Penguin Speakers Bureau

Biography

Wendy McClure has been writing about her obsessions for nearly a decade. Her book The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie, is a funny, poignant account of her experience revisiting the novels of Laura Ingalls Wilder and retracing Wilder’s pioneer journeys. The Wilder Life was chosen for the Midwest Booksellers Choice Award as well as a Barnes & Noble Discover Selection. Wendy is a children’s book editor, the pop culture columnist for BUST Magazine, and has contributed to The New York Times Magazine, Glamour, and This American Life.

She grew up in Oak Park, Illinois and has an MFA in poetry from the Iowa Writer’s Workshop. She lives in Chicago with her husband, Chris.

Speaking Topics

• The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie

  What happens when you return to the world of a favorite book, an old obsession, or a place from your childhood? Wendy addresses the major themes from her acclaimed memoir The Wilder Life and discusses how classic books like the Little House series touch our lives.

• Both Sides of the Desk: Writing and Publishing

  Wendy has experienced the writing life from a number of wildly different vantage points—among them MFA graduate, popular blogger, and longtime children’s book editor. She shares her varied knowledge for aspiring writers, with insights on rejection, inspiration, and pursuing literary dreams.

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