Alicia Cook

For the singer born by the name Alicia Cook, see Alicia Keys. For other people with similar names, see Alice Cook (disambiguation).

Alicia Cook is a poet, essayist and activist. She is best known for writing bestselling book Stuff I've Been Feeling Lately and for spreading awareness on the impact of drug addiction.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Education

Cook has a bachelor's degree in English Literature from Georgian Court University and an MBA from Saint Peter's University.[7][8]

She was named Distinguished Alumni of the Year in 2020[9] by Georgian Court and was their commencement speaker in 2021.[10]

Career

Cook's writing often explores grief, addiction, healing, and mental health. Her poetry is characterized by "direct, unflinching honesty and rich compassion."[3][11]

In 2016, Cook released poetry collection Stuff I've Been Feeling Lately.[12] The book tackled life, death, love, trauma and growth. It is split into two parts, part A contains original poems while part B were remixes of poems found in part A. The book was a finalist for Goodreads Choice Awards.[13][14][15]

Cook is also known for intersecting music and poetry.[3]

She was the main subject in A Family Disease, an episode of the documentary series Here's the Story on PBS.[16] The episode focused on her advocacy and the ten year anniversary of the death of her cousin.[17]

Cook released The Other Side of Addiction in 2017. It is a collection of essays about drug addiction. The book informs and comforts people who are affected by addiction, especially the families of who witnessed heir loved ones suffer in addiction.[18]

In 2018, her second poetry book I Hope My Voice Doesn't Skip was released by Andrews McMeel Publishing.[19]

In 2019, Cook went viral with the poem Sorry I haven't texted you back.[20] She released a poetry book of the same name in October 2020.[21] It was a semi-finalist in the Goodreads Choice Awards.[22]

In 2022, Cook contributed an essay titled Why I Left to the anthology New Jersey Fan Club: Artists and Writers Celebrate the Garden State (Rutgers University Press 2022) about her complicated feelings on her hometown.[23]

On January 9, 2024, Cook released the third and final book in her "mixtape" poetry series, entitled The Music Was Just Getting Good[24].

Cook's writing success and efforts to combat the opioid epidemic earned her recognitions. This includes a Women with Voices Award from the Women with Voices Foundation and a "special voices" award from NJPBS. She was also a "public health hero" finalist by NJBIZ.[25][26][27] In 2023 she received a "40 under 40" award from The Irish Echo.[28]

Bibliography

• Stuff I've Been Feeling Lately
• Heroin Is the Worst Thing to Ever Happen to Me: A Collection of Essays
• I Hope My Voice Doesn't Skip
• Sorry I Haven't Texted You Back
• New Jersey Fan Club: Artists and Writers Celebrate the Garden State
• The Music Was Just Getting Good

References

1. "The cool, young female poets making poetry trendy again". The New Daily. 1 October 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
2. "10 Poets You Should Follow on Instagram Right Now". Teen Vogue. 2 April 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
3. "'Sorry I Haven't Texted You Back' Is Refreshingly Honest About Recovery". Study Breaks. 24 April 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
4. Anania, @billyanania, Billy. "Documentary features local writer discussing addiction". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
5. Ebenau, Vin. "Toms River native Alicia Cook addresses the drug epidemic in new book". 92.7 WOBM. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
6. "Alicia Cook | HuffPost". www.huffpost.com. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
7. "Alicia Cook". Simon & Schuster. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
8. Berardi, Richard (2021-08-30). "New Trustees Bring New Talent, Insight to Georgian Court Leadership". Georgian Court University, New Jersey. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
9. "Alumni Awards Event". Georgian Court University Alumni. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
10. Georgian Court University Commencement Speaker Alicia Cook '08, retrieved 2022-09-23
11. Ebenau, Vin. "Toms River native Alicia Cook discusses mental illness in new book". 92.7 WOBM. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
12. "6 Questions With Sorry I Haven't Texted You Back Poet Alicia Cook". Read Poetry. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
13. "Review: Stuff I've Been Feeling Lately by Alicia Cook". What Is That Book About. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
14. "Announcing the Goodreads Choice Winner in Best Poetry!". Goodreads. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
15. Cook, Alicia (2017). "Stuff I've been feeling lately". OCLC 1060189139. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
16. Here's the Story | Here's the Story: A Family Disease | PBS, retrieved 2022-09-11
17. Anania, @billyanania, Billy. "Documentary features local writer discussing addiction". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved 2022-09-11.
18. Cook, Alicia (2017). Heroin is the worst thing to ever happen to me : a collection of essays. [Place of publication not identified]. ISBN 978-1540423269.
19. Anania, Billy. "New Jersey writer Alicia Cook says recovery from anything is possible". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved 2022-09-11.
20. "Review | Sorry I Haven't Texted You Back by Alicia Cook". The Wandering Wordsmith. 4 October 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
21. Lewis, Kara (2020-10-07). "6 Questions With Sorry I Haven't Texted You Back Poet Alicia Cook". Read Poetry. Retrieved 2022-09-11.
22. "Announcing the Goodreads Choice Winner in Best Poetry!". Goodreads. Retrieved 2022-09-11.
23. ""New Jersey Fan Club - Artists and Writers Celebrate the Garden State". Rutgers University Press. June 17, 2022". Rutgers University Press. Retrieved July 17, 2023". Rutgers University Press. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
24. "The Music Was Just Getting Good". Goodreads. Retrieved 2024-02-06.
25. Serrano, @KenSerranoAPP, Ken. "Coronato among NJTV Everyday Hero Award winners". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
26. "WWV AWARD CEREMONY | Women with Voices". Womenwithvoices. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
27. "2019 Healthcare Heroes Awards". NJBIZ. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
28. "2023 Top Irish 40 Under 40 Awards". Irish Echo Newspaper. Retrieved 2023-07-26.