Start with a polite greeting. Dear Ms. Kaling, Briefly introduce yourself. My name is Rita Lewis; I am a lifestyle and culture writer with The Cambridge Sun. Try to establish a connection (something you have in common) to encourage the celebrity to give you an interview. As you grew up in Cambridge, you may know of our paper. The mission of the Sun’s culture section is to spotlight emerging local artists, and to offer inspiration to aspiring artists in the Cambridge community. As you can see from our website, we have published dozens of feature articles from the earliest days of your career, beginning with a glowing review of your very first play, Matt and Ben. Request the interview and provide some details of what you have in mind. I would be honoured if you would consider allowing me to schedule a 30-minute phone interview with you. We are planning a 5-page feature profile on your career, and your input would be invaluable. Let the celebrity fit the interview into their schedule. If this is of interest to you, perhaps we could schedule a phone interview to take place in September. If you have 30 minutes of availability in the next month to speak by phone, would you be so kind as to let me know? I will of course make myself available whenever your schedule permits. Thank the celebrity and wrap up your email. Thank you very much for your time and consideration. From all of us in your hometown, we wish you all the best! Sincerely, Rita Lewis