And vice versa:

As a freelance writer, I've had this happen a million times--someone corrects my work and actually reverses the intended meaning. "He must not mean that," I imagine the person saying as they cross out a few key words.

So I was somewhat sympathetic when I read an interview with me that appears in this mornings Oregonian. But I was also a little mortified at some of the things I was quoted as having said.

What are some of the surprising things I've learned, I was asked. "That it is harder to accept help than it is to give it," I said. My answer in the paper: "I found it was easier to accept help than to give it." The reporter said that it seemed like people would buy anything about dogs these days. I said that I hadn't felt confident that people would want to read about pit bulls and injured dogs in the same way they like reading about cute ones. I pointed out that many of the emails I've received from readers aren't really about dogs at all, but the larger subject of rescue. In the paper I'm quoted saying: "I've gotten tons of email from people who respond to the parts about injured and abused dogs..."

"I've become a sort of spokesperson for pit bulls," I said, "which is fine, because they are my dog." In the paper: "I've kind of accidentally because (sic) a spokesman for pit bulls, and that's been a little different."

Comments

Anonymous said…
You can never trust the media to get it right. My boyfriend and I rescue animals and recently took in our first pit bull. I've been deeply saddened by the reaction to my poor little Buddy. He looks like the sterotypical pit bull, and like the ones bred for pets, he is a complete sweetheart. I wish people could just see dogs, and not the breed. Discrimination kills on all levels of humanity :(
Anonymous said…
Don't worry -- I immediately knew the "give help/receive help" was a misprint, reading that in the Oregonian. Like, "Oh, please. As if a dog rescuer thought it was hard to give help -- and easy to take it. As if."

But anyway, it was good to see you at Kiehls, or whatever that place was called. Thank you for signing that book for my friend, it almost made her cry to see you'd written "For *****...and the dogs who found you." (She is always complaining that nobody believes her when she insists that dogs are finding her instead of vice versa.) She read the whole book in one night, and next I'm going to have a shot at it...

XOXO,

--Linda

Popular Posts