Leigh Newman is a columnist for Oprah.com, covering everything from the ten insane dreams we can never give up on to the one unsung story collection we need to read.

Her memoir about her Alaskan childhood Still Points North is forthcoming from Dial in 2013, and her essays and short stories have appeared in a variety of magazines and newspapers, including the New York Times Modern Love section.

She believes in making your own popcorn, embarrassing your kids by writing I LOVE YOU in red frosting on their lunch sandwiches, and owning dogs that are just way too big to fit in the bed.

Her work can also be found at leigh-newman.com.