Laura Billings Coleman
Principal Writer & Editor
Bio: Laura has been writing for national magazines, newspapers and new media since before it was called “content.” A former columnist for the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Mademoiselle and Mpls/St. Paul, her reporting and reviews have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post, Outside, Fast Company, SELF, Salon and many other publications.
Fun fact: Laura spent her formative years writing relationship advice in women’s magazines. Ask her anything. She’s here to help.
For more, visit LauraBillingsColeman.com.
When to Sit, When to Stand?
Unsentimental Tutee
As an English as a Second Language tutor, I met a Chinese student remarkably unmoved by the American Dream.
Recommended Reading
Ann Patchett’s “This Is The Story of a Happy Marriage.”
Weary O' the Green
Since I first wrote this column for the Pioneer Press, a deep dive into Ancestry.com has proved that I actually am Irish. Not that it makes any difference…
How to Read a Pattern Book
How I arranged an amicable divorce with my book club, and learned to spin tales of my own.
West of the Moon
Duluth’s Margi Preus brings the heart of a historian to her award-winning middle grade books.
Loving Lutsen
With a new gondola and great spring skiing, Lutsen’s worth another look.
Without Wellstone
Making sense of Minnesota’s 2002 Senate race in The Washington Post, following the plane crash that took Paul Wellstone.
How To Buy A Turkish Rug
The beauty of striking a bargain with the tough negotiators in a Turkish rug showroom, from the Salon.com anthology “Wanderlust.”
Keiko the Whale
A 16,000-pound “loser with a skin condition” was a poor prospect for re-release in the wild, but he was a hero to his fans.
Oregon Wine Country
Like this cover story for National Geographic Traveler, the best assignments make travel, wine and yarn tax-deductible.
What I Learned At Gun Camp
Wondering what makes today’s “Glocker Moms” tick? I went to a Ladies Pistol camp in the Arizona desert to find out more about women and guns for Mademoiselle.
Arctic Rush
Will Steger was part of an arctic crush of explorers heading for the North Pole nearly 20 years ago in Outside.
It's a Small World After All
I thought I was too cool for a Disney vacation. Fortunately, I was wrong.
Maternity leave down the drain
After 8 years as a newspaper columnist I learned that when in doubt, you should always write about parking, pets or potty-training.
People Power
We interviewed 60 people for this feature celebrating the Bush Foundation’s 60th anniversary. And they were all interesting.
Reading Against Type
Why kids need to read books that make them uncomfortable, in honor of National Banned Books Week.