Where are you based?

Laguna Beach, CA

What topics and places do you cover?

Adventure, wellness, winter sports, luxury travel

What you don't write about.

Bachelorette/weddings, one-off events, discounts/special offers, alcohol

What outlets do you usually pitch (and write for)?

Travel + Leisure, National Geographic Travel, Lonely Planet, Westways, USA Today 10Best, etc.

The best PR pitches include ...

The name of the city, state, and country in the first paragraph (don't assume that journalists know where it is).

Are you in-house or freelance (or both)?

Freelance

What is your approach to press trips?

My calendar books up three to six months in advance, so I will not be able to attend if I get an invitation one month, or one week before.

What are your professional pet peeves?

None that I can think of.

In your past professional life, you were …

Website developer, professional photographer.

Where would you like to return to?

Turks & Caicos—the water is electric blue!

What's on your bucket list?

It's a long list! Iceland, Antarctica, Bhutan, Kathmandu, Maldives

Where do you travel for fun?

Anywhere with snow! I love skiing! I also love Via Ferratas during the summer. 

Your funniest (or most harrowing) travel story is …

I broke my leg on a ski press trip. : (

What advice would you give your younger professional self?

Don't think you can't make money as a journalist.

What nugget would you like to add that we haven't touched on?

Working with me is not a one-off; it's an investment in a future of working together long term. Here are tips on how DMOs/PRs can work with me: https://www.sharael.com/work-with-me/

How best should people contact you?

Find me on TravMedia.