Kristin Owens

Kristin grew up in Buffalo, New York and moved immediately after the Bill’s fourth Super Bowl loss for better odds. She now resides in sticky southwest Florida and watches her hair expand by the minute.She earned a PhD in Higher Education Administration and held academic positions at Penn State, University of Maryland, University of Alaska Anchorage, and Mat-Su College. She also taught a variety of subjects (from ballroom dancing to graduate statistics) and was chosen Teacher of the Year by Aims Community College students.Holding certifications with the Court of Master Sommeliers and Cicerone, she travels the world writing about wonderful wines, beautiful beers, and surprising spirits. She speaks fluent German and crappy French.Kristin’s a contributor for award-winning magazines such as Wine Enthusiast and 5280. Her personal essays have appeared in Writer's Digest, Writer Unboxed, and Outpost.Her work has won Honorable Mention for the 2018 New Millennium Writing Awards and was a finalist for the 2019 New Letters’ award in nonfiction. Her work is included in Colorado’s Book of the Year 2020, RISE!Her debut novel, ELIZABETH SAILS, launches in 2024 with Rising Action Publishing Co.By combining her love of teaching and writing, Kristin’s a frequent workshop instructor, conference presenter, and lecturer. Her high-energy presentations are geared towards motivating new writers to stick with it. She can usually be found onboard a cruise ship.