The Merry-Go-Round was my babysitter. Growing up, I spent my summers in the carnival. I stayed with my grandparents, Pamp and Hot Dog Nellie, in the Blue Goose. When I was 17, Pamp died in my arms at the Pike County Fair. I had to choose to walk away from the show or make the money to begin my college career at The Ohio State University. Three weeks later, I opened the Apple Dart game at the Ohio State Fair. I marched into press headquarters and announced, “I’m Queen of the Midway and I want you to write my story.” And they did. Two years later, I was hired as a full time reporter at The Columbus Dispatch.