Angela Abbott is the author of Of My Cells: Poetry on Infertility and Motherhood. She is both an English composition and creative writing professor as well as a book editor. Above all, she enjoys spending time with her family, though she is also an avid reader who loves traveling and exploring local small businesses. Her work most recently appears in the Writer’s Read Bellevue Literary Review collaborative anthology: Body Language: True Stories of Illness, Recovery, and Discovery. Additional work can be seen in Atticus Review, 805 Lit + Mag, Adanna Literary Journal, and elsewhere.
You can reach her at anabbott88@gmail.com
That was the formal “bio.” If you want something a bit more personal, read on.
I enjoy writing in all genres– poetry was my first love, but I’ve found that all genres give me the ability to play with words and that’s what I’m really into. I’m fascinated by the human condition and how similar we all are at our core, despite being in an atmosphere that feels more divisive and hostile each day. Ultimately, my passion is exploring how the human condition affects us all differently. I write to connect and I’ve found that there’s far more that connects us than separates.
I write because it’s cathartic and oftentimes, my writing teaches me more about myself. I’ve gone through many trials and find it is best to open up about my struggles, which has always led to deeper connections. I’ve been a victim. I’ve been a survivor. I’ve dealt with years of infertility. And on the day I gave birth to my daughter, I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Spoiler alert- it’s benign. “Life altering, not life ending” as my neurosurgeon told me. But I didn’t know that at the time and that time of uncertainty in the midst of postpartum was probably the most difficult thing I’ve ever experienced. My days since my diagnosis have been marked with joy, pain, questioning, uncertainty, and more joy.
In a former life, I was a singer, but finding the time to do that now that I have two young kids is difficult, to say the least. I love traveling and long for the days when it will be easier to go to other countries, but again, young kids can make these things difficult. I am a foodie through and through. I love learning about different cultures. I love learning in general. And I am absolutely captivated by compelling storytelling – be it through music, movies, tv shows, or art.
My poetry chapbook, “Of My Cells: Poetry on Infertility and Motherhood,” can be purchased at https://bottlecap.press/products/cells. I am currently wrapping up work on a novel I truly believe in. I’ve also began work on my memoir regarding my brain tumor diagnosis. You can follow my current writing and reading adventures on instagram: @between_the_binding_
Angela Abbott 