Contact Me

E-mail address: wordsiwheelbyblog [at] gmail [dot] com

While I wish I could respond to every email and say yes to every invitation, I’m just a person trying to sustain my brain and my being while balancing lots of personal and professional responsibilities. So, before you reach out, please check if your question is covered below. Just click on the question to jump to the answer!

Can I “pick your brain” about writing, speaking, social media, running your own business, disability issues, etc.?

I appreciate that you consider my expertise worth seeking, and I deeply believe experience and knowledge are hard-earned and have value. If you’d like to work out a paid consulting arrangement, I invite you to reach out. Whenever I hear the phrase “pick your brain,” I envision a garden being freely picked clean of its lovingly, laboriously tended crops. It becomes impossible to harvest from a garden if there are no resources put back to help it regrow.

Can you give me your advice, opinion, or resources on (insert issue here)?

I’ve written and spoken pretty extensively on quite a few disability-related topics over the years, so you might find some of what you’re looking for by checking out my book, articles, or press and media appearances.

I also have a monthly newsletter in which I share links to what I’m reading and listening to about disability, as well as reviews of disability-related media.

I’m all about open exchange of perspectives and information, but I’m not a lawyer, a doctor of any sort, the Google machine, or some kind of singular expert on disability. I will try to offer what help or support I can, especially if you’re a disabled person or someone who loves and cares for a disabled person, but I can’t make any promises or guarantees that I’ll be able to provide answers or solutions.

Would you be interested in speaking at an event I’m hosting?

I’m honored to be invited! Please check out my speaking page for details on how to book me through my agent at the Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau. It’s a simple process that helps me keep track of invitations and work out logistics.

Do you do paid advertising or brand partnerships?

I’m always happy to partner with companies whose work aligns with my overall mission to make the world more a more inclusive, accessible place. Reach out and let’s tell a story about how your brand is changing the game. An example of the perfect partnership: my collaboration with JCPenney to advertise their adaptive clothing. Cute outfits made more accessible? Yes, please!

Will you be a source for an article or other media I’m working on?

Please do reach out to me if you believe my knowledge, experiences, and identities are a fit for what you’re working on! If I’m not a fit, I may point you toward other potential sources.

Will you promote my press release, project, Kickstarter, GoFundMe, etc.?

Please understand that I’m not just a megaphone for anything disability-related. I’m cautious and selective about what I’ll promote, because the most important part of the work I do is maintaining the trust of my community.

Can I quote you or use an excerpt from your work?

If you’d like to quote from my book, Penguin Random House’s fair use policy covers up to 750 words. For anything more than that, please contact me, and I will connect you with Penguin Random House for permission.

If you’d like to share anything I’ve posted on my social media platforms, please directly reshare or link to the original post, and do not repost or use the text or graphics in whole or part as your own.

If you’d like to share articles I’ve written, please use the following guidelines.


You’re more than welcome to:

  • Use my articles as handouts or resources in any public forum, provided that the original link and my name are included. (It’s not required, but I’d love if you let me know what you’re using!)
  • Cite my articles in academic papers.
  • Publish a direct link to any article I’ve written. (Again, I’d love if you let me know, but it’s not required.)
  • Republish an excerpt of no more than two paragraphs either online or in print with a direct link back and full credit to me.

Please reach out to me for permission if you want to:

  • Republish an excerpt longer than two paragraphs either online or in print. Please don’t modify the work and be sure to credit me. I don’t guarantee permission to republish, and depending on the circumstances of use, I may require fair payment.

Would you be interested in being a guest on my podcast?

I try my best to say yes to podcast invitations but may not always have the capacity. One very important stipulation: the episode must be transcribed to ensure it’s accessible for people with hearing and/or sensory processing disabilities. If you can guarantee you’ll provide a transcript, please feel free to reach out to me!

Will you be a sensitivity reader for my work to ensure I portrayed disability respectfully?

I’ve provided sensitivity readings for works in a range of genres and formats, from short- and long-form journalism to full-length books. Want to work together? To discuss the scope of your project, overall process, and pricing, and to determine if we’re a good fit, please get in touch.

While I do have a strong background in cultural criticism and media analysis through a disability-informed lens, I can’t speak for any disabled person other than myself and definitely don’t presume to speak for the whole disability community. It’s important for you to know that I’m a white, straight, cisgender Jewish woman who has an apparent genetic physical disability, as well as non-apparent hearing and mental health disabilities, and I use a wheelchair. These are the identities and experiences on which I can offer authentic perspectives.

Will you write an endorsement blurb for my book?

As an author, I fully understand the power of endorsements in supporting the overall success of a book. So long as your work is aligned with my values, I’ll do my best to provide a blurb, but I don’t always have the capacity. Please reach out, and if I can accommodate your request, I will.

Can I interview you for my school project?

I get quite a few requests like this, and unfortunately, I just don’t have the capacity. Thank you for thinking of me, though!

Will you record a quick video I can use in a presentation?

While I don’t have the bandwidth to record an original video for you, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll find a clip you can use by searching my name on YouTube.

Do you have any writing advice?

Here’s what I hope you’ll always keep in mind:

  • It’s okay to keep certain parts of your life experience just for yourself. Not every deeply personal moment needs to be fodder for writing. But when you do choose to be vulnerable in your work, own it. Don’t let imaginary other people into your head who judge the words before they’re on the page. Write your story for yourself because the person who matters most in your story is you.
  • From “no thanks” to radio silence, I’ve experienced plenty of rejections from editors. But your worth is not in what an editor thinks of your writing (easier said than internalized, but true). Your stories have value because you lived them, not because someone chooses to publish and/or pay for them.

For specific tips on the pitching process, check out my blog post, Tell Your Story: Pitching Tips from an Editor.