Gina Bednarz earned her BA in English at MSU Denver, and her MFA in creative nonfiction at Lesley University. Her work has appeared in Metrosphere Magazine, Miami Living, and Yahoo! Shine, and she’s been selected as writer-in-residence at Elsewhere Studios and Starry Night Residencies. Currently a tutor and freelance writer, she’s at work on a novel and the completion of the memoir from which this piece was excerpted. She can be contacted at [email protected].