blog
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Why a pen name?
Hint: I’m not trying to hide–I write romance novels I am named after my paternal grandmother. She was Gaylie—Gaylie Belle. My parents, I can only suppose, wanting to update or personalize the name, changed it to Gayelynn. With an “e” in the middle. It’s my name. My everyday name. It was a tribute to my…
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Do you follow the pattern?
Do you read the directions before you begin putting together the furniture or toy? Someone wrote those patterns or instructions. And chances are good, they knew more than I about that process. So, I always plan to follow the directions. But then a random thought intrudes. An idea takes root. This costume might look better…
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Writing An Homage
My dad likes to watch British mysteries. On my last trip to Idaho, I wrote during the day. In the evening we watched old episodes of Poirot, based on Agatha Christie’s novels. I had never read any of Agatha Christie’s works. I was intrigued. Mystery Inspired by Agatha Christie From 1920 through 1973, Agatha Christie…
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In Defense of Brain Candy
Brain Candy? What is that? Some people call it light reading, some genre fiction. These are stories and novels that have a greater mainstream appeal than traditional literature. They are more accessible and easier to read. Don’t get me wrong. I love “Literature” with the capital L. The poetry, short stories and novels that have…
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Asking
My Starting a Business Class, challenged me to do the paperclip trade. This is where you take an item of very little value and ask people to trade something better for your item. Then you trade again, and again. (The first man who did this traded fourteen times, over more than a year, eventually ending…
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The Moment of Suspension: Can it be good?
I’m writing my 5th book this year. From April 2021 to now, I’ve finished two full length novels and two novellas. At some point in every novel or novella that I have written so far, I have found myself in an uncomfortable, paralyzing moment. I’m there now in my third full length novel. Sometimes the…
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What Is Your Song?
Do you have a song? One particular song that represents the beginning or flowering of your romance. How did it become your song? Do you play it on special occasions? Or do you just remember vividly when you chance to hear it? What is it about music that speaks to us so powerfully? I don’t…
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Build a world
culture I have been thinking about culture. I’m defining culture here as that unspoken ‘knowledge’ that a group of people share. The things that we never question because we are sure that everyone understands, accepts, and experiences the same. Every family has a culture–a way of doing things and thinking that every family member assumes…
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Write What You Know
Write what you know. You’ve heard it before. I think people say that hoping to de-mystify writing, to make it sound easier, doable for all of us. I see three problems with this imperative. One is that I only know so much. There is another saying that everyone has at least one book in them.…