As owner of Austin, Texas-based SKB Editorial Services, my articles and blog posts at Don't Mess With Taxes make money and taxes understandable so readers can make more money and pay fewer taxes.My forte: Translating difficult subject matter into lively, readable copy.I came to tax and financial writing after starting my journalism career at a West Texas daily newspaper. I took a career detour to Washington, D.C., where I spent almost two decades as a Congressional staffer before moving to the private sector as a government relations specialist for two major corporations."The Truth About Paying Fewer Taxes," my first solo book, was published by Financial Times Press in 2009. Part of FT Press' respected "Truth About" series, it provides readers an overview of key tax laws and how to make the tax code work in their favor. I also contributed to "The Gambler's Guide to Taxes;" "Future Millionaires Guidebook;" and "Personal Finance: An Encyclopedia of Modern Money Management."When not working on my book (yes, I have another in progress), I write consumer-oriented copy for numerous respected media outlets, as well as provide financial content for corporate clients.I've also provided reports on tax and other personal finance topics, live and taped, for various broadcast outlets, from local radio and TV stations to NPR to CBS and NBC News. I'm also active and adept at social media; I'm Twitter's @taxtweet.At Don't Mess With Taxes blog — a three-time national Women in Communications Clarion award, a double Plutus Award winner as Best Tax Blog and cited nationally by the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post — I keep track of tax trends, follow state and federal legislation and offer readers year-round tax tips.My B.A. in journalism is from Texas Tech University, where I serve on the College of Media and Communication professional advisory board and was honored as an Outstanding Alumnus in 2011. I also served a term on the IRS' Taxpayer Advocacy Panel.