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All About Diane
Diane Kelly is the author of the hilarious Death & Taxes romantic mystery series published by St. Martin's Press. The series includes:
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Diane's Fun Facts
Ruby Nickname:Emerald Island Ruby Hometown: Mansfield, Texas Age: 44 GH Year(s) 2009 Completed Manuscript(s) Death, Taxes, and a French Manicure; Busted; Love, Luck, and Little Green Men; The Beauty and the Brain (YA); Minimum Wage (YA) Genre(s): Romantic Comedy, Young Adult, Light Paranormal/Fantasy Started Writing: Fall 2000 Day Job: Tax Advisor For Fun: Taking the dogs to the park, playing keeno with my wild ‘n crazy friends, hitting the slot machines in Vegas or Shreveport, and, of course, writing! |
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The Ruby Slippered Sisterhood
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Blog Posts from Diane
Finaling in the Golden Heart? Now That’s REALLY Something!Posted by Diane Kelly Mar 20 2012, 12:01 am in 2012 finalists, golden heart, rita, Romance Writers of America, rwa At last year’s RWA conference in New York, I sat in on a panel of editors from St. Martin’s Press. Editor Jennifer Enderlin said something that hit home with me and my critique partner who I attended the panel with. (Jennifer Enderlin is Janet Evanovich’s former editor on her Stephanie Plum books and editor for the Ruby Sisters’ own Darynda Jones). To paraphrase, she said that for a book to grab her attention, it has to be really something – as in really funny, or really scary, or really sexy, or really creative, or really inspiring, or really thought-provoking. This sounds like such a simple concept, but it’s a critical one. I have no doubt that my Golden Heart win happened because my manuscript for Death, Taxes, and a French Manicure was really funny. I bet everyone else who finaled in the Golden Heart can fill in this blank immediately: “My book is really __________.” Books that don’t push the envelope, that aren’t over-the-top, or “out there”, or that don’t take things to the extreme, are simply not as likely to get noticed. Lukewarm lacks luster. Wimpy won’t work. Normal not needed. Okay, that’s enough goofy alliteration, but you get my point, right? Does this mean all of our stories have to be the literary equivalent of Lady Gaga? No. But it does mean that writers who aspire to catch the attention of an editor or agent need to figure out what their strength is and push it to the limit. Take chances! Don’t hold back! Let yourself go! If nothing else, you’ll find yourself having a really good time. Are your books really something? If so, what are they really? Ruby Sister Diane Kelly is the author of the funny Death & Taxes romantic mystery series. You can find Diane at www.dianekelly.com, www.facebook.com/dianekellybooks, www.twitter.com/dianekellybooks, or every other Monday at www.killerfiction.net.
SEX AND TAXES – by Diane KellyPosted by Diane Kelly Mar 1 2012, 12:01 am DEATH, TAXES, AND A SKINNY NO-WHIP LATTE, book #2 in my Death & Taxes series releases today! I’m so excited! I’m also excited that it’s almost spring. The temperatures are rising, the trees are filling out with green leaves, the flowers are beginning to blossom. The birds and the bees are flitting about, doing what [...] A Funny Thing Happened on My Way to Becoming a Writer . . . by Diane KellyPosted by Diane Kelly Dec 6 2011, 1:00 am People often ask me how I became a writer. My answer? Because I worked for criminals. I know what you’re thinking. What the heck? Although I enjoyed writing projects in English class and was commended on my writing skills by my teachers, becoming a novelist wasn’t something I planned on when I was young. Sure, [...] What if Rhett Butler had Given a Damn? by Diane KellyPosted by Diane Kelly Nov 30 2011, 1:00 am A while back, I wrote a manuscript that included some characters from Ireland. To get a feel for their language and culture, I loaded my Netflix queue with Irish movies and watched as many as possible. My family was patient for a week or two, then they tired of me hogging the DVD player. They [...] Hopes and Dreams . . . by Diane KellyPosted by Diane Kelly Nov 1 2011, 1:00 am I can’t believe this day is finally here! It seemed so far off . . . then WOOHOO! Here it is! Today marks the release of my debut novel – Death, Taxes, and a French Manicure, the first book in my Death & Taxes humorous romantic mystery series. I’ve spent the last twenty years working [...]
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books from Diane
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