Shaylynn Hayes-Raymond is an accomplished author, advocate, and mental health professional originally from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. She now resides in New Brunswick, Canada, with her husband, who serves in the Canadian Armed Forces, and their beloved cats. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, and an honours diploma in creative digital media. With over a decade of experience as a web, graphic, and print designer, Shaylynn considers the cover art for her books an integral part of the reading experience, personally designing all of her covers.
Shaylynn’s passion for writing dates back to her childhood when she began composing poetry and declared, “Someday I will publish a book.” She is a lifelong reader and writer with interests spanning various genres, including literary fiction, magical realism, science, spirituality, children’s literature, and character-driven commercial fiction. Each genre she writes offers a distinct perspective, and she encourages readers to approach her books as individual works that stand on their own merits.
In addition to her literary pursuits, Shaylynn is a dedicated advocate for misophonia, a condition she experiences firsthand. As the Director of both The International Misophonia Foundation and Misophonia International, she is at the forefront of advocacy efforts for this often misunderstood disorder. While Shaylynn has contributed articles on mental health, including misophonia, to numerous publications—HuffPost, Psychology Today, Thought Catalog, The Mighty, and ScreenRant—she emphasizes that books on these topics are not substitutes for professional therapy. Similarly, her fictional works are crafted purely for entertainment and should not be considered through a therapeutic lens.
Shaylynn’s interest in science is reflected in her admiration for authors such as Dr. Jennifer Jo Brout, Dr. Stuart Shanker, and Dr. Joseph E. Ledoux, who have influenced her understanding of complex topics in mental health and human behavior. Her favorite works of fiction include Savages by Don Winslow, Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire, and timeless classics such as Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice, One Hundred Years of Solitude, The House of the Spirits, A Farewell to Arms, and The Bell Jar.
