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I enjoy writing about a wide range of topics, whether it's a look at a filmmaker who created a best-selling autopsy video, a profile of a woman who runs a summer camp for separated foster siblings, an examination of why Internet urban legends remain so popular, or a story about the challenges atheist parents face raising their children. I've selected a few of my recent favorites and tried to put them into categories, though some resist easy classification. I have many more I didn't include here, so if you are looking for a particular type of piece, please e-mail me! Most of the following stories are available for reprinting.

For a more extensive list of my health and medical articles, visit Lorna Collier's Health and Medical Articles.

For more business and technology writing samples, see Lorna Collier's Business and Technology Articles.

General Features

Women and guns: Statistics indicate more women are arming themselves today, which some feminists think is a good thing, though others disagree (Chicago Tribune)

Camp To Belong: Two sisters who were separated as infants in foster care have created a special summer camp where kids across the country can spend time with the siblings they otherwise never see (Chicago Tribune)

Abortioncams: A radical anti-choice group is photographing women entering abortion clinics on camera, then uploading pictures to websites, which is being challenged in court (Chicago Tribune)

Autopsy video: A California filmmaker is fascinated by the autopsy process and makes a graphic video showing one, though response is not always what he had hoped (Chicago Tribune)

Health

The aging of anorexia: Eating disorders affect middle-aged (and older) women, not just teens, though treatment often is aimed exclusively at younger patients (Chicago Tribune)

Selective mutism: When children refuse to speak, it's sometimes more than just shyness or stubbornness -- it's a little-known disorder that can be treated if caught early enough (Chicago Tribune)

CHIP helps a city lose weight: An innovative low-fat lifestyle campaign kicks off in a burgers-and-fries, blue-collar Midwest town, hoping to be a blueprint for nationwide success, (Chicago Tribune)

Childhood obesity: So many kids are overweight today that it's being called a crisis and an epidemic. What can be done? This series looks at solutions (Knight-Ridder Tribune, national distribution)

Parenting

Life with the Sundays: How one family of modest means copes with the stresses -- and joys -- of raising quadruplets (Chicago Tribune)

Atheist parenting: Raising children outside the religious mainstream can subject families to prejudice and isolation, fueled by the misperception that atheists aren't moral people, (Chicago Tribune)

Baby sign language: Researchers are discovering that babies can communicate using sign language before they learn to speak (Chicago Tribune)

Boot camps: Shipping troubled teens off to boot camps seems to work on TV talk shows, but not in real life (Chicago Tribune)

Education

21st Century literacies: How can teachers use Web 2.0 technologies to reach today's students? (The Council Chronicle: National Council of Teachers of English magazine)

Education upgrade: An iPhone for every college student? A look at tech trends affecting education in the next five years (MSN Encarta)

Long-distance learners helped by high tech: Videoconferencing, podcasts, Second Life, and other innovations are improving distance education (ATT.net)

Learning styles: Not every child learns the same way. How paying attention to learning styles can help your child in school (Chicago Tribune)

Business

Tears in the workplace: Why do women cry more than men, and what -- if anything -- should women do to avoid tears on the job? (Chicago Tribune)

Business profile: Envirovac: A look at a firm that's "flushed with success," thanks to its vacuum toilet business (Rockford Magazine)

Honey, he shrunk the shirt: Inventor comes up with new marketing gimmick (Sales and Marketing Strategies & News)

Disabled entrepreneurs: Businesspeople with disabilities are able to use special programs to help businesses get started, but want no special favors (Crain's Chicago Business)

Technology

Internet urban legends: Why are these crazy stories so popular and what can be done to stop them from cramming your inbox? (Chicago Tribune)

Telemedicine: Virtual reality technology creates opportunities for long-distance doctoring (Newmedia.com)

Digital surveillance: Businesses use hidden cameras and the Internet to monitor employees from afar (Crain's Chicago Business)

Tempest: threat or hoax: Can Big Brother see what you're typing on your computer from outside your building, using "Tempest" technology? (Smart Computing magazine)

Lorna Collier's Articles