Who Am I?

Hi, I’m Gaille Pike. I’m a syndicated columnist (“Tallgrass & Tumbleweeds,) interviewer (The Sunflower Seven,) writer, and consultant. I’m also the Production Manager for the 46 Trap documentary currently in production: “The Devils You Knew” (The Levittown Red Devils Documentary Project.) My current projects include a publishing a collection of my columns, two novels, and continued management and promotion of my clients online (websites and the social media platform of their choice.)

What All Subscribers Will Receive

A weekly public newsletter featuring essays, fiction, poetry, photos, opinions, podcast, reviews, and random observations. There will be audio recordings of the newsletters, as well. There will also be bonus newsletters from time to time.

What Paying Subscribers Will Receive

You’ll receive additional newsletters with content available only to paid subscribers including “Tallgrass & Tumbleweeds” columns with be audio recordings of each column as well. Paid subscribers will also receive the “The Sunflower Seven Interviews” and access to audio of the each FULL interview. I will also be doing live readings of works-in-progress on Zoom for paid subscribers.

To find out more about the company that provides the tech for this newsletter, visit Substack.com.

Tallgrass & Tumbleweeds

Tallgrass & Tumbleweeds is a syndicated weekly column currently available in 20 Kansas publications. My first six months, as I chronicled my experiences coming back to live in the state after three decades on the East Coast ran as “Healy Gaille Returns.” But as I settled in, my escapades and observations have become shaped by my experiences living in both The Flint Hills and Western Kansas, and crisscrossing the state endlessly for work and leisure.

This endeavor began as a bit of a lark. But it has continued because I am passionate about our newspaper tradition, and in particular the vital contributions of our community newspapers to our communities, in Kansas, and in across the nation. Please DO support your local newspapers! And please do not substitute a Pike X “paid subscription” for a newspaper subscription!

Pike X paid subscribers will, however, receive weekly Tallgrass & Tumbleweeds (text and photos as well an audio version) as well as access to all archives. And of course, all subscribers will be the first know when my collection of columns is available for purchase!

Tallgrass & Tumbleweeds is currently is available in:

The Sunflower Seven Interview Series

Three and a half years ago, this guy I know nonchalantly said, “Hey why don’t you interview prominent Kansans, ask them seven questions and call it, The Sunflower Seven?”

Thank you, Delaniac.

But I had to hit the “pause button” following my debut interview (with artist/historian Jerry Thomas) because that pesky pandemic (and a variety of other personal events) changed life as we know it. I’ve always wanted to get back to this project.

So I’m thrilled to announce The Sunflower Seven is back and in syndication, with an interview with Matt Peek, a wildlife research biologist for the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism.