Abels graduated from
Radcliffe College in 1926. In the 1930s, she was the executive secretary of the
League of American Writers. She served as the managing editor of
Mademoiselle magazine between 1945 and 1960. Under her leadership, the magazine's focus shifted from fashion to literature, publishing stories by
Truman Capote,
Dylan Thomas, and
Carson McCullers. Abels was a close friend of
Katherine Anne Porter. In addition to Porter, Abels served as the literary agent for
Christina Stead,
Francis Steegmuller,
Zelda Popkin, and
Robert Scheer, among others. == Legacy ==