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News, writing tips, essays, short stories, book recommendations and more!
New Kelly & Thorne Book Just Announced!
We've been keeping this one under wraps for a while so very excited to share the news. Our next historical adventure with HarperCollins is coming in December 2025, called MY FAIR FRAUDS!
Press Roundup: The Starlets
The Starlets press tour! Co-authors Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne talk about collaboration, creating a sense of place in historical fiction, and cat-and-mouse capers in podcasts, vlogs, interviews, and articles. Check out this media roundup!
Early Buzz for The Starlets
I'm thrilled to see THE STARLETS on several November round-ups, and very grateful for the incredible early endorsements we've received for this novel!
Book Tour Dates – The Starlets
The Starlets release is here, and so is the book tour! Here are a few places we’ll be popping up on the East Coast in November so mark your calendars and come say hi!
Stars for The Starlets
Starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal for The Starlets, out November 2024 by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne.
“Pass the popcorn and settle in for a terrific time with this seamlessly crafted blend of historical fiction and old-school suspense…”
Life & Literary Updates in 2024!
Happy 2024!! Wrapping up an intense whirlwind of a year, with many ups and downs. On the professional side, I published two books after a seven year intermission, wrote another adventure with Jenn as well as a solo proposal, planned out the beginnings of a new venture I’m really excited about, and graduated my masters program after four years on and off through Covid.
Keynote Speaker at Alma Mater – My Journey in Law & Publishing
I recently had a wonderful and absolutely surreal day where I journeyed back to my alma mater, Merion Mercy Academy, to give a Mercy in Action talk about my legal and publishing journey with the school's current student body.
Press Roundup: With Regrets featured on fall reading lists
I'm so thrilled to see my genre-blending thriller on some "most anticipated" reading lists for the fall! Check out these featured reviews, interviews, and some guest articles as part of this press roundup for With Regrets.
With Regrets Book Tour
With Regrets is going on tour! I’ve got several events this fall, in person and virtual, and hope you can join the fun!
BookBub Loves The Antiquity Affair
Jenn and I were so thrilled to see The Antiquity Affair featured on BookBub's roundups for best new historical mysteries; mysteries featuring female sleuths; and new books about archaeology.
Recap: The Antiquity Affair Book Tour!
Video compilation of The Antiquity Affair Book Tour with co-authors Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne.
The Antiquity Affair – East Coast Book Tour!
Co-authors Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne are going on tour to celebrate the release of their new book, The Antiquity Affair. Check for dates in your area!
With Regrets – New Thriller Novel from Lee Kelly Just Announced!
I’ve been waiting to share the exciting news: I’ve got another novel coming this fall, my “Real Housewives of the Apocalypse” thriller!!
Graduated my Masters Program at VCFA!
I (finally!!!) graduated from my masters program at Vermont College of Fine Arts – with an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults.
World Building in “What-If” Short Stories: Tips and Tricks
Authors of speculative short stories manage to present fully lived-in worlds while still delivering satisfying narratives and character complexity. How do they do it all in the span of several thousand words?
Making a Character Come Alive (in 10 pages or less!)
Bringing a character to life in any work of fiction is a difficult task, but the charge is even more challenging in short fiction, where the author has far fewer scenes and pages to make their characters feel alive. Here, I share some takeaways I gleaned from reading short stories with memorable characters.
Reimagining Revision: Some New Ideas for Rebooting Your Stories
Revision is a crucial step of the storytelling process, although the type of creativity we employ during this stage feels different than freewriting or drafting, and probably requires a different process. I tried out some revision techniques offered by Lynda Barry and Jeff VanderMeer, and was really pleased with the results!
My 5 Favorite “What-If” Worlds That Feature Sisters
Sisterhood is one of my favorite relationships to explore as a writer, and one of my favorites to enjoy as a reader! Here are some of the most memorable fantasy, sci-fi and speculative novels I’ve read that feature sisters.
Short Story Beginnings - What I Learned From Reading Some of the Best
Short stories are a great way for novelists to “cross-train” with their craft; I wrote a bunch of shorter pieces for my MFA program. But because these pieces are shorter, their openings have to be that much more enticing. Some takeaways from reading masters of the craft…
Building Blocks for Playing with Time: Ideas for Crafting “Then-Now” Narratives
As a reader, there’s nothing more exciting to me than a novel which jumps back and forth between two seemingly disconnected stories or timelines, knowing that, eventually, the full story will all come together. But how do writers actually build these tricky narrative puzzles into one cohesive picture?