My trip to England 2011 Part 1

In July I traveled to one of my favorite countries: England.

SPOTLIGHT: Flight Simulators

I'm really excited about this story, because it's so visually stunning. While I was editing it, I could feel the motion again, as if I were back in the simulator. Flight simulators are large machines that replicate the cockpit of an airplane, with all the instruments in the same place they would be in a real aircraft. The simulator also shows the view outside the windows, projected with high tech equipment. The motion creates a sense of realism too. I could actually feel the small bumps on the pavement below as we taxied on the runway before take-off. I produced the story at CAE in Montreal, the world leader in flight simulator manufacturing and training. You may see the story on the Spotlight segment of Mountain Lake Journal Extra, Thursday at 8:30pm, on Mountain Lake PBS. It repeats Friday at 6am and 12:30pm, Saturday at 7:30pm, and Sunday at 10:30am.

SPOTLIGHT: Bridge to Terabithia

What absolute joy I felt while interviewing Katherine Paterson, author of Bridge to Terabithia. The book, depicting a close bond between young friends of opposite genders, has a special meaning for me, as I had a similar friendship while growing up. This makes the tragedy of the novel hit very close to home. It was fascinating to hear Paterson discuss the inspiration behind the book, as well as her battles with Hollywood as she fought screenwriters who wanted to change her story into something unrecognizable to its author for the sake of a happy ending. The Katherine Paterson interview airs on Mountain Lake Journal Extra this Thursday at 8:30pm on Mountain Lake PBS. Immediately following the interview, I will introduce a new online series of interviews called "Author Visits."