Behind my own Reflection

ABOUT BIANCA

I was born on May 27, 1993 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. I moved to the US alone when I was eighteen years old. This was made possible with the assistance of my amazing mother—Salomé Aba, a basketball scholarship I received from Lighthouse Christian School in Antioch, TN, and my incredible host family (Ms. Baker and Mr. & Mrs. Wharton). I attended John Brown University in Arkansas and Wiley College in Texas for a handful of semesters. I eventually graduated from Graceland University, Iowa in 2017.

Although I was very passionate about basketball, which thankfully allowed me to fund the majority of my higher education, my first love has always been writing. As a child, when asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I always answered: “une écrivaine”—a writer.

However life kept happening, as it does; and I strayed further and further away from my passion for writing. After over a decade of soul searching, I reconnected with my love of written storytelling in my debut novel: Across Both Sides of the Mirror.

I originally imagined this story when I was in my early teens. Back then, it was a way for me to journal. Over a decade later, I was able to flesh out this novel’s concept to tell Nova’s story. Admittedly, writing this book was very therapeutic for me as well. Just like Nova, I was faced with a decision: continue to be a bystander in my own life story or take control of my reality. I chose the latter. But will Nova?

Bianca Pensy Aba’s Debut Novel

ACROSS BOTH SIDES OF THE MIRROR

Get to know Bianca: 7 Fun Facts

  • This is a tough one. I think Toni Morrison’s Sula might be it. I just love the premise of this book, and how she portrays what can happen when a creative person doesn’t have an outlet to express themselves.

    Stephen King’s Pet Sematary, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah, and The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde were also strong contenders for my number one spot.

  • Wendy’s, baby! (#Number 2 with pineapple mango lemonade, light ice—I’d like just a little ice with my drink, not a little drink with my ice, thank you)

  • Costa Rica. I went there my senior year of High School and had a blast. Amazing food, people, and culture! I definitely would like to go back and stay a little longer.

  • The Break-Up with Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn. I think this movie is equally hilarious and heartwarming.

  • Girlfriends, Friends, and Breaking Bad.

    Very honorable mention for South Park.

  • Definitely a night owl! I have a very unfounded theory that a person is either an early bird or a night owl based on the time they were born (this is predicated on me and confirmed by asking three other people—obviously a large enough sample size for this theory to be conclusive lol). I was born at 10:30 PM.

  • Wake up after 9 AM (see previous question ;), drink some coffee while reading a good book. Go for a hike. If it’s nice out, grab some snacks and drinks for an afternoon picnic. In the evening, go to to the theater to watch a movie. End the day with a nightcap.

“Il n’y a que la mort qui n’a pas de solution sur terre.”

Only death has no solution on earth.’

Salomé AbaMy Mother and Shero