Kristie McClanahan Lein

Freelance Writer & Editor

United States of America

Words have tremendous power. I use good ones. With more than a decade of media experience as a writer, copyeditor and Web editor, I've penned everything from long-form features to quick-hit blog posts, and am proud to count Washington University and Lee Enterprises among my recent clients. Let's talk.

Portfolio
Feast Magazine
04/27/2018
In Good Taste: From Vitamin A to Zinc, Asparagus Has It All

In the long view of history, asparagus is a relative newcomer to the United States. It didn't make its way here until the mid-1800s, even though it had been grown in the Mediterranean region for thousands of years. The vegetable was so prized by ancient Egyptians they offered it up to their gods.

The Missouri Historical Society
07/18/2017
Rico Zouave: How Clothes Helped Make One Man

Each year clothing designers spend millions to convince us that the right outfit can change our lives. For a Chicago man inspired by the uniforms and skills of North Africa’s Zouave soldiers, that turned out to be true.

Feast Magazine
01/26/2018
Why a Centuries-Old Dish Is a Boon for Modern Diets

Kimchi is a staple of Korean cuisine that has recently gained an enthusiastic worldwide following. Typically made from napa cabbage, daikon, garlic, scallions and red chile powder, it ferments over several days, then transforms into a beautifully crisp, piquant food that can be served as a side dish; in stew with pork or tuna; stir-fried with rice; or as kimchijeon, a sort of Korean pancake.

Ladue News
08/19/2016
Folk Art Brings Joy to the Home By Breaking the Rules

Folk art is the product of untrained eyes and hands freed from convention, revered for celebrating the everyday. It's an honest art form, born simply of the creator's love of creating. But don't mistake "untrained" for "unskilled." Folk artists have a deep sense of harmony, balance, sincerity and truth - characteristics classically trained artists also strive for.

Feast Magazine
03/23/2018
Small But Mighty Microgreens

Everyone knows how important greens are to good health, but it can be daunting to sit down to — let alone get excited about — a heaping bowl of kale. Microgreens deliver an abundance of nutrition in a fraction of the volume.

The Missouri Historical Society
03/03/2017
The Highs and Lows of Governor James Wilkinson

Occasionally there are figures who weave in and out of history, connecting seemingly disparate people and events. It’s like when an infamous recurring character’s name pops up in the credits of a television show: You just know things are about to get messy.

Riverfront Times
04/05/2013
Commatose! Hundreds of Copyeditors Descend on STL

Copyeditors don't have the splashy bylines of reporters or the lovable kookiness of art directors. They sit at their desks with bowed heads, poring over their well-worn copies of the Chicago Manual of Style, checking to see if "postimpressionism" is one word, two words or hyphenated.

Riverfront Times
10/27/2011
Review: 50/50 and Lunch at Half & Half

Here's a joke: What's the difference between dogs and cancer? People actually want to talk about dogs. That's an original, by the way, not one culled from 50/50, the recently released Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt dramedy (brocom?) about cancer.