Gabi Kenny

Staff Writer. Contributing Editor.

“…there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.” – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Following the philosophy that knowledge can be gained in the most unusual of places, Gabi branched out, avidly exploring the world around her. Graduating from Rutgers in the Class of 2012 with a degree in Criminal Justice and Psychology provided a solid foundation to build on. Having worn many hats, from food service employee to the complexities of volunteering at Crisis Intervention Centers, no one taxonomy can hold her. She defies the very notion. From each position, she has taken lessons in efficiency and compassion. Her proudest work is editing and writing, always through unconventional means, be it editing fantasy books or helping to develop games and other systems.

Fitting in with nerd culture for Gabi has always been second nature. Raised in the birth of the internet as we know it, she cut her teeth in various fan forums from Star Wars to Tolkien-styled fantasies and even the verboten Anne Rice.  This was an imperfect introduction to be sure, but one that quickly differentiated good writing from bad and instructed in the wealth of soulful wisdom to be gleaned, from literary classics to modern pop culture. Roleplaying games helped her gain confidence and improvisational skills that help in wrangling massive groups and project management to this day. Gabi’s passion for such things have assisted in networking and connecting to many, assembling projects on a grander scale. Through her teenage portrayal of various characters via cosplay, to her current endeavors, she has never lost her love of the arts.

Furthermore, she has consistently blended her love of fandom and nerdy things with her professional endeavors.  Being published in Fatal Faeries and The Mirror Tales was merely the beginning of her professional writing career, a catalog she is diligent in expanding. A detail-oriented mind from studying law translated well into an editorial skill set, with a vast body of experience greatly assisting in her fact-checking. Her broad network grants contact with content creators in the realm of LARP, writing, and game development spanning as far as the U.K., Canada, and Taiwan. Leveraging her formal education to provide relief to those in crisis and through education, Gabi remains committed to improving our world, while entertaining others through fictional ones.

While it may seem odd for a horror writer to invoke such compassion, she contends that the paradox between empathy and horror is profound; through monsters we can understand, we learn to deal with those we don’t, and help others do the same. Ms. Kenny draws upon her considerable psychology training daily, from managing group projects with difficult personalities or verifying that mental health issues are depicted credibly and respectfully. Even monsters are driven by relatable pathos, from deep seated fears that excite the reader, to other touchstones in people’s lives.  It’s no longer abstract knowledge, but a social-intelligence she’d prefer were more prevalent, in bringing compelling, quality fiction to market, and permeating our real conversations today.