Kelly Beck

Kelly Beck is a former TV news producer turned author specializing in writing “unhinged

shenanigans” and romantic escapades, sprinkled with real-life grit. Her former career experience includes writing the number-one ranked CBS affiliate morning show and a few Associated Press awards (that sit in her attic). Since “retiring” to become a stay-at-home mom, her days include a lot less arguing with award-winning journalists and instead, playing chauffeur to karate and T-ball practice. When not writing or reading, she enjoys spending rare alone time with her husband, rotting her brain with silly TV shows like Ancient Aliens and Expedition Unknown, and long walks with her giant doodle.

What genre(s) do you write?

I write mostly in the contemporary romance space, but I also love women’s fiction and blending the two.

Do you have a newly released novel? What is the title and a link to buy the novel?

I do not have a released book….YET. But I hope to share some very exciting news soon!

Are there any other social media links, websites, or other places to learn about you that we should add?

You can find me at @kellylbeck on most social media sites (Instagram, Tiktok, Threads)

My website is www.kelly-beck.com

If you are traditionally published, who is your agent? If you are self-published, what publishing software do you prefer/ who is your publisher?

I am traditionally published and my literary agent is Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency

How did you transition from journalistic writing to fiction?

This was actually really difficult because I wasn’t a print journalist—I wrote for television, and more specifically, a teleprompter.

SO, IN FACT, MY OLD WRITING USED TO LOOK JUST LIKE THIS.

ALL CAPS.

SHORT SENTENCES.

SNAPPY, BUZZY WORDS TO GET YOUR ATTENTION.

Learning to write “long form” again really tested my skills. Sentences are so long! And my whole career, I was taught to cut the details, leave out feelings and opinions. Just get the basic information out, but in a compelling way. If you saw the first draft of the first story I ever wrote, the sheer amount of telling in it is absolutely mortifying. I knew I had a lot to learn.

But I also had a lot of skills that transferