Trail & Error: A Rookie Outdoor Woman’s Path to Rediscovering Adventure and Confidence After 50 - Hardcover

Bonner, Heidi

Hardcover

ISBN 13: 9798993827629

Publisher: Heidi Bonner, 2026

Synopsis

REDISCOVER YOUR COURAGE, YOUR JOY, AND YOUR WILD SIDE AFTER 50.

Trail & Error is the inspiring story of how Heidi Bonner rebuilt her confidence by stepping outside, one imperfect adventure at a time. After facing midlife upheaval, Heidi did not search for a dramatic reinvention. She simply laced up her boots and walked into the woods. What followed was a heartfelt and often humorous journey back to strength, self-trust, and possibility.

This book invites every woman who feels stuck, lost, or unsure of what comes next to join her on the trail.

Inside Trail & Error, you will discover how to:

• Reconnect with yourself through simple outdoor experiences
• Build confidence through small, manageable steps
• Embrace community, friendship, and laughter as powerful supports.
• Overcome fear, self-doubt, and the pressure to be perfect
• Find joy in movement, nature, and new beginnings at any age

Warm, uplifting, and filled with relatable moments, this book reminds women over 50 that confidence is not something you lose forever. It is something you can choose again.

Pick up Trail & Error and step onto the trail with a woman figuring it out one imperfect step at a time, discovering that confidence is built slowly, in motion, and often outdoors.

About this title

About the Author

Heidi S. Bonner, PhD, is a professor, researcher, and late-blooming adventurer who believes it's never too late to start over-or start outside. As Department Chair and Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology at East Carolina University, she has spent more than twenty years studying leadership, decision-making, and systems of accountability designed to protect others. Her work has been supported by the National Institute of Justice, the Office on Violence Against Women, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, among others, and has shaped national conversations on public safety, wellness, and organizational leadership.Beyond academia, Heidi is the founder of Rookie Outdoor Woman, a writing and lifestyle platform dedicated to helping Gen X, Boomer, and older Millennial women reconnect with confidence and curiosity through the outdoors. Her essays and guides blend humor, honesty, and practical advice, reminding readers that adventure has no age limit and "perfect" is never the goal. Through her Substack and website, she's built a growing community of women who are done waiting for the right time and ready to trade "too late" for "let's go."Before founding Rookie Outdoor Woman, Heidi spent over a decade leading teams, mentoring students, and consulting for public-safety organizations. She is also the founder of Word Sleuth Copywriting, LLC, where she helps mission-driven companies and public-safety vendors translate their complex work into clear, human-centered stories that connect with the people they serve.Her book, Trail & Error: A Rookie Outdoor Woman's Guide to Reclaiming Life and Confidence After 50, is part memoir, part manifesto, and all heart. Drawing on her experiences as a researcher, leader, and self-proclaimed "rookie," Heidi explores what it means to rebuild identity, rediscover joy, and embrace imperfection-one trail (and error) at a time.When she's not teaching, writing, or testing her gear for Rookie Outdoor Woman, you can find Heidi kayaking, hiking, or planning her next not-entirely-graceful outdoor experiment. Heidi lives in North Carolina, co-parenting her twin sons and proving that curiosity and courage are the best survival skills of all.

Edition details

• Publisher: Heidi Bonner
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 13: 9798993827629
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 170