Emily Pennington: writer, minivanlifer, former circus performer

Emily Pennington is a 37-year-old freelance writer, former Hollywood assistant, and full-time outdoor nerd who once lived in a minivan for a year to visit every U.S. national park. (@brazenbackpacker)

In her 20s, Emily bounced between creative careers—first as an actress, then as a circus performer, then as a film producer’s assistant. The job paid okay, but the work felt meaningless, and after losing several friends to sudden deaths, she started questioning the whole plan. She cut her expenses, saved aggressively, and quit in 2020 to hit the road full-time.

That trip, which started as an attempt to reboot her life, turned into a book (Feral) and a new career as a freelance adventure writer. But ...