Adele Gardner--Bio

Short Version

Adele Gardner (www.gardnercastle.com) is a cat-loving cataloging librarian and the award-winning creator of over 400 published poems, stories, illustrations, songs, and essays who's a professional member of writing and art organizations that include SCBWI, SFWA, HWA, SFPA, Sisters in Crime, and the Hampton Arts League. With master's degrees in English literature and library science, Gardner's a professional editor and librarian, as well as literary executor for father and mentor Dr. Delbert R. Gardner.

Long Version

Though I miss the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, I enjoy so many things about Tidewater Virginia--especially the chance to stay close to my family, with daily views of the water. I'm a cat-loving cataloging librarian with master's degrees in English literature and library science. Over the years, I've edited numerous professional projects, such as the journal Virginia Libraries and books and exhibits for the Mariners' Museum. Thanks to Dad's mentorship, I began submitting my creative work at fourteen and first received poetry acceptances at sixteen.

Speaking of Delbert R. Gardner, I'm fortunate to have been Dad's agent and collaborator since 2008. I made a sacred promise to share his work with the world as his literary executor--entirely fitting, since he guided me into the world of literature, submissions, and creative writing. An accomplished poet, fiction writer, essayist, and critic, as well as a veteran of World War II, Dr. Delbert R. Gardner taught English literature and creative writing at Keuka College in upstate New York, where he wrote An "Idle Singer" and His Audience: A Study of William Morris's Poetic Reputation in England, 1858-1900. To honor him, since 2012 I've lived and published exclusively under my middle name (given for Del, my namesake as well as my mentor).

In creative terms, I'm a poet, fiction writer, photographer, artist, editor, musician, and essayist. Under one previous byline, Lyn C. A. Gardner, my first poetry collection Dreaming of Days in Astophel came out in 2011. I've accumulated a few poetry awards: first place (Bess Gresham Memorial) and third place (twice: Casablanca Memorial in 2019 and Don Frew and John Newcomb Memorial in 2018) from the Poetry Society of Virginia; third place (both Long and Short) in the Rhysling Awards of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association; and third place in the Balticon Poetry Contest (Baltimore Science Fiction Society). Two stories and a poem earned honorable mention in The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror (St. Martin's Press). I'm a graduate of the Clarion West Writers Workshop and a member of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (Active), Horror Writers Association (Active), Sisters in Crime (Professional), Mystery by the Sea (Southeastern Virginia Chapter of Sisters in Crime), Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association, Poetry Society of Virginia, and Hampton Arts League. My photographs have shown at the Charles Taylor Arts Center (including the Virginia Artists Juried Exhibition); Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art; Gloucester Arts on Main; and the Peninsula Fine Arts Center, among others.

Not counting journalism for The Mariners' Museum, I've had over 400 separate works of poetry/music, short fiction, art/photography, and nonfiction published in assorted venues such as Deep Magic, Daily Science Fiction, Strange Horizons, Legends of the Pendragon, The Doom of Camelot, PodCastle, Pedestal Magazine, NewMyths.com, American Arts Quarterly, The Cape Rock, Dreams & Nightmares, Women in Science Fiction and Fantasy, and more. I've got a master's in English literature (emphasis in creative writing and Victorian Literature) from Old Dominion University, an MLIS from Florida State University, and two-thirds of an associate's in Photography from Thomas Nelson Community College (they're cutting the program after spring 2022--not sure I'll have time to complete the degree, since I'm a full-time librarian).

Some of my favorite non-publication-oriented pasttimes include swimming in lakes, slow-jogging past trees and interesting houses, reading or watching TV with my cats, and skating (especially ice & sidewalk skates). I love cats, owls, trees, snow, the stars, Halloween, the color blue (especially superintelligent shades), jazz and folk music, sushi, chambara, anime...and most of all, my family and friends. I'm carrying on Dad's tradition of writing & singing songs for his "offspring" and pets: each of my cats has at least one theme song, and they also enjoy feline favorites like "Tuna Fish."

Delbert R. Gardner coined the title "The Gardner Castle" (and founded it in very real terms). During the Gardner Golden Age, a call home yielded the following greeting: "You have reached the Gardner Castle. If you would like us to return your call, please leave a message after the beep."--DRG