Contact Me

Would you like me to come on your podcast or join an Instagram Live? Drop me a line and we’ll set something up.

Are you a member of the media who needs a knowledgeable voice for a radio segment, TV show or news article? I’ve got plenty of experience with media appearances and I’m always happy to chat.

Are you the organizer of a book club and want me to do a virtual author visit? Please don’t be a stranger! I love connecting with my readers and rarely miss a chance to pop in on a discussion.

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Click on the link to drop me a line!

Linda@lindamcgurk.com

Linda-455-low-res

rainorshinemamma

Swedish American author, speaker and nature play advocate🌿 Living an open-air life⛺️ Start here👇🏼

🔥GIVEAWAY🔥 To celebrate that it’s been one

🔥GIVEAWAY🔥
To celebrate that it’s been one month since I published my book THE OPEN-AIR LIFE, I’ve partnered with a few of my favorite brands for an amazing giveaway. Together, we’re giving away nearly $1,000 worth of prizes ideal for friluftsliv - the biggest giveaway I’ve ever done! I guarantee you that these prizes will help you spend less time inside four walls and more time in the great outdoors🌲

1st prize: Hiking pants and pile jacket from Fristads (value $300)
Gift card to MK Nordika (value $200)
Beanie and wrist gaiters from Woolpower (value $90)
12L kids backpack and double hammock from 1000 Hours Outside (value $75)
3 copies of THE OPEN-AIR LIFE from Tarcher Perigee (value $60)

2nd-3rd prize
Beanie and wrist gaiters from Woolpower (value $90)
1 copy of THE OPEN-AIR LIFE from Tarcher Perigee (value $20)

How to enter:
1. Like and save this post
2. Follow all the accounts in the giveaway:  @fristadsofficial  @mknordika_kids  @woolpowerus @1000hoursoutside  @tarcherperigee @rainorshinemamma
3. Tag two friends in the comments

May the forest be with you and good luck!🌳

The giveaway closes on Dec. 4 and the winners will be announced shortly after. Must be 18 and reside in the US to enter. The giveaway is not endorsed by or affiliated with Meta.

#TheOpenAirLife #TheOpenAirLifeBook #TarcherPerigee #rainorshinemamma #friluftsliv

Children are intuitively attuned to nature, but wh

Children are intuitively attuned to nature, but when they’re little, they’re dependent on the adults in their lives to provide them with time and space for outdoor play🌿

I know parents are under a lot of pressure to do All. The. Things. for their kids today and the idea is not to add yet another chore to the to-do-list, but to live a life where nature has a constant and given presence🌳

A life where nature is not an abstraction, but a place to call home.
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#theopenairlife #theopenairlifebook #friluftsliv #outdoorfamilies #outdoorkids #letthemexplore

This giveaway is now CLOSED. Winners of the book g

This giveaway is now CLOSED. Winners of the book giveaway were @limitless1216 and @kassiswallow. Winner of a year in the Kids Moon Club was @batlixie. Congratulations!

🌿INVITING NATURE INTO THE HOLIDAY SEASON🌿

Join us – Wildschooling founder Nicolette Sowder and author Linda McGurk – in a rare Instagram Live this Sunday at 11am EST, as we explore the meaning of the winter solstice and different ways of connecting with our families, ancestors, and Mother Nature during this special time of the year.

Our discussion will span everything from traditional folklore and the magic of storytelling to hands-on ideas for celebrating the season outdoors. We will also be giving away two copies of Linda’s new book, The Open-Air Life: Discover the Nordic Art of Friluftsliv and Connect with Nature Every Day, and a year in the Kids Moon Club 2023 Journey. Don’t miss this opportunity to align with the season with us!🔥

How to enter the giveaway:

1. Follow @awilderchild and @rainorshinemamma
2. Comment on this post by finishing this sentence: To me, the holiday season is about…
3. Join our IG Live Sunday, Nov. 13 at 11am EST

The winners will be drawn at the end of the Live.
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#holidays #instagramlive #wilderchild #rainorshinemamma #giveaway #outdoortraditions

Four years ago, I sat in my friend's basement in B

Four years ago, I sat in my friend's basement in Bozeman, Montana, and wrote the introduction for what would become my new book, The Open-Air Life: Discover the Nordic Art of Friluftsliv and Embrace Nature in Everyday Life. Life happened and it would take me two more years to finish the proposal, a year to write the book and yet another year for the publisher to edit my manuscript and bring it to market. That may seem like a long time, but I don’t think the timing could’ve been better.

