Gina Poekeleen
Gina Poekeleen is a pen name and chosen as a dedication to my parents, who gave me those nicknames. I was born and raised in the Netherlands, have lived in the UK, the USA and Australia, and now live in Aotearoa with my family.

Writing
I have been writing stories since I was very young. Writing is my natural medium of expression.
I write for a variety of audiences and age groups, and I enjoy trying new genres and styles.
I write both fiction and non-fiction, both books and blogs. My fiction is in the first person or close third, so as to allow the reader to step into the mind of the characters without the need for an omniscient narrator.
Psychology
My background is in mental and physical health care, education, psychology and philosophy.
All my writing is based on the understanding of our inborn personality type differences (our psychotypes), which transcend all social, cultural, ethnic, gender, religious and orientation differences, and can be recognized by all readers.
The characters in my books are all true to their own personality type, and, therefore, despite their best intentions, sometimes in conflict with the people around them.
Self-publishing
I have self-published since 2008 (using a different pen name), and never regretted one moment of it, although it has been a learning curve.
Self-publishing is rewarding, as it allows me control of the time frame and decisions about style, illustration and topics. Of course, it also makes me responsible for every last comma and every mistake, and for the marketing.
Since those are not my natural talents, I rely on the help of talented illustrators, editors, formatters and marketers.
Topics
The topic of my writing is always based in ethical issues, and focuses on the conflicts that naturally result from our inborn psychological differences without the need for “evil forces” or “bad guys”.
My goal is not to judge according to right and wrong. However, my point of view characters often represent a minority and a perspective that does not always agree with the way things are. The goal of all my writing is to create a better world for all people.