Behind the Pages: Lanie Brice

Born in Texas but raised in Jackson from the age of seven, Lanie Brice has long been rooted in the rhythms of mountain life. After earning her B.S. in Music Industry from the University of Southern California, she’s now pursuing an M.Phil. in Creative Writing at Trinity College Dublin — a transatlantic leap that perfectly suits her love of both creativity and adventure.

A familiar face around town, Lanie grew up browsing shelves at Valley Bookstore (where she once worked in high school) and has spent summers working at Dave Hansen Whitewater and volunteered with Jackson Hole Writers to inspire young storytellers at Colter Elementary.

In the previous edition of JHStyle Magazine, she captured the literary charm of Violet Volumes and the breathtaking magic of scenic flights over the Tetons. In our upcoming winter issue, Lanie turns her keen eye toward two tales of grit and innovation — mountain athlete, business owner, and mom Crystal Wright, and the creative evolution behind NoSo gear patches.

Despite the distance to Dublin, we caught up with Lanie to get her thoughts on finding inspiration in the coldest months, what keeps her cozy even on the blusteriest of days and much more.

What was your favorite part of contributing to the 25/26 Winter Edition of JHStyle?

I love the chance to talk with members of the community that I might not meet otherwise who are doing incredible things! I got my first NoSo Patch from the library years ago, and I've always wanted to learn more about the company, so it was such a fun assignment.

During cold months, what's your go-to beverage to warm up?

I'm always a sucker for a chai latte. I'm not a big coffee drinker, so it's that or a London Fog for me.

What's the perfect wintertime meal?

I love warm, rich meals for winter like creamy chicken noodles.

What's your favorite part of winter? And what's just the worst?

Best: Watching the snow fall out the window while I'm curled up under a blanket with a book. Worst: Spending this winter away from Jackson, I definitely won't miss scraping a foot of snow off my car in the dark just to go to work!

When it's time to turn on some music and get to writing, what's on your playlist?

I have a Spotify playlist called "moody" that I write to most often. It has a lot of Jensen McRae, Katie Gregson Macleod, Maisie Peters, Noah Kahan, Lorde, and Zach Bryan.

Chilly temps, wind, snow... what wintertime wardrobe items would you perish without?

I wouldn't get anywhere without my fingerless gloves! I'm too attached to my phone to not have my fingertips exposed, but having your hands and wrists covered makes all the difference.

Describe your ideal winter day.

Maybe get in a few turns if it's a good snow day and then hang out at the Teton Village Cowboy Coffee with a hot drink and a good book because I'm always the first to bail on the slope. Then a stop by the library to pick up the holds I inevitably have and an hour or two at the high top desks getting some writing in. Maybe a browse around the shelves for some inspiration! Then, if we're talking about a perfect day, I'd stop into King Sushi for a Juju Roll for dinner.

Where's your favorite spot to write? Why?

I'm a huge cafe or library writer because I focus best with a little bit of low-grade chatter around me and the sense of purpose that paying for a coffee to be somewhere offers me. Otherwise, I write from bed, which is much worse for my posture.

If you could enjoy a fireside chat with one writer — dead or alive — who would it be and why?

Wow! There are so many authors I'd love to chat with, but I think I'd have to choose Sally Rooney because she's most impacted me both as a writer and her books are a huge part of why I moved to Dublin and enrolled at Trinity College.

If someone is looking for a great book to add to their winter reading list, what would you recommend?

There are so many great books! For some reason, winter books make me think about finally tackling those intimidatingly long books so maybe The Bee Sting by Paul Murray or Wellness by Nathan Hill. Some other favorites of mine include On Beauty by Zadie Smith, Beautiful World Where Are You by Sally Rooney, or my recent favorite read, Breakdown by Cathy Sweeney.

From whitewater rapids to writing workshops — and now across the Atlantic — Lanie’s adventures are just getting started. Follow her creative journey and latest stories on Instagram @laniebrice, explore more of her work at laniebrice.com, and step into her world of words on Substack at lanieland.substack.com.