I have an MFA from the University of Iowa in creative writing, and I’ve been reporting in Alaska since 2002, covering everything from crime to arts, from outdoors to the Arctic. I’ve been a stringer for Bloomberg, the New York Times, and a contributor to Newsweek. I have been published in many other publications, including Harper’s and the New York Times Magazine. (One of my favorites was a little piece I wrote for Allure magazine about how women in prison turn everyday items into beauty products. The things those women could do with a pencil!) I’m also the co-author of the book, Crude Awakening: Money, Mavericks and Mayhem in Alaska, which focuses on oil and politics. I started this blog in 2013 after leaving the Alaska Dispatch, which I co-founded. While the focus of the blog is primarily on politics, I reserve the right to surprise. I might even write a piece or two about makeup. One thing is constant, however: I to try my best to avoid lazy snark and and I always strive for balance. Please let me know when I’m not hitting the mark. Thanks for reading.

– Amanda

–Contact AmandaMCoyne@yahoo.com