Tuesday Mooney, Prospect Research, and the Story Writing Bug

by Jennifer Filla | Mar 8, 2021 | #CareerCurious, Learning Edge Blog, News

Jennifer Filla

Author, Kate Racculia, is no stranger to the multi-layered world of high finance, and yet equally adept in the solemn halls of a library or between the donor profile pages of the wealthy Boston elite…as a former prospect research development officer at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, that is!

But what is her real super power? Storytelling!

Leave it to Elisa Shoenberger to write book reviews on Goodreads that feature novels about philanthropy and then casually mention to me that one of those novels is a murder-mystery where the protagonist is none other than a prospect research professional. Say what??

That’s how I found out about Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts. I borrowed it from my library immediately. And I loved it!

I know it will shock those who know me, but after reading the book I decided I would just connect with the author, Kate, on LinkedIn and ask to interview her for #ChatBytes. I did. She said “yes!”

And now you get to have as much fun as I did when you hear Kate tell all about how she crafted her prospect research character and why she added the kind of ethical mayhem that makes fundraisers around the world cringe in horror.

If you happen to be an aspiring writer, Kate has some great tips for you, too.

And if you want to get a feel for how an IRL prospect researcher survives and thrives in a scavenger hunt, join the Prospect Research Institute on a Global Research Pride Scavenger Hunt, a la Tuesday Mooney style and kicked off by another Boston researcher, Helen Brown. You’ll have a chance to win a hardcover copy of the printed book, a delicious luxury reserved for the five most determined prospect research professionals!

Additional Resources

Kate Racculia | LinkedIn Profile | Follow on Twitter @k ateracculia

Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts | Author, Kate Racculia | This is the author’s personal website with purchasing links

4 Great Novels About Philanthropy | Elisa Shoenberger | Features a book review of Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts

Bird By Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life | Author, Ann Lamont

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996)

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Words from happy Researchers

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