EMERGING AUTHORI’m writing personal essays and a memoir about thru-hiking the 500-mile Colorado Trail and lessons learned along the way.At age 45, I set off to hike the Colorado Trail to escape my life, including bouts of deep depression. With the ashes of my father stowed in my backpack, I hiked for five weeks through the Rocky Mountain wilderness to start living, or die trying. And I did almost die, alone, caught in a fierce electrical storm on top of a remote alpine mesa with nowhere to hide. My memoir recounts that harrowing experience, the influence of my father’s suicide attempts on me, his legacy of profound love, and the journey to honor my dad’s life by first honoring my own.My essay “Follow the Hula Girl” is the lead story in Rise: An Anthology of Change, winner of the 2020 Colorado Book Award. The story also earned me a Pushcart Prize nomination.My essay “Bruised Ego Trip” was published in Wild Women, Spring/Summer 2021. — EMERGING AUTHOR
I’m writing **personal essays** and a debut **memoir** *No Man’s Land* (coming September 2025) about thru-hiking the 500-mile Colorado Trail and lessons learned along the way.
At age 45, I set off to hike the Colorado Trail in a last-ditch effort to start living or die trying. And I did almost die, alone, caught in a fierce electrical storm on top of a remote alpine mesa, risking my life to please others. My memoir examines what led me to that harrowing day, explores the influence of my father’s suicidal thoughts on my own, and shares my difficult yet redemptive journey toward self-acceptance.
My essay “Follow the Hula Girl” is the lead story in ***Rise: An Anthology of Change,*** winner of the 2020 Colorado Book Award. The story also earned me a Pushcart Prize nomination.
My essay “Bruised Ego Trip” was published in **Wild Women**, Spring/Summer 2021.

FREELANCE WRITER

Looking for a proven freelance writer for your magazine, newspaper, blog or podcast? I tell stories in a clear voice that connects with audiences. Sometimes I have a byline and other times I'm a ghostwriter, and I'm fine either way.

WHAT I DO: essays, profile pieces, advice columns, newsletter content, how-to, roundups, case studies, feature stories, cover stories

FOCUS ON: outdoor, wellness, female strength and resiliency, higher education, lifestyle

My writing has appeared in Sierra, Colorado Country Life, Misadventures, USA Today, Out There, Mind+Body, NOCO Style, The Coloradoan, CSU Magazine, Around the Oval and The Difference.

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PODCAST CONTRIBUTORI’m always thrilled to contribute to Out There, the award-winning podcast that explores big questions through intimate stories in the outdoors.Out There host Willow Belden and I recorded four of my personal essays – The Motherload, Coyote’s Beauty Secrets, Double or Nothing and Trial by Fire – as episodes for Out There. We also collaborated on the award-winning episode Selfless Acts in September 2018.In 2018, I answered listener questions and offered personal advice when I co-hosted the Dear Nature segment (formerly The Nature Fix) with Angus Chen and Willow Belden.If you have a podcast and would like to collaborate, please reach out. I have stories and thoughts to share, a warm and clear Midwestern voice, and experience writing, editing and recording for audio. Check out testimonials HERE. — PODCAST CONTRIBUTOR
I enjoy writing and recording stories for podcasts I admire, including **Out There**, the award-winning podcast that explores big questions through intimate stories outdoors.
Out There host Willow Belden and I recorded four of my personal essays – **The Motherload**, **Coyote’s Beauty Secrets**, **Double or Nothing** and **Trial by Fire** – as episodes for Out There. We also collaborated on the award-winning episode **Selfless Acts** in September 2018.
In 2018, I answered listener questions and offered personal advice when I co-hosted the **Dear Nature** segment (formerly The Nature Fix) with Angus Chen and Willow Belden.
If you have a podcast and would like to collaborate, please **reach out**. I have stories to share, a warm and clear Midwestern voice, and experience writing, editing and recording for audio. Check out testimonials **HERE**.

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