Study after study is now showing what most of us can already feel intuitively: that being active outside isn’t just good for our physical and mental health - it’s absolutely crucial. Still, many of us keep treating the outdoors like an optional, rather than a necessity. Something we’ll do if we can fit it into our busy schedules. Ironically, those with the most hectic lifestyles are also those who stand to gain the most from slowing down in nature🌿

Friluftsliv, or “open-air life” is about spending time outside in the natural and cultural landscapes for personal wellness and to experience nature, without pressure to achieve or compete.

How you practice friluftsliv is up to you. It can be as simple as going for walks in your local neighborhood or as advanced as learning how to survive in the wilderness. But in reality, friluftsliv is much more than a set of activities – it’s a culturally learned rhythm that revolves around finding joy in nature. In the process, it connects us with the land, our communities and our ancestors🙏🏼

While friluftsliv is a Nordic concept, it holds the potential to benefit all of us, regardless of your culture, religion, ethnicity or socioeconomic background.

Embracing nature can be life changing. I also believe that the culture of friluftsliv is one of the reasons why people in the Nordic countries consistently rank among the happiest in the world. Would you like to know how? Grab a copy of The Open-Air Life now. Then do as the Nordic people do: just go outside! (Buy link in bio)
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@tarcherperigee @meg_thompson
#TheOpenAirLife #friluftsliv #outdoorlife #outsideeveryday #outdoorfamilies

Let them run wild🔥 That is all.
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#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #theopenairlife #rainorshinemamma #theairisfree #outdoorlife #lifeisbetteroutside #outdoorfamilies #1000hoursoutside #runwildmychild #letthemplay #letkidsplay #letkidsbekids #wildandfree

These images and video are from last weekend, when

These images and video are from last weekend, when Nora and I went camping near Gothenburg in western Sweden. If you look closely at the first photo, you’ll see that there’s an airplane in the sky, just coming in for landing✈️ That’s because we’re literally a 10-minute drive from one of the biggest airports in Sweden😅

I chose this location purely because it was convenient; we had to pick somebody up from a flight the next morning. Getting to a more remote location wasn’t feasible with our timeline and instead of getting hung up on the noise from the airplanes (we counted about 10 over the course of the night), I felt grateful that there are places of such beauty so close to the city. We literally spent the night where the wild and the human made intersect⛺️

Was this the most epic location I’ve ever camped in? Certainly not. But sometimes, a good enough location is a lot better than not going camping at all😁

Have you ever gone camping in an urban area?
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#friluftsliv #theopenairlife #theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #camping #urbancamping #campingwithkids #liveoutdoors #lifeisbetteroutside

🚀ONE WEEK UNTIL LAUNCH!🚀 In just a week's t

🚀ONE WEEK UNTIL LAUNCH!🚀

In just a week's time, my book The Open-Air Life will hit book shelves and it's exciting and nerve-wracking all at once. It will be the first English language book to take a deep dive into the friluftsliv tradition and attempt to explain it to the world. and I feel like that comes with great responsibility to do it justice.

One of the take-home messages of the book is that friluftsliv is a way to connect our own lives with the lives of our ancestors, and I've noticed that the older I get the more important this becomes to me. While modernization has brought us many conveniences, it has also alienated us from the natural world where we evolved and caused us to lose knowledge of basic survival skills. By living simply and learning friluftsliv skills, we can heal that broken link, empower ourselves and connect our children with the land and our history in an authentic way.

