Essays

Write what you know? Sure.

Over the years I’ve been occasionally asked to insert myself into the story. This can be a daunting task—and an unnecessary gimmick—but also a lot of fun under the right circumstances. My approach: keep it honest and make it about something bigger than just me. That means a story about the birth of my first kid becomes an examination of modern medicine—and a chance to talk about our inner monkey. It means a weekend spent lounging with a nudist group turns into a discussion of body image—and an unexpected showdown with a hotel door.

Check ’em out:

Lesson Learned
An early-season float down the Bitterroot goes awry
Originally Published: Spring 2011, explorer, an annual Western Montana visitor guide.

Feeling exposed
Our intrepid reporter bares all to uncover the appeal of Montana’s only formal nudist group
Originally published: October 17, 2007, Missoula Independent

Let Your Monkey Do It
What’s so scary about natural child birth?
Originally Published: August 2005, Missoula Independent
Republished with Permission: March 2011, Birth Matters, by Ina May Gaskin