She's written essays for the New York Times and National Geographic Traveler and published short fiction in literary journals like The Iowa Review. Her TED Talk on the intersection of romance and neuroscience has notched more than 4 million views. Her memoir in essays, My Own Devicew, was published by Dutton (Penguin Random House). She lives in Minneapolis and Manhattan and still tours in a rented van full of snacks and friends. Dessa serves as Georgetown's Music Sustainability Initiative Artist in Residence.