The Question Of Using A Pen Name

I am guessing this is a question every new author must answer. Publishing a book for the first time is a thrill and a validation. Then one realizes something quickly. Do I want to write another book in the same genre?  The answer is yes. Or do I want to try something new, yes? Do I want to use my name or a pen name for the second book? This is the question?
The positive side of having a pen name is: it gives the author an extra layer of privacy. When having a separation of personal and business life is important, having a pen name can be advantageous. Also, when choosing to write in a different genre than what you are commonly known, it may have its benefits. You can avoid sexism by using a male name if you are female. Conversely, a male can use a female name. Regrettably, it is still out there.

My decision to use my own name has come after reading several author blogs and articles on this question. Here are a couple; Should A Woman Use A Masculine Pen Name and Should You Be Using A Pen Name.

"I think I may boast myself to be, with all possible vanity, the most unlearned and uninformed female who ever dared to be an authoress.”
― Jane Austen

Austen, women-writers 

Quotes from Women, Goodreads 

Thanksgiving Morning Gratitude

After the cold weather, Thanksgiving morning has sunshine and mild temperatures. I am feeling grateful for that. It is going to be a beautiful day full of family!

What a better day to state few gratitudes? I have a few gratitudes I want to share;

• I am grateful to my family for all the sharing their lives with me. 
• I am grateful for a warm home and the food the earth provides.
• For the time to be creative.
• For the opportunity to write and publish short stories.
• For the company and comfort, my pets provide.
• The inspiration from turning of the seasons.
• My chickens, who are a daily source of humor.
• Knowing my gratitude, helps me realize my happiness.

gabrielle cole

A Place Called Hawthorne

There is a place where the rivers fall from the mountains and the clouds touch the ocean. It is a place of legends. A Place Called Hawthorne is a village of forests, tall grasses, and Swallow's dip and swoop among the open grasslands. It is a place where winter never visits. As if, Mother Earth herself had blessed it with a kiss.
But alas, even A Place Called Hawthorne can have misfortune.


This is my new novella, coming out in November 2019. I hope you will check back often for updates on how the writing is going. I will talk about characters I develop, scenes, and plot. You can follow along as the story develops.