My new book, "Malled: My Unintentional Career in Retail", inspired by my New York Times story, was published April 14, 2011 by Portfolio/Penguin.

It's the story of my two-plus years working for The North Face as a sales associate, and includes original interviews with influential figures like consultant Paco Underhill, bi-coastal upscale clothing retailer Jack Mitchell, Costco CFO Richard Galanti and with associates across the U.S.

Intimate, detailed and truthful, my book tells what it's really like to work for $7 to 10/hour.

Retail is the nation's third largest industry and the U.S.'s largest source of new jobs.

"Malled" explains this global industry in detail, from factory workers committing suicide in China to Americans struggling to support large families on poverty-level wages. I also tell the stories of displaced workers in the recession, many over 50, like Jim Bartley, a North Carolina IT executive who went from $140,000 a year to $8/hour on the overnight shift.

The book offers inspiring stories as well, such as those of three merchants in my suburban New York town who run their own stores. Working retail can be a terrific job - when its productive and hard-working employees are well-managed and properly compensated.

From July 2009 to August 2010, I wrote 900 posts for my paid blog, Broadside, at True/Slant, a blogging community that attracted 1.5 million visitors before being sold to Forbes in May 2010. My blog, on women, work, the world as I see it, is now here.

Building on my expertise as author of "Blown Away: American Women and Guns" (Pocket Books), I write about firearms, violence, war and gun policy at theopencase.com.

I'm a trustee of the Writers Emergency Assistance Fund, offering up to $5,000 grants to non-fiction writers; apply at weaf.org. I'm also a board member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, a 1,300 member international group that advocates for writers of fiction and non-fiction.

I help corporate, consumer and custom clients, including The Wall Street Journal, Toronto Star, New York Times, Creative Living and Boys' Life. I've published more than 100 pieces in The New York Times, from renovation, real estate and sports coverage to medicine, personal essays, small business and personal finance.

A generalist, I'm always looking for new clients and assignments. I also coach other writers and edit their work; please email me for rates.

"Thanks so much for the great coaching session. It really improved my query for my memoir and in fact, there has been some interest from agents as a result. I can't thank you enough for your advice." -- Judy Mandel