Alecia Gabrielle

Alecia Gabrielle is an American poet and member of the Mississippi Poetry Society. Having written poetry since she was 12 years old, Alecia’s debut collection Afterglow Effect was released in 2020 – a second edition was published earlier this year. In 2023, she released Man-Made Motion Sickness. She has new projects in the works, and aspires to work alongside non-profit organisations in the future. 

Meet Alecia Gabrielle

Questions On Writing

What was the hardest part of your writing experience with Afterglow Effect?
The most difficult part of writing my first collection was the realisation that a lot of my experiences are quite universal. It pained me to know that there are so many young people out there who have suffered the same as I have, but there is also a strange comfort in that. I wrote my truth, and that proved to be extremely difficult yet freeing at the same time.

What did you learn about yourself when writing the poems for this collection?
I learned to trust myself in the healing phase of my life. I was so full of self-doubt before completing the collection. I thought it may always sit somewhere as a draft. I now have a lot more faith in myself.

Do you have a favourite poem out of the collection?
A couple of contenders would be ‘Secret Cat in Hell’, and ‘ A Dream of My Mother’.

What does literary success look like to you?
To me, literary success is simply getting your book into the hands of readers who relate and/or appreciate your work.

Coming from someone who enjoys reading poetry but struggles to write it, what is it you like about writing poems so much?
Writing poems has always been an expression of emotion for me. When I am in love, I write poetry. When I am mad, I write poetry. When I am grieving, I write poetry. When I am awestruck by the fact we exist on some rock in the universe, I write poetry. It helps me in more ways than one.

Do you force yourself to write everyday/regularly, or do you only write when inspiration comes?
I do my absolute best to write a few poems per week. It doesn’t always happen though. What does happen is that I will suddenly gain a burst of inspiration, and I will write ten poems in one sitting. Those are my favourite days.

Questions On Books and About You

Firstly, the most important question, what books are currently ‘on your bedside table’?
Currently, I am between reading The Ones We Burn, which is a fantasy fiction novel by Rebecca Mix, and Call Us What We Carry, which is a poetry collection by the brilliant Amanda Gorman.

What does your writing space look like?
Oh boy! My writing space is sometimes my desk at my day job. Other times, it is a napkin in my car, a sticky note when I am at an appointment, or my laptop in bed.

How many books do you think you own?
I own roughly 150 books right now. That number grows every year!

Who is your literary icon?
There are two poets I follow on Instagram who I would definitely say are literary icons. They are Skyler Witherspoon and Kristiana Reed.

If you could own one rare/1st edition copy of a book, which one would it be?
Alice in Wonderland!

Is there an author who you always read?
I always find myself flipping back through the pages of Marge Piercy’s work. I highly recommend her poetry!

And finally, are there any plans for any new books? If so, what teasers can you give us?
My second full-length poetry collection is in the works and a release date and cover will be announced towards the end of 2023! This collection dives into the magic of New York City and all its twists and turns. I am excited to share it with everyone soon.

Thank you so much Alecia😊I’m so glad you could be my first poet featured

Alecia Gabrielle’s Books