GRIT
Unshakable pursuit of a life lived fully.
Nursing was always the safe career choice for me—steady, secure, and able to keep my family fed. But after years of sleepless nights, chest compressions, IV drips, ventilators, and holding the hands of grieving families, I knew it was time for a change. Burnout, uncertainty, and a deep longing to return to my first love—writing—led me to pursue an MFA in Creative Writing & Publishing Arts.
Writing, for me, is both personal and powerful. It’s a way to grieve, to reflect, to express, and to connect. My debut memoir Vital Signs explores motherhood, marriage, and the realities of working as a nurse in the American healthcare system. Since its release, I’ve continued to write with the hope that anyone struggling to find balance and purpose will feel less alone, and maybe even inspired to chase their own dreams.
Today, I write from my small town in Southern Pennsylvania, where I live with my husband, two children, and two enormous fur pups. I serve as an English professor and the lead writer/editor for a regional lifestyle magazine. My work moves between the raw edges of real life and the heat of fictional romance: when I’m not unpacking the emotional toll of caregiving in my nonfiction, I’m diving into the dark, messy, and passionate worlds of romance.
My essays have appeared in Welter, Baltimore Fishbowl, and I’ve been featured on the EmpoweRNment podcast to discuss creative recovery, storytelling, and life on the frontlines of healthcare.
When I’m not writing or teaching, you’ll find me traveling, reading romance novels, or advocating for better support for frontline workers. Follow me on Instagram @authorashleytaylor for new releases, hot takes, and heart-tugging essays.