At Inkitt, we love celebrating our talented authors and their incredible journeys. Today, we’re excited to feature an exclusive interview with Wendy Gamelkoorn, the brilliant mind behind Haven’t We Met Before?—the winning story of Inkitt’s Seasoned Romance contest.
Wendy’s path to becoming a published author is nothing short of inspiring. From secretly reading The Lord of the Rings as a child to struggling with chaotic story ideas as a teen, her passion for storytelling has always been undeniable. However, it wasn’t until she joined Inkitt in 2021 and made the bold switch from Dutch to English writing that her stories truly found their voice.
In her own words, Wendy shares the highs and lows of her writing journey, her breakthrough moments, and the thrill of seeing her work featured on Galatea. Let’s discover what drives her as an author!
My Journey as an Author
Wendy Gamelkoorn, author on Inkitt and Galatea
I’ve been lost in books since childhood, secretly reading adult fantasy novels like The Lord of the Rings at age 9. Though I attempted writing at 16, my ideas felt too chaotic to capture.
Everything changed when I discovered Inkitt in 2021. Seeing other writers publishing captivating stories gave me courage to try again. The breakthrough came when I switched from writing in my native Dutch to English—suddenly, the words flowed naturally.
My early stories received little feedback, but my third story, Three Brothers, gained significant interest despite its grammatical errors. Over four years, I refined my craft by studying other writers and giving myself time to develop deeper plots and characters.
The real surprise came when Inkitt contacted me about featuring my story Nieve & T’harn on Galatea! Later, my short story Haven’t we met before? won first place in the Seasoned Romance contest and will soon be my second Galatea publication—far exceeding my expectations when I first began writing.
Currently, I’m working on I don’t belong in your world, a romance/action story about a 40+ mother and an arms dealer who meet under unusual circumstances.
What I love most about writing is when readers emotionally connect with my characters—getting angry, sad, or laughing along with them. These reactions and heartwarming messages inspire me to create many more stories.
Final Thoughts
Wendy’s journey shows that writing isn’t just about talent—it’s about persistence, growth, and finding the right space to share your stories. From struggling with chaotic ideas to winning a contest and getting published on Galatea, she’s proof that taking a leap can lead to amazing opportunities.
What makes her writing stand out is how deeply readers connect with her characters—whether they’re laughing, crying, or getting completely wrapped up in the story.
And the best part? She’s just getting started!
We can’t wait to see what she writes next, and we’re so happy to have her as part of the Inkitt community.
Got dreams of writing your own stories? Take a page from Wendy’s book and go for it—you never know where it might lead!
