Meredith Hall graduated from Bowdoin College at the age of 44. She wrote her first essay, “Killing Chickens,” in 2002. 2 years later, she won the $50,000 Gift of Freedom Award from A Room of Her Own Foundation. Her other honors include a Pushcart Prize and notable essay recognition in Best American Essays; she was also a finalist for the Rona Jaffe Award. Hall’s work has appeared in the New York Times, Creative Nonfiction, The Southern Review, Five Points, Prairie Schooner, and several anthologies. She teaches writing at the University of New Hampshire and splits her time between Maine and California. Visit Meredith Hall’s website at www.meredithhall.org.