and other cities
  • Sports editor, Bainbridge Review
  • E-commerce product writing, editing, proofreading and quality control
  • Wrote seven books for Unigraph, Inc., publisher of nationally circulated educational materials
  • Wrote the first piece of original fiction to appear in Runner’s World magazine
  • Light verse in the Saturday Evening Post and other magazines
  • Official writer/photographer for The Last Marathon, Antarctica
  • History sub-editor, Gurubooks.com
  • Additional credits include Seattle Times, Conde Nast Traveler, Running Times, Marathon and Beyond, Bike World, Seattle Weekly, Greece Travel Magazine, Newsday, North Kitsap Herald, Northwest Book Arts and many regional sports magazines

Editor/Publisher, Northwest Runner magazine (monthly)

  • nwrunner2Responsible for ALL aspects of publication, often worked single-handed during 17-year tenure
  • Prior to my taking over: annual revenue $10,000, paid circulation base under 500
  • On departure: annual revenue $250,000+, paid circulation 6500
  • NWR named Outstanding Publication of The Running Network (24 regional magazines) by panels of independent professional journalists
  • Received Cal Ripken Ironman Award from fellow Running Network editors
  • Supervised dozens of free-lance writers, created positive atmosphere of mutual respect

Teacher, Palos Verdes School District, CA

  • Taught honors English
  • Appointed newspaper adviser despite lack of any journalism background; my students were similarly inexperienced. Our newspaper received All-American honors from the National Scholastic Press Association after one semester. This rating is given to the top 5% of US high school newspapers
  • Active in extracurricular activities

Professional Affiliations

  • Member, iNK (Interesting Nonfiction for Kids), invitation-only group of more than 30 nationally known nonfiction authors, and most prolific contributor to Nonfiction Minute, free daily nationwide service for educators provided by iNK
  • Member, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)
  • Member, Northwest Independent Editors Guild
  • Member, Editorial Freelancers Association
  • Member, Washington Library Media Association

Conference Presentations

  • Jim-Whiting-Local-Success-Panel2Presenter, 21st Century Children’s Nonfiction Conference
  • Nonfiction workshop co-leader, Western Washington chapter of SCBWI annual conference
  • Moderator, panel discussion, Seattle Bookfest
  • Presenter/panelist/consultant, Whidbey Island Writers Conference
  • Presenter, Write on the Sound Writers Conference
  • Presenter, Seattle Art Museum’s Spain Family Day
  • Panelist/critique leader, Western Washington chapter of SCWBI
  • Featured speaker, American Horse Publications annual conference
  • Presenter/consultant, Willamette Writers Conference
  • Exhibitor/presenter, Washington Library Media Association Conference
  • Presenter, Writers Weekend at the Beach Conference
  • Presenter, Write on the Beach Conference

Education Highlights

  • BA cum laude, Whitman College – philosophy major; Phi Beta Kappa
  • MA, Claremont Graduate School – English major
  • Postgraduate courses at the University of Washington and additional institutions

Personal HighlightsBlazersXCFall2012 team website

  • Founder and head coach, Bainbridge Blazers XC Club, one of largest middle school running programs in Washington state
  • Originated Bainbridge Island summer all-comers track meets and served as meet director for 20 years
  • Conceived and directed Laps for the Library, fundraiser for Bainbridge Public Library
  • Hometown Hero, Bainbridge Island
  • Member, Bathhouse Theatre Board of Directors, Seattle
  • Appeared with Seattle Opera and Pacific Northwest Ballet, for whom I played the Drunken Uncle in The Nutcracker and was singled out for praise in a Seattle Times review—something that never happens for non-dancers