Vicki specializes in profiles, personal essays, and long-form narratives. She always gets to the heart of her subjects, whether writing about con artists, crime, or her own craziness living in the suburbs. The City and Regional Magazine awards described her Philadelphia Magazine column, “Suburbanista,” as “wry” and “subversive” when it awarded her Best Column in 2014. She’s been writing the monthly “You Be the Judge” column in Reader’s Digest since 2013, which inspire more heated debates among readers than anything else she’s ever written (aside from that time she profiled a nun and received letter after letter after letter informing her that she was “going to hell”).
SELECTED WORKS
Narrative
Our Efforts Will Not Be in Vain
A century ago, as the nation found itself drawn into World War I, a Penn State student and his girlfriend in Peckville, Pa., sent hundreds of handwritten letters to each other. The girlfriend became his wife and she kept those letters. Now, their son has donated the collection to Penn State. They tell a story of a different time—and of a college as it transformed into a military camp during the war.
Profile
The End of The World As She Knows It
When it comes to surviving a zombie apocalypse, Gillian Albinski knows firsthand what to eat, how to make weapons, what to do with undead blood, and how to make anything out of tinfoil. They’re useful skills–both for staying alive at the end of days, and for being the prop master on one of the most-watched shows in TV, The Walking Dead.
Personal Essay
What I Learned Letting My Daughter Play With a Stranger
My misguided fear about my child interacting with strangers led to a heartwarming discovery. Full article in Reader’s Digest
Parenting
Stop Sibling Rivalry
Most siblings have disagreements at some point, but frequent, intense fights can cause serious damage. If you’ve had it up to here with your kids’ constant fighting, we’ll help you reach a sibling cease-fire. Read article in Parents
Trend
The Preschool You Can’t Get Your Kid Into
For a growing horde of hip young parents, life in Philly couldn’t be better. Then comes preschool. Full article in Philadelphia Magazine
You be the judge
The Case of The Banned Garden
Zoning codes prohibited these Florida gardeners from planting in their front yard but they fought against the law. You be the judge.