Bryn with our EIC, Joni Edelman.
Thanks for being part of this thing we call Ravishly. We want to be the first place you come for inspiration, encouragement, solidarity, and we want you to take that energy with you when you leave. As a celebration of the Ravishly community, we welcome you to #RavsReaders, a weekly feature where we'll spotlight one of our beloved readers.
*Because we know Bryn as a writer, we asked her our writer questions, in lieu of our reader questions.
1. Name?
Bryn Huntpalmer.
2. Tell us about your family, or your cats, or your elaborate paper napkin collection.
I'm a mom to two kiddos — Adelaide is five and Darwin is three — and I'm married to a sci-fi loving attorney who spends any free time he can get in his pollinator garden (damn I think he's more interesting than me!). That being said, I host an amazing podcast called The Birth Hour where we share birth stories of all types with the goal of informing women of their options in pregnancy and childbirth and bringing women together in the sharing of experiences. I'm also the head grammer (is that a word people use?), over on @thebirthhour Instagram account, sharing images of what birth really looks like and interacting with mamas in the comments!
3. When did you start writing? Why?
I grew up wanting to be a journalist and was the editor-in-chief of my high school yearbook, but then I went to a liberal arts college without a journalism program, so my focus obviously shifted. I picked back up with writing again when my daughter was born as an outlet during those stay-at-home mom days. At first I was just blogging, mostly for myself, but then I started getting published on other sites and was hooked. I've always preferred non-fiction over fiction because I love learning about the lives of other people. So it only made sense that I started writing about my own life.
4. What do you like to do when you're not doing the thing you have to do?
I honestly spend almost all of my free time (aka the three hours between kids going to bed and me going to bed) on The Birth Hour because it's what I love. When I do just relax it's usually a trip to a local brewery with the fam or margaritas with my best friend.
5. What music do you love? (Barry Manilow is an acceptable answer.)
I used to be SO into music and now I'm very much out of the loop since I pretty much only listen to podcasts these days. I will give a shoutout to one of my good friends who's band is taking off, The Roosevelts, which we listen to so much that my kids both have all the songs memorized (even the ones about cheating on your lover, oops!). So basically, if I know you personally I'll listen to your music otherwise send me all the podcasts!
6. Favorite pizza topping?
Brisket. There's this amazing pizza called "The Willie," as in Willie Nelson, at a local pizza place that I live (for and usually make happen about once a week).
7. Favorite donut?
I don't like donuts. I know, I know. I'm a kolache (google it) or breakfast taco girl. Texan all the way.
8. Last book you read?
Dragons Love Tacos. Oh, I'm sorry did you mean an adult book? I don't really make time for reading books these days but I did listen to Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert recently.
9. What's your sign?
Scorpio.I know nothing of signs though, so don't ask me what that means.
10. One word to describe you?
Badass. Phew it was hard to write that but I polled a couple of my bffs and they all said "badass" and to be honest I guess I do kinda feel like a badass these days. I'm in a good flow with motherhood, I'm pursuing a project I'm passionate about, and I'm part of a great community along the way.
