View source for Gayle Lynds

{{short description |American journalist, editor and spy fiction writer}}
{{Infobox person
|name          = Gayle Lynds
|image         =
|birth_date    = {{birth year and age |1945}}
|birth_place   = [[Omaha, Nebraska]], U.S.
|alma_mater    = [[University of Iowa]]
|occupation    = {{flatlist|
* Journalist
* editor
* author
}}
|known_for     = Co-founder of [[International Thriller Writers]], Queen of Espionage Fiction
|spouse        = [[Michael Collins (American author)|Dennis Lynds]], John C. Sheldon
|module = {{Infobox writer
|embed = yes
|genre         = [[Thriller (genre)|Thriller]], [[spy fiction]]
|notableworks  = Masquerade
}}
}}
'''Gayle Lynds''' (born 1945) is an American former journalist, editor and author. Lynds is known as the Queen of Espionage Fiction for her [[spy fiction]] or [[spy]] [[thrillers]] novels. Lynds is the co-founder of [[International Thriller Writers]].
== Early life ==
In 1945, Lynds was born in [[Omaha, Nebraska]]. Lynds' father was an artist who worked on woods. Lynds grew up in [[Council Bluffs, Iowa]].<ref name="bidinotto_lynds2016"/><ref name="nebraskaauthor_lynds"/><ref name="thebigthrill_lynds2010"/>
== Education ==
Lynds earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the [[University of Iowa]] in [[Iowa City, Iowa]].<ref name="nebraskaauthor_lynds"/><ref name="radioiowa_lynds2006"/>
== Career ==
Lynds' fiction career began with [[literary]] [[short stories]] published under her own name and several [[Pulp fiction (genre)|pulp fiction]] novels under male [[pseudonym]]s such as G.H. Stone, Gayle Stone, Nick Carter, and Don Pendleton.<ref name="bidinotto_lynds2016">{{cite web |url=http://www.bidinotto.com/2016/08/interview-with-gayle-lynds-queen-of-espionage-fiction/ |title=Interview with Gayle Lynds - Queen of Espionage Fiction |website=bidinotto.com |date=August 8, 2016 |accessdate=March 28, 2021}}</ref>
In 1996, Lynds' first novel Masquerade was published.<ref name="mbradleyonline_lynds2019"/> Lynds also wrote three novels in [[The Three Investigators]], a YA [[mystery novels|mystery novel]] series. With [[Robert Ludlum]], she created the [[Covert-One series]] and wrote three of the books.
In 2004, Lynds and [[David Morrell]] co-founded [[International Thriller Writers]], Inc. and they became the first co-Presidents.<ref name="mbradleyonline_lynds2019"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnBXz9JlQYY|title = S1E6: Gayle Lynds - Rising Above a Biased Industry|website = [[YouTube]]}}</ref>
Lynds is known as the Queen of Espionage Fiction.<ref name="mbradleyonline_lynds2019"/>
''The Hades Factor'', which she co-wrote with Robert Ludlum, was a CBS television miniseries in April 2006.
== Personal life ==
Lynds' husband was [[Michael Collins (American author)|Dennis Lynds]], also a novelist. Lynds and her family lived in Santa Barbara, California. In August 2005, Lynds' husband [[Michael Collins (American author)|Dennis Lynds]] died.<ref name="bidinotto_lynds2016"/><ref name="radioiowa_lynds2006"/>
In 2011 she married retired Maine district court judge John C. Sheldon. They lived near Portland.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://roguewomenwriters.com/about-us/#gaylelynds |title=About Us - Gayle Lynds |website=roguewomenwriters.com |accessdate=March 28, 2021}}</ref><ref name="bidinotto_lynds2016"/>
Lynds lives in Maine where she is a full-time novelist.
== Works ==
This is a partial list of novels by Lynds.
=== Novels ===
* 1996 ''Masquerade'' - First spy novel written by a woman to become a bestseller.<ref name="mbradleyonline_lynds2019"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://electricliterature.com/10-spy-novels-with-women-protagonists/ |title=10 Spy Novels With Women Protagonists |website=electricliterature.com |first=Paul |last=Vidich |date=February 1, 2021 |accessdate=March 28, 2021}}</ref>
* 1998 ''Mosaic''
* 2001 ''Mesmerized''
* 2004 ''The Coil'' - Won  Military Writers Society of America Best Novel.<ref name="mbradleyonline_lynds2019"/>
* 2006 ''The Last Spymaster'' - Won American Author's Association 2006 American Author Medal.<ref name="americanauthorsassociation_lynds"/><ref name="mbradleyonline_lynds2019"/><ref name="radioiowa_lynds2006">{{cite web |url=https://www.radioiowa.com/2006/05/31/iowa-spy-author-tours-country-for-latest-book/ |title=Iowa spy author tours country for latest book |website=radioiowa.com |first=Matt |last=Kelley |date=May 31, 2006 |accessdate=March 28, 2021}}</ref>
=== Covert-One series ===
This is a list of novels from the Covert-One series. Lynds co-wrote these novel with Robert Ludlum.
* 2000 ''[[Covert-One series#The Hades Factor|The Hades Factor]]'' - Won American Author's Association 2008 Golden Quill Awards.<ref name="americanauthorsassociation_lynds"/>
* 2002 ''[[Covert-One series#The Paris Option|The Paris Option]]''
* 2003 ''[[Covert-One series#The Altman Code|The Altman Code]]''
==Filmography==
* ''Covert One: The Hades Factor'' (writer) (2006)
== Awards ==
* 2002 Finalist of [[Daphne du Maurier]] Award for ''Mesmerized''.
* 2004 BookPage Notable Title for ''The Coil''. It also won the ''Affaire de Coeur'' reader poll for "Best Contemporary Novel."
* 2006 American Author Medal for ''The Last Spymaster''. Presented by American Author's Association.
* 2006 Novel of the Year prize for ''The Last Spymaster''. Presented by the Military Writers Society of America.<ref name="americanauthorsassociation_lynds">{{cite web |url=http://www.americanauthorsassociation.com/awards.htm |title=Awards - 2006 American Author Medal |website=americansuthorsassociation.com |date=2006 |accessdate=March 28, 2021}}</ref>
* 2008 Golden Quill Awards for ''[[Covert-One series#The Hades Factor|The Hades Factor]]''. Presented by American Author's Association.<ref name="americanauthorsassociation_lynds"/>
* ''Masquerade'' was listed by ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'' as one of the ten top spy novels of all time.
* ''Mosaic'' was named "Thriller of the Year" by ''Romantic Times'' magazine.
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{Portal|Children and Young Adult Literature}}
* [https://gaylelynds.com/ GayleLynds.com]
* [https://vimeo.com/10533708 2010 Half-Hour TV Interview on The Creative Community]
* [https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/17526.Gayle_Lynds Gayle Lynds at goodreads.com]
* [http://find.mainewriters.org/writers/gayle_lynds/ Gayle Lynds at mainwriters.org]
{{Nick Carter (character)}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lynds, Gayle}}
[[Category:1945 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American novelists]]
[[Category:21st-century American novelists]]
[[Category:American spy fiction writers]]
[[Category:American women novelists]]
[[Category:Novelists from California]]
[[Category:Novelists from Iowa]]
[[Category:Novelists from Maine]]
[[Category:Women military writers]]
[[Category:20th-century American women writers]]
[[Category:21st-century American women writers]]