Curious to learn more? Pre-order your copy of The Open-Air Life now and get a bonus bundle featuring 5 tasty outdoor recipes! You'll find the links to both in my bio👌🏼
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@tarcherperigee #TheOpenAirLife #friluftsliv #outdoorlife #lifeisbetteroutside #bookstagram #naturelover

With a teen in the house, I’m having to accept t

With a teen in the house, I’m having to accept that going on weekend adventures as a family is far from a given. My oldest now has her own sphere of friends, interests and ideas, a different world that often has a stronger appeal to her than mine. I’m having to accept that she’s becoming an independent young adult and that my influence over her is waning. I’m having to accept that any time we go camping together from now on might be the last time, and I won’t even realize it until much later😭😭

This realization has made camping with my youngest daughter, who is 11, seem even more precious. This past weekend we went to a nearby nature area to do some hiking, camping and experimenting with new dessert recipes over the fire🔥 It was a treat for the mama soul.

You know that old saying about parenting, “The days are long but the years are short”? I always felt like it was just a sentimental cliché and now here I am, feeling all the feelings and wishing I’d just have a few more years to do all the things with both kids😭

Anybody else feeling it today? Consider it your invitation to commiserate with me😅
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#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #theopenairlife #friluftsliv #momlife #outdoorfamilies #theairisfree #freeairlife #camping #campingwithkids

Isn't it funny that nature has given humans - and

Isn't it funny that nature has given humans - and most other mammals - a perfectly designed learning process for our young ones, yet we tend to think it's not good enough, even a waste of time? I dare say that play is thoroughly misunderstood and sadly undervalued, even though it's absolutely key to children's development. Among other things, play helps children:

✅ grow strong and healthy bodies
✅ develop physical, emotional and cognitive resilience
✅ learn to collaborate, negotiate and solve problems
✅ make sense of the world around them
✅ discover who they are and what interests them
✅ develop their creativity and imagination
✅ manage risks and conquer fears
✅ practice decision-making skills
✅ develop their executive function

The list could go on but I think you get the point. Play is not a waste of time. Play is enough in the early years. Trust in the process and know that play is perfectly designed to meet the needs of your child.
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#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #play #playiswork #playislearning #playisenough #earlychildhood

This is about to get real - 13 days and counting u

This is about to get real - 13 days and counting until The Open-Air Life hits book shelves! The illustrations by my friend Heather of @winterberrystudio are just gorgeous and so is the design by the team at @tarcherperigee. I love how they both frame my writing in the most beautiful way possible! Big thanks also to my wonderful agent @meg_thompson who has shepherded this book from the moment it was just a rough proposal🤗

Pre-order here➡️ https://bit.ly/3xmR3XX
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#theopenairlife #friluftsliv #tarcherperigee #penguinrandomhouse #unboxing #bookstagram #nordicculture

"Turglede"🏕 Norwegian for the joy of being out

"Turglede"🏕

Norwegian for the joy of being out on a longer trip in nature, which is the customary weekend pastime over there, turglede is hands-down one of my favorite words in my book The Open-Air Life.

Often when we talk about going outside, we talk about the physical health benefits, about heart rate, blood pressure, cortisol levels and vitamin D uptake. But I think we also need to talk about the joy of being outside, in nature, our home where we evolved.

Whether you're going for a walk at the park, hiking in the woods, kayaking on a lake or spending the day in the ski tracks, I think turglede beautifully captures what being in nature is all about. What do you think?

PS. You'll find a pre-order link for The Open-Air Life in my bio.
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#theopenairlife #turglede #friluftsliv #outdoorlife #freshairlife #theairisfree #norway #lifeisbetteroutside

Up until a few years ago, I didn’t care much for

Up until a few years ago, I didn’t care much for foraging for mushrooms. In fact, I didn’t even like the taste of them. Then one day I woke up, walked into the woods and thought to myself, dang, those are some tasty-looking trumpet chanterelles. Actually, that’s not how it happened but it would’ve been cool if it was. Instead, I think foraging just crept up on me without me even noticing. Now I wouldn’t trade it for anything; it’s hands down one of my favorite ways of enjoying friluftsliv, or open-air life🍄

