a.j.k. o'donnell is the wordsmith of four literary collections: Nicoteane and Other Foolish Mistakes (2015), This Void Beckons (2018), Amaranthine (2022) and rerooting (2025). They frequently write about death, devotion, and becoming.

o’donnell holds a BA in Religious Studies and Philosophy from the University of Nebraska Omaha. They spent a year studying for an MDiv degree, integrating death spiritual care and creative writing, before moving home to Nebraska to write and publish rerooting.

o’donnell is also a death doula, having trained with the International End of Life Doula Association and received a certificate from the University of Vermont.