For regular readers of this blog, I know what you’re thinking:
“I’ve seen pictures of Ned before, and I remember him being… older. And slightly more Caucasian.”
That’s because it’s a photo of Alan W. King, whose work as a journalist and blogger is best described as continued excellence. I’ve been a follower of his for a while, so when he began an interview series last year called “Writers and Their Process,” I was thrilled when he asked me to be a part of it.
Okay, fine — I screamed like a 13-year-old girl who finds herself on an elevator with [please insert latest teen girl heart throb here.]
All kidding aside, it was a real honor to be a part of this series last February, which delves into the thought process of each writer and offers insights into how they approach their craft. In my case, he even got me to divulge my full name; that’s how good he is. Here’s a snippet, along with a link to the rest of the post, as well as links to his interviews with friend and world’s funniest bellman (it’s a highly competitive niche) Robert Hookey (aka The Hook) and the thoughtful and funny Zoe Valentine (aka Zoe Says).
Oh, and did I mention he recently updated the post with photos of me I thought (or hoped) had been destroyed?
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Edward “Ned” James Hickson doesn’t believe in “road blocks.” Instead, the editor and humor columnist sees each perceived obstacle as a catalyst for him to blaze his own trails.
It’s a lesson he learned from his stepdad, Glenn, who was a problem solver. “Nothing was ever a road block to him,” Hickson said in a recent interview, “it just meant a reason to discover a new route.”
Those wise words gave an aspiring journalist, whose formal education stopped at high school, a survival plan… (read the rest here)
Ned's Blog 
Hey Ned,
Thanks for the shout out!
It’s still one of my favorite interview pieces, Alan (it’s actually my favorite but don’t want it to go to your head), as well as writers’ series. Thanks again for having me!
And where/when did you get those photos! Hahaha! Very fun 😉
Thanks, Ned 🙂 I found them on your Facebook page.
OH! I forgot about those! Ha! Ha!
*deletes Facebook account*
Seriously, that was a fun surprise. My kids think I’m a dork and now there’s proof!
For regular readers of this blog, I know what you’re thinking:
“I’ve seen pictures of Ned before, and I remember him being… older. And slightly more Caucasian.”
…I was just gonna go with it…. ❤ 😉
And I appreciate your open-mindedness 😉
WHOA! That was awesome! Consider me one of your groupies now. 🙂
Thanks so much 😉 Alan is a gifted writer, so I was honored to be part of that feature — and to have you as a “groupie!” It’s a very exclusive bunch, which is a fancy way of saying there aren’t that many… 😉
Ha ha, loved the updated pics too. Of course, it’s all about the hair. We are, after all, le jumeaux du bouffant.
Gad, I got me some Nedding to catch up on. Not gone forever, just flitting about in my quest to save the world. See you again, soon.
P.S. Ahem, I demand you re-certify my role as #1 groupie. I may be flitting, but I didn’t hang up any pom poms! 😉
No re-certification will be necessary 😉
Whew! You are so forgiving…
The hair always looks best when flitting, Robyn.
Great interview! It exposes such an inspiring backstory. (That and some great photos.) While a good break here and there can help, success in writing, and pretty much any pursuit, requires both talent and relentless dedication to craft. It also helps to see the world through the kind of lens no optometrist could prescribe. Not if he wanted to keep his license, that is. I’m glad for the introduction to Alan’s blog, too!
Thanks, Karen! You are so very right about keeping a balance between dedication and inspiration.
When I think of Alan King, I think of a Jewish comedian, and I thought he was dead, so that would be a coup for him to interview you. You look good, but I have to say right now that fruitcake looks even better.
I get that a lot, actually.
Alan sets the standard for excellence.
(And by the way, Ned… you’ve never looked better.)
Thanks, Robert. I had actually forgotten about some of those photos. The Ironman One was one I photoshoppped after taking a photo of a beat up Ironman figure I found, then cropping my head onto it.
Yeah, that’s how I spend my free time…