Gina Hyams is an author and editor who specializes in mysterious and confounding subjects, such as pie, nannies, extraterrestrial encounters, the history of incense, folk art, facials, pink palapas, death, and room service.

She is the creator of Pie Contest in a Box: Everything You Need to Host a Pie Contest (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2011), Chili Cook-Off in a Box: Everything You Need to Host a Chili Cook-Off (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2012), and Christmas Cookie Contest in a Box: Everything You Need to Host a Christmas Cookie Contest (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2012) Her other books include the bestselling travel-design titles, In a Mexican Garden: Courtyards, Pools, and Open-Air Living Rooms and Mexicasa: The Enchanting Inns and Haciendas of Mexico, as well as Pacific Spas: Luxury Getaways on the West Coast, Day of the Dead Box, The Campfire Collection: Thrilling, Chilling Tales of Alien Encounters, and Incense: Rituals, Mystery, Lore (Chronicle Books). She is also co-editor of the anthology, Searching for Mary Poppins: Women Write About the Relationship Between Mothers and Nannies (Hudson Street Press and Plume, divisions of Penguin U.S.A.); it won a 2007 NAPPA Honors Award (National Parenting Publications Awards for Parenting Resources).

Gina was a contributing editor to Berkshire Living. Her essays and articles have also appeared in Huffington Post, Newsweek, San Francisco, Organic Style, Ideal Destinations, Healing Lifestyles & Spas, and Salon.com. She has contributed to Fodor's Travel Publications, National Public Radio, and numerous anthologies. She was honored for her Twitter stylings by Mashable: The Social Media Guide in Nonfiction Tweets: 70+ Authors to Follow on Twitter.

Her background also includes extensive experience in marketing and public relations on behalf of Berkshire Crafts Fair, Berkshire Playwrights Lab, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Elements/Jill Schwartz, Hancock Shaker Village, HarperCollins Publishers, Heritage Museums and Gardens, Holson Productions, Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, The Mount, Mother Jones magazine, San Francisco State University Poetry Center, A Traveling Jewish Theatre, and Victoria Kirby Public Relations.

Gina has done pro bono work on behalf of Berkshire International Film Festival, Meals on Wheels Association of America, Monument Mountain Regional High School, and WBCR-lp Berkshire Community Radio. She also serves as a member of the Berkshire Creative Economic Council.

Raised in San Francisco, she now lives in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts with her husband, Dave Barrett, and daughter, Annalena.