Did you know that there is a group of cloud junkies called The Cloud Appreciation Society? Well there is, and our very own Poornima Apte is a card-carrying member! We are thrilled that the accomplished, cloud-loving Poornima has joined Dragonfly Editorial as one of our newest copywriters.
She came on board just a few months ago, but has jumped right into her writing projects. Poornima specializes in writing for the retail, franchising, tech, and book industries and she has written and edited in multiple formats throughout her career.Â
We asked Poornima to answer a few questions about her work, life, and how the two intersect.
How long have you been in your current field of work? How did you get interested in it?
More than ten years. I trained as a mechanical engineer and switched over to technical writing after a colleague suggested I might like the intersection between writing and engineering. I switched to writing about technology after that as I got tired of endlessly updating manuals. This stuff is so much more fun!
What has been your favorite Dragonfly project?
I have only written for Wipfli so far, work that I definitely enjoy.
What city do you currently live in?
Boston
What is the best vacation you have ever taken?
This is a hard one. I would say Merida in Mexico. The food and people and color everywhere! It’s been a while, but it was still unforgettable. More recently, we visited the Czech Republic and traveled to Novy Jicin, a small town near the border with Poland. My daughter was doing a Fulbright there. It was so neat to see such a small town and visit people’s homes and dine with them. I loved the remnants of the Iron Curtain in places.
How do you balance work life and home life?
I maintain very strict hours and don’t work on weekends at all.
Do you listen to music or podcasts more? What recommendations can you make?
Not much. More of an NPR junkie 🙂
What is the last book you read?
Dirt by Bill Buford. It’s real transport as you travel to Lyon to understand (and can almost taste) the intricacies of French cooking. Buford is a staff writer for The New Yorker and it shows!
Do you read digitally or in print?
Print for the win!
Are you a Mac or Windows person?
I am half and half.
Would you rather spend a day at the beach or by the pool?
Beach.
What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?
I also love cloudspotting and “collect” clouds. My favorite so far is the Kevin Helmholz cloud, which I spotted on a routine grocery run, a couple of years ago. I am a proud member of the Cloud Appreciation Society.
Is there anything else about you that you would like to share? Pets? Family? Other Interests?
I love reading and reviewing literary fiction and narrative nonfiction. I review for trade magazines like Kirkus and Booklist. I have not watched even five minutes of TV since Seinfeld went off the air 🙂
Interview written and compiled by Andi Trzeciak, Operations Coordinator at Dragonfly Editorial.