You were the featured speaker for this year’s Clarence Butler Award. What

was the topic of your speech?

I’m very excited to have participated in this event

because the recipient Dr. Cecil Whitaker, a former OBGYN doctor and one

of the most beloved institutions in Columbus, is someone who lives his life

with gratitude and respect.

 I have always been grateful for the breaks that have gone my way and I have

always looked towards others who display that same quality. I also enjoy talking in my

speeches about the power of respect.

 Along with being grateful, respect towards others is another motto I live by. There is incredible

vitality generated by the act of concerning oneself with the well being of others.

Your latest book The Power of Respect: Benefit from the Most Forgotten

Element of Success has been well received. What inspired you to write

this book?

This book is the continuation of my first book Thank You Power: Making The

Science Of Gratitude Work For You.

An example I like to give of how the power of respect can benefit your workplace;

 Employees tend to work longer, harder, and be more creative when there

 is a respectful work environment. And what I mean by that is

when employees are given the tools they need to perform their job, enough time to do it,

and recognition for their efforts. Even more stunning are stats that prove workers who

have been respected are less likely to quit and tend not to sue—even when they are fired.

Is gratitude an important thread in your life? Is that something you think

about on a day-to-day basis?

Yes, gratitude is of utmost importance to me. There is an image that makes me smile and

feel good every time I think of it. There is a wall in Korea where people place letters of

gratitude into the cracks and crevices compared to the Wailing Wall of Jerusalem

where people go to grieve. The first image conjures up positive feelings while the

second image is of utter despair. When I practice gratitude in my daily life I am able to

look for the blessings in every situation because they are there.

One thing many people don't know about you is that you are a devoted

Christian.

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 Yes, I am and being a Christian definitely affects the way I conduct myself

personally and professionally. One of my favorite Bible verses is Thessalonians 5:18

“In everything give thanks.”

What is one of your most memorable experiences as a reporter?

 My first memorable assignment, while I was a UGA student and working for Channel 5 in

Atlanta, was to cover the fireman family picnic in Stone Mountain back in 1978.

While driving there my cameramen proceeded to light up a joint for himself

inside the car. I was shocked and the whole car started to smell. Even though I didn’t

participate, I was still worried that the firemen would smell the odor on me from

being in the car. Luckily it all ended well, but I sure did worry!

You have had the opportunity to report on many meaningful and interesting

stories during your career as a journalist. Which one stands out in

your mind to this day?

One that stands out was when then President Jimmy Carter

came to Atlanta in January 1979 to receive the

Martin Luther King peace prize. Out of all the reporters there,

he came straight up to me. I don’t remember what I said, but I was thrilled

that I had the chance to interview him at such an early point in my career.

Other events that come to my mind are the funeral of Pope John Paul II

and covering the devastating earthquake in Mexico in 1985.

What is something that not many people know about you?

I am a needlework nut! I love sewing, knitting, crocheting, macramé, embroidery,

needle point, cross stitch, and more.

In my first Junior Miss contest when I was 17 I needed a talent. Believe it or not, I sewed

my own clothes for the pageant and that was my talent!

Today I have my own yarn line called The Deborah Norville Collection.

Just recently I knitted a hot water bottle cover for my Swedish mother-in-law who is sick in

bed, and for Christmas I gave my oldest son Niki an afghan to take with him to college.

For me, knitting is an outward expression of love because it emphasizes the

connection between you and that individual.

You are such a delight to watch on Inside Edition. You are originally from Dalton,

Georgia but now live in New York. What do you enjoy most about this

broadcasting job in New York?

The variety. I’m the type of person who gets bored easily and New York City provides me with

something new every day. The speed of life is much faster here and I like that feeling of absolute urgency.

You graduated from the University of Georgia, what do you miss most about the South?

The Varsity in Atlanta. I think everybody needs to visit this place at least once in their lifetime. svm