S.M. Nelson first sparked an interest in writing in middle school to escape and manage typical teenage issues. This writing led her to speaking at school events, being the editor of her high school literary magazine, working on the newspaper staff, and entering and winning poetry contests.
After high school, Dr. Nelson went on to obtain her Bachelor’s in Secondary in Education, her Master’s in English, and her Doctorate of Education. Hailing from Alabama, she was the 2019 recipient of the Alabama Advancement of Literacy award. She has written blogs for NCTE, published peer-reviewed articles for the New Teacher Advocate, published a peer-reviewed an article on her experience teaching poetry, and was featured in the book Continuing the Journey: Becoming a Better Teacher of Literature and Informational texts.
She veered away from writing poetry to engage in academic writing for a large part of her adult career while also speaking at local and national conferences.
Finally, with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, she decided to put pen to paper and really give it a go at writing and publishing poetry, which had always been in the back of her mind. Unapologetic: A Poetry Collection is her debut work.
In her current day job she feels honored to serve as a literacy support specialist for a school district where she leads teachers and provides professional development. She is also an adjunct college professor and a researcher of literacy, urban education, and writing instruction. As a writer she believes in the power of writing what speaks to her soul, drawing from life experiences, and using her authentic voice. A quote she’s coined is “live life in a manner that leaves no room for should’ve, could’ve, would’ve!” This quote is the mantra she lives by, and she allows it to guide her endeavors, including the publishing of her poetry.
Unapologetic is a collection of poetry and prose compiled to share personal expressions on the themes of life, love, and society from the Black female perspective. Bravely tackling various issues like race, injustice, motherhood, and self-realization, this contemporary work of literary art captures readers’ minds while capturing their souls with honesty and clarity through highlighting the lens of Black female everydayness.
All for the Books 