Matthew J. Perry - reporter
Matthew J. Perry began writing for the Catskill Mountain News in December, 2007. As the fourth child of two restless parents, he was able to call four states and eight towns 'home' before the family settled in Connecticut. A graduate of Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, Matthew flirted briefly with the possibility of a career in academia before moving to New York City in the mid 1990s to pursue adventure. There, he wrote a novel and a half by day while making a living through various means, including freelance writing and editing projects, two stints as an editorial assitant at Harper's Magazine, and nights spent building martinis for New York glitterati in several famous downtown bars.
Not long after Matthew met his wife, financial columnist M.P. Dunleavey, the couple took a spontaneous summer trip to the Catskills, which was so intoxicating that a weekend house in Andes was purchased before the year's end. After five years of a split existence and the birth of their son, Connor, in September 2006, they moved to Andes full-time. Happy with their new life, the family relocated to New Kingston at the beginning of 2008 and looks forward to sending Connor to local schools in a few years.
Matthew is happy to have the opportunity to learn about and participate in the local community by writing. In what little spare time he enjoys he reads widely and clings to the hope that he can begin work on another book before his son learns to read.