An Inspired Chat with Abby Pennington of Cobb County

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Abby Pennington. Check out our conversation below.

Abby, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What are you chasing, and what would happen if you stopped?
I have been chasing writing, particularly Fantasy and Poetry, since I was eight years old. I’ve been told that I used to come home from school with journals full of stories that I wrote during class. Creating characters and new worlds is a passion for me. I’ve always been the person who likes to escape within the pages of a book, and I want to create that escape for someone else. Even when I’ve struggled to keep writing, I find my way back to it. Currently, I am pursuing the completion of my five-book Fantasy series, and have already begun submitting the first book to agencies. If I didn’t chase after this passion, I wouldn’t be myself. Even a few days without writing makes me feel off, like my purpose gets a bit skewed. Writing has saved me more times than I’d like to admit. It continues to be my favorite outlet.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am twenty-six and from Atlanta, Georgia. I am the published Author of two poetry books, “The Spirit of Nature” and “Fruitful Chaos.” The most vulnerable side of me is Fruitful Chaos, which is a collection of poems I wrote during a difficult time in my life. I am currently working on a five-book Fantasy series that blends action and romance within a fantastical world. When it comes to writing Fantasy, I weave pieces of myself within the characters. So, it might not be as noticeably vulnerable as my poetry, but there are hidden parts of me in there that only the people who truly know me will understand. I think that my brand of writing is full of layers. There is adventure, romance, and magic, but also the underlying vulnerability of myself and my life experiences. To me, that’s what makes it special. On top of being a writer, I am working as a Marketing Assistant, where I manage multiple social media platforms for several companies. I am also in school full-time to finish my Marketing degree. My goal is to utilize my Marketing skills to promote my books one day. If I’m not writing or working, I am out running the trails here in Georgia. So, I stay busy balancing it all.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
This is an interesting question for me to answer, because I feel like my relationship with myself has been the most influential on how I view myself. Growing up, I had a lot of negative self-image, and I struggled with self-destructive tendencies for many years. I wrote about some of these challenges in “Fruitful Chaos” as an outlet to cope with what I was going through. I am no longer ashamed to admit that some of my darkest moments were caused by lies I believed about myself and certain past traumas. In order to save me, I had to start loving myself, and that was not an easy journey. After all the damage, I remember feeling so disconnected from myself and the world, but I began leaning into self-love. I’m just so glad I’m not the same person I was back then. I’m also grateful to be alive, which has given me a better perspective on cherishing this life and taking care of myself. On the other side of this darkness, I can finally say that I see myself as a strong and capable woman, not afraid to go after what I want.

When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
After writing all the poems to “Fruitful Chaos,” I kept them to myself for several years because the words held the darkest parts of myself. Every poem felt like a piece of me that I wanted to keep from the world. But, as I started to get healthier, I realized that maybe those poems could help someone else. Maybe someone would read my pain and feel a little less alone. As lonely as I felt at times, the idea of my words being able to comfort someone gave me the power to share them. I turned my chaos into something fruitful, as the title suggests. I stopped hiding and put my pain out there with the hopes that it would help another. And, even if it was only one person, it was worth it. Pain can either break you or strengthen you. For a long time, I let it defeat me, but now I see that it has made me the strongest version of myself. Being able to look back and see how much I have grown from the pain is a powerful reminder not to go back to that old version of myself.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
My Fantasy series is a project that I am wholly committed to. I actually started writing the series when I was fourteen, and self-published the first book at sixteen. I proceeded to write the second book, but then left it alone for years. I got stuck in the chaos of my pain and mainly wrote poetry during those years. Now at twenty-six, I have rewritten my first Fantasy book and am almost finished with the second one. I am finally pursuing what I’ve always wanted, and after all the life experience I have now, these books are much better. Not only is my writing more eloquent, but the storyline is more dynamic. The books are now mature in my writing ability and adult content. I am beyond excited to finish this series, no matter how long it takes. It feels great to be passionate about it again, and I hope I can make this dream I’ve had for so long a reality. I’ve already submitted the first book to several agencies, and I’ll keep submitting until one decides to work with me.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What will you regret not doing? 
I do not want this to become a regret, but I have had a desire to learn music for many years. When I was younger, I played the piano, and I miss it. I sing all the time, and I have written so many songs. I’ve dreamed about bringing a song to life, whether it be on the piano or guitar, and actually singing it. Music has always held a deep passion for me, as I find that it paints the emotions of written words in color. Hopefully, one day soon, I’ll give in to this desire and make a song for fun.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbypenningtonpoet
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abby-pennington/
• Other: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fruitful-chaos-abby-pennington/1145563017