Gayla Turner has a story to share. Her book, Don’t You Dare, weaves together a current-day journey of discovery and a love story that took place over a century ago. The story starts when she discovers her grandmother’s hidden wedding photos, dated June 8, 1915, and learned her grandmother had a secret.    

While researching her grandmother’s past, a love story emerged between her and the mystery woman in the photos. She also uncovered a secret lesbian social club that was formed in the early 1900s by a local businesswoman. Women from as far away as Chicago traveled to the little farm town in Wisconsin to attend her exclusive parties. The local town people thought her parties were held so that single young ladies could talk about how to find a husband. Little did they know, finding a man was not a subject of their conversations.

 

Her grandmother left just enough information that only someone who understood her secret life would be able to uncover the hidden story she left behind. As a lesbian, it turned out to be a mystery Gayla was uniquely qualified to solve. 

 

By day, Gayla is a bank examiner, utilizing her intuition and curiosity to uncover facts and analyze complex figures. After hours, she enjoys cooking, hiking, looking at old photos, and researching LGBTQ+ history. She uses her communications talent as a public speaker and author. Born and raised in Southern California, she and her partner live in San Marino, California, and share their home with their adorable dog, Bailey. 

 

As a debut author, Gayla has honed her writing skills with private instructors, editors, and critique groups of established writers in the Los Angeles area. She is also a member of the Wisconsin Historical Society, Romance Writers of America, and the Historical Novel Society.