About Me
I have been writing for as long as I can remember. I started my writing career in high school on the school paper, The Knight Report, covering topics ranging from fashion to an in-depth look at date rape and violence among teenage couples. My teacher has told me that I'm the only one from the journalism classes to go on to become an actual editor. That's pretty cool and I kinda like that distinction! I have used the pen name Nancy A. Cavanaugh for many of my books but am now using my legal name.
My first real writing job was at the South Bergenite, a weekly newspaper located in Rutherford, NJ. While at the South Bergenite I was a reporter and served as sports editor for a bit. I learned how to write and edit in AP-style and do newspaper layout.
After a couple of years there I moved up to the position of editor at the Glen Ridge Voice, another weekly newspaper, covering the town of Glen Ridge, NJ. After doing that for several months, I wanted to spend more time honing my layout skills and moved to the position of layout specialist when the position became available. I was responsible for the layout and ad placement for four weekly newspapers.
It became possible for me to become a stay at home mom so I quit my position at the newspaper to stay home with my daughter. While I enjoyed spending the extra time with my daughter I still wanted to write and do publishing-type things. That's when I came up with the idea for Kids Holiday Crafts Magazine, a take-off of my existing web site Kids Holiday Crafts, which provided free crafts for kids ages 4-7 years old.
After a couple of years and many changes Kids Holiday Crafts Magazine became known as Fandangle Magazine. I published this free monthly online magazine for kids ages 6-10, and, from time to time, use crafts from my holiday crafts site to supplement all the wonderful stuff that had been submitted by authors and illustrators from all over the world. The publication ceased in December 2007.
In 2006, I discovered micro fiction, which are stories generally written in 100 words or less. I have written several pieces and had a few of them published in Flashshot e-zine. You can read them on my writing link and learn more about writing them here.
In 2009, I gave up both my job as editor of Parent Express and the religion section, which appeared every Saturday, for The Keene Sentinel. I did some freelance writing and maintain my web sites while focusing on being a stay-at-home mom.
I was a college student seeking a bachelor's degree in Psychology: Child Development for Infants and Toddlers online at Walden University but I changed course and am pursued a certificate as a paralegal through Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, NH. I graduated from the program in the summer of 2012. In the fall of 2012, I switched programs again and started pursuing a BA in human services. I realized I was in the wrong field of study and floundered for a bit before deciding that I needed a break from college. I'm finishing up my degree (again!) and have just two and a half more classes before graduation.
I am working as a writer again! Yay! In 2015, started back as a full-time reporter for The Eagle Times, a daily newspaper serving the Upper Valley in New Hampshire and Vermont. It is amazing to be writing every day again and doing something I love so much.
In April 2016, I transitioned to The Message for the Week, a sister paper, and am the full-time editor and primary reporter at the weekly paper. At the same time as I was making the transition to the new job, I also transitioned my name to Neil Pierce Allen.*
I left The Message in May 2017 after I realized how bad the job was for me. I was floundering a bit for the summer. I found a communications position with Senior Solutions and was selected as an AmeriCorps VISTA at TLC Family Resource Center as their marketing and communications person with a focus on helping people to better understand the agency's mission and programs as they exist today as well as build a volunteer program.
After my time ended at TLC as a VISTA member, I started freelancing with marketing and website work and returned to writing for a newspaper. In June 2019, I was promoted to editor of The Vermont Standard, covering Woodstock and the surrounding towns.
My first real writing job was at the South Bergenite, a weekly newspaper located in Rutherford, NJ. While at the South Bergenite I was a reporter and served as sports editor for a bit. I learned how to write and edit in AP-style and do newspaper layout.
After a couple of years there I moved up to the position of editor at the Glen Ridge Voice, another weekly newspaper, covering the town of Glen Ridge, NJ. After doing that for several months, I wanted to spend more time honing my layout skills and moved to the position of layout specialist when the position became available. I was responsible for the layout and ad placement for four weekly newspapers.
It became possible for me to become a stay at home mom so I quit my position at the newspaper to stay home with my daughter. While I enjoyed spending the extra time with my daughter I still wanted to write and do publishing-type things. That's when I came up with the idea for Kids Holiday Crafts Magazine, a take-off of my existing web site Kids Holiday Crafts, which provided free crafts for kids ages 4-7 years old.
After a couple of years and many changes Kids Holiday Crafts Magazine became known as Fandangle Magazine. I published this free monthly online magazine for kids ages 6-10, and, from time to time, use crafts from my holiday crafts site to supplement all the wonderful stuff that had been submitted by authors and illustrators from all over the world. The publication ceased in December 2007.
In 2006, I discovered micro fiction, which are stories generally written in 100 words or less. I have written several pieces and had a few of them published in Flashshot e-zine. You can read them on my writing link and learn more about writing them here.
In 2009, I gave up both my job as editor of Parent Express and the religion section, which appeared every Saturday, for The Keene Sentinel. I did some freelance writing and maintain my web sites while focusing on being a stay-at-home mom.
I was a college student seeking a bachelor's degree in Psychology: Child Development for Infants and Toddlers online at Walden University but I changed course and am pursued a certificate as a paralegal through Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, NH. I graduated from the program in the summer of 2012. In the fall of 2012, I switched programs again and started pursuing a BA in human services. I realized I was in the wrong field of study and floundered for a bit before deciding that I needed a break from college. I'm finishing up my degree (again!) and have just two and a half more classes before graduation.
I am working as a writer again! Yay! In 2015, started back as a full-time reporter for The Eagle Times, a daily newspaper serving the Upper Valley in New Hampshire and Vermont. It is amazing to be writing every day again and doing something I love so much.
In April 2016, I transitioned to The Message for the Week, a sister paper, and am the full-time editor and primary reporter at the weekly paper. At the same time as I was making the transition to the new job, I also transitioned my name to Neil Pierce Allen.*
I left The Message in May 2017 after I realized how bad the job was for me. I was floundering a bit for the summer. I found a communications position with Senior Solutions and was selected as an AmeriCorps VISTA at TLC Family Resource Center as their marketing and communications person with a focus on helping people to better understand the agency's mission and programs as they exist today as well as build a volunteer program.
After my time ended at TLC as a VISTA member, I started freelancing with marketing and website work and returned to writing for a newspaper. In June 2019, I was promoted to editor of The Vermont Standard, covering Woodstock and the surrounding towns.