Amy Lou Jenkins is the author of Every Natural Fact: Five Seasons of Open-Air Parenting

Amy Lou holds a BSN in Nursing and Professional Communication and MFA in Literature and Creative Writing from Bennington College. She teaches as a university adjunct and at writing retreats, conferences and workshops. Her environmental and nature writing has been honored by, The Florida Review Editors Award in Nonfiction, Literal Latte Essay Awards, Flint Hills Review Nonfiction Award, X.J. Kennedy Award for Nonfiction, and twice by the Ellis/Henderson Outdoor Writing Award. Her nonfiction has also won first place in the Jade Ring Award for Essay Writing, Wisconsin Regional Writing Award in Essay, Memoir, and Travel Writing. She is the recipient of a Mesa Refuge writing fellowship for environmental writing.

Her work has appeared in multiple magazines, newspapers, and anthologies including Wisconsin Academy Review, Flint Hills Review, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Shepherds Express, Florida Review, Inkpot, Earth Island Journal, Grit, Generations, Rosebud, Big Apple Parent, MetroParent, Washington Families, Chicken Soup, Cup of Comfort books, Women on Writing, The Maternal is Political, and the summer 2010 release Wild with child. Jenkins writes a quarterly book review column for the Sierra Club’s Muir View and maintains a personal website at www.AmyLouJenkins.com and a writing site at www.Anthologiesonline.com. She’s read her essays on Wisconsin and Alaska public radio and been a radio guest on dozens of shows. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, son, and two spoiled dogs.