R.I.P. Joyce Shelby - NY Daily News Reporter

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I was among the many New Yorkers who were stunned and saddened to hear of the sudden death, on March 19th, of venerable and popular NY Daily News reporter Joyce Shelby. Her death is a great loss to the media. A seasoned reporter, with a most impressive body of work, Ms. Shelby was also a real lady and easy to talk to. I know this first hand, because she interviewed me back in November about my new Green-Wood Cemetery book, regarding it as a natural for the Brooklyn section. Joyce, a fan of Green-Wood, had written about the cemetery before and regaled me with a funny story about photographing the parrots which have taken up residency there. Naturally, I was looking forward to seeing the article about my book run, but that was not to be. After a couple of postponements, the piece was killed by the Brooklyn bureau chief. Joyce called me with the news - we were both disappointed - and said she would repitch it in the spring. We spoke again in early March, for the last time. Over the years, I've been interviewed many times, but to have been interviewed by Ms. Shelby would have been a real privilege. I'm sorry the Brooklyn bureau chief did not see a new book about Green-Wood Cemetery, one of Brooklyn's foremost landmark's, as worthy of an article. Rest in peace Ms. Shelby. You were one of the best!

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brooklyn/2009/03/22/2009-03-22_longtime_daily_news_brooklyn_reporter_jo.html

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