Do you ever go foraging for wild edibles? If so, what do you pick?
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#theopenairlife #friluftsliv #outdoors #foraging #wildedibles #wildforaging #wildfood #mushrooming #trumpetchanterelles #outdoorfamilies #outdoorfamily

One of the great things about the Nordic outdoor t

One of the great things about the Nordic outdoor tradition friluftsliv - or open-air life - is that it doesn't require a ton of expensive gear or equipment. Instead, it encourages us to explore the natural and cultural landscape in our local communities with simple means, most often on foot. Most of us don't live near pristine wilderness areas, but we can all find nature in everyday experiences - from watching the clouds go by in the sky and feeling the rain on our cheeks, to hugging a tree at the park and listening to the symphony of bird song an early spring morning. Nature is all around us, we just need to tune into it🌿 My book The Open-Air Life will help show you how - pre-order link in bio📚
@tarcherperigee
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#theopenairlife #rainorshinemamma #bookstagram #friluftsliv #outdoorseveryday #nature #naturelover

This is just a friendly reminder to celebrate all

This is just a friendly reminder to celebrate all those times you actually got out the door, no matter how insignificant it may have seemed at the time❤️
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#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #theopenairlife #theopenair #friluftsliv #outdoorfamilies #outsideeveryday #theairisfree #slowliving #freeplay #outdoorplay #wildandfreechildren #letthembefree

It was World Environmental Health Day the other da

It was World Environmental Health Day the other day but with so many other crises going on around the world, it went by rather unnoticed😢 And honestly, if we're going to have a chance to turn things around it will take a lot more than a symbolic event once per year; we need to act to save the planet every day🌍

To get there, I believe we all need to feel a spiritual oneness with nature, rather than think of nature as the "other." The best way to nurture that connection is to be outside, hands-on and interacting with the natural world in which we evolved.

If you have young children, give them the gift of nature connection. Take them outside to look at the night sky and listen to the leaves ruffle in the wind. Let them play in the rain and walk barefoot through grass heavy with morning dew. Help them sow a seed and nurse it into a plant🌿

In my book The Open-Air Life, I explore how the Nordic outdoor tradition friluftsliv encourages us to protect nature through personal attachment. If you'd like to read more, find the pre-order link in bio.
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#TheOpenAirLife #friluftsliv #outdoorlife #outsideeveryday #environment #theresnoplanetb #environmentalprotection #nature #childrenandnature #lifeisbetteroutside

Did you know that October 4th is the official Cinn

Did you know that October 4th is the official Cinnamon Roll Day in Sweden? Well, now you know😅 While I’m usually not a huge fan of cinnamon rolls, I thought it’d be fun to try making them over the fire. I’ve seen different versions of them but this being a school night and we didn’t have much time before dark, I decided to go with the easiest possible recipe and tweaked it just a little bit. And you know what? I must say these beat the ones from the store by far! The trick here is not to cut yourself short on margarine - if the rolls are dripping of fat, you’ve done it right😋👍🏻

SWEDISH CAMPFIRE CINNAMON ROLLS

1 pre-made pizza crust
5 ounces margarine, soft
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 ounce margarine for frying

Make a fire and place a large cast-iron skillet over it, letting it heat up. In a bowl, add the margarine, cinnamon and cardamom and beat until smooth and all ingredients are mixed. Remove the packaging from the pizza crust and spread it out on an even surface. Distribute the margarine mix evenly over the crust, then roll it up from the long end. Divide the roll into 16 equally sized pieces. Add the rest of the margarine to the skillet and let it melt, then add the rolls. Put a lid over the skillet and leave the rolls for 5-10 minutes, then turn them and bake the other side until they’re golden brown and slightly crispy.

We made these before dinner time, which was a strategic mistake since they’re rather filling and there were enough for the kids to eat three each😳 Don’t say I didn’t warn you…
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#theopenairlife #theresnosuchthingasbadweather #friluftsliv #campfire #campfirecooking #cinnamonrolls #cinnamonrollsrecipe #kanelbullensdag #outdoorliving #freshair #outdoorsyfamilies

This giveaway is now CLOSED. Congratulations to th

This giveaway is now CLOSED. Congratulations to the winners:

🥇1st prize @kitalley
🥈2nd prize @jessalynwarddesigns

DM me to claim your prize🏆

🎉🎉🎉GIVEAWAY! 🎉🎉🎉

Today is no ordinary day; today is the five-year anniversary of the publication of my book There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather! I think that’s worth celebrating, so I’ve partnered with Julia of @wildhavenwools for a giveaway. Wildhaven Wools is a small business that makes adorable, high-quality base layers from sustainably sourced merino wool in their studio in Haines, Alaska. I’m very excited to introduce you to Julia’s unique designs, just in time for colder days outside!

The giveaway:
1st prize: 1 copy of There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather and a $200 gift card to use in Wildhaven Wool’s webshop
2nd prize: 1 copy of There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather

Here’s how to enter:
✅ Like and save this post
✅ Follow @rainorshinemamma and @wildhavenwools
✅ Share your favorite tip for staying warm outside in the winter
✅ Bonus entry: Tag a friend!

Must be 18 and a resident of the US or Canada to enter. This giveaway is not affiliated with or endorsed by Instagram. Ends Wed. Oct. 5 at 11:59 pm EST.
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#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #wildhavenwools #giveaway #bookgiveaway #baselayers #merinowool #alaskamade

Cooler temps lie ahead but just because it’s fal

Cooler temps lie ahead but just because it’s fall it doesn’t mean camping must be over!🍁⛺️ I’ve done a challenge to sleep outside at least one night per month in the past year and these are three of my best tips to stay warm during chilly nights☺️
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#friluftsliv #theopenairlife #openair #sleepoutside #camping #freshair #lifeisbetteroutside #fallcamping

If travel and outdoor adventures are part of your

If travel and outdoor adventures are part of your DNA, transitioning to parenthood can leave you feeling lost. How do you keep doing what you love with a new baby in the mix? Is it even still worth pursuing between nap schedules, diaper blowouts and the increased stakes of planning to accommodate a baby when you're on the go?And how do you handle all the nay sayers? My friend @meghanjward is looking for answers in her travel memoir Lights to Guide Me Home, a candid tale of finding a sense of self through your outdoor passions, then reinventing yourself as you become a mother.

I've been reading an advance copy of Meghan's book and pulled out some of the quotes that really spoke to me. Can you relate? If so, I think you'd enjoy this book too☺️
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#lightsthatguidemehome #bookstagram #book #booklover #travelbooks

Getting kids outside often comes down to finding o

Getting kids outside often comes down to finding out what makes them tick and there’s no one approach that fits all.

Yesterday, when I asked Little Miss N if she wanted to come for a walk with me, I was snubbed with a decisive “Nope.” So, I changed tactics.
”How about Pajas (the cat), do you think he wants to go for a walk?”
She lit up.
“Yes!”
“Okay, should we go see if we can find him?”
“Yes!”
And off we went😁

Over the years I’ve found that it usually helps to take off your adult hat when you want to take kids outside. They don’t necessarily enjoy the outdoors for the same reasons we do (relaxation, taking in the scenery etc) but have unique motivations of their own. In our home, creating a buy-in for the kids usually goes by the way of involving our pets😅

In this case, bringing the cat gave Little Miss N a task - to make sure the cat kept even steps with us and didn’t get left behind. It made her feel important and gave her something to focus on other than putting one foot in front of the other (which kids tend to get tired of pretty quickly). While it isn’t always feasible to bring our cat along, it’s low-hanging fruit when I just want to get out for a short walk around the neighborhood.

What is your go-to motivator when your kids resist going outside?🤔
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#theresnosuchthingasbadweather #rainorshinemamma #theopenairlife #friluftsliv #outsideeveryday #lifeisbetteroutside #outdoorfamily #outdoorfamilies #catsofinstagram #catstagram

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