Elaine Roth is a New Jersey-based writer, parent, young widow, comprehensively certified Pilates instructor, and former tax lawyer. Her written work has appeared in Refinery29, Well + Good, Insider, HuffPost, and Scary Mommy, among others.

At the tender age of fourteen, Elaine had the chance to model in YM Magazine--and told all her friends. She was paired with a seventeen-year-old male model for a photo shoot about kissing. The article was titled, Kissing A-Z, and she was the photo underneath O, orthodontics. Months later, the issue was published. The caption accompanying the photo was: “Brace yourself, metal mouth. Don’t lose your kissing cool.”

Life has been throwing her curveballs ever since. She’s grateful for the chance to share her writing with others and for the chance to make a little light out of things that are often too dark.