ABOUT Amanda
from A(lmost Everything) to Z

Author, Artist, Activist, Advocate, Advisor, Affirming, Ace, Academic, Agrarian,  

All Around Little Bit of Everything
 
Amanda Jean Alley (she/her/hers) is a queer author, artist, activist, and nature lover. She is Florida born, from a small town in the swaps of the Sunshine State. She was raised in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky for the second half of her childhood. She now calls Canada home.

Growing up introverted and self isolated she connected to the creatures and natural world around her. Her creative outlets became an escape and a way to shape a reality she controlled. As an adult she fills the space around her life with both plants and pets. Her writing and art is her escape. Her place of control. Her road to healing. She considers herself to be on a roller coaster of healing. Most days she feels over it. Some days she is right back to square one.  

Her work reflects both her respect for her Southern roots as it clashes with her embrace of progressive life and her struggles between trauma, healing, and sexuality expressions. This is often reflected through her characters in writing and the imagery within her artworks.  

Her work embodies the themes and expressions of gender nonconformity. A key influence in her formative years. A reflection of her life growing up in a construction family. One of her favorite hobbies and passions is home remodeling. From sketching out on paper architectural ideas to completely tearing things down to the studs and rebuilding. Building/construction projects and power tools are an ever-present part of her life. She loves to build and create things from raw materials or cultivate the growth of things. Whether this is through remodeling projects or working the land on the farm. The feeling of exhaustion is an affirmation of accomplishment.
 
Her writing has a heavy feminist influence with main characters often perceived by the world differently than they identify themselves. They struggle internally to establish who they are both within themselves and the people around them. Most come from complicated family structures. A reflection of her own reality. She experienced many instances of conflict with being born into a family system with rural values in the American South.
 
For many years she and her partner operated a self sustained hobby farm with organic gardens and sustainable land management. They also worked full-time in ministry as outspoken advocates for marginalized groups. They lived and worked on their homestead, building on to their home and starting the process to adopt. After several instances of harassment and threats, they lost their home to an act of arson by local hate groups just shortly after the 2016 election. Political rhetoric has consequences. Due to continued threats of violence, they left their beloved farm; moved completely off grid living remotely in a camper in the woods of Kentucky. Eventually they left Kentucky for Canada for better opportunities and safety.

She is very passionate about many different social justice issues. Especially those that involve race, class, gender, sexuality, nationality, religion, and creation care. She is a tireless advocate for equality for all. She has a particular interest in discrimination, inclusion, and equality for all within women’s rights and the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. In a professional setting she has worked with domestic abuse survivors for many years. Being a voice and advocate for them in shelters, counseling centers, faith communities, and courts. In everything she does she does so with a focus on creation care. Taking care of Mother Earth and all within is key.

She stays busy writing, creating art, and co-running a progressive faith community. Her hobbies and interests include music, gardening, building projects, architecture, outdoor activities (camping, fishing, hiking), cooking, enjoying a glass of wine and occasionally a Mimosa or Screwdriver (but only if it is made with authentic not from concentrate Florida orange juice), yoga, and a lover of all of natures creatures big and small. She loves coffee, seafood, sauteed anything, sushi, stir fry, chocolate, butter pecan ice cream, Nerd’s candy, and the occasional medium rare steak. Despite being raised in the South she doesn't really like fried foods (but don't tell anyone who is below the Mason Dixon line or else she will lose her Southern born card). She loves chicken and dumplings if they are made properly from scratch. She also loves authentic Southern Sweet tea but doesn't drink it often because despite it being such a tasty drink it's really bad for you. She is an Ordained member of the Clergy with over 15 years of work experience in various ministry settings.
She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, KY. She is editing her 3rd novel and a children’s book series. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Vine Leaves Press, and The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature.

Follow her on Twitter @AmandaJeanAlley and Instagram @AmandaJeanAlley

 
 
 

 

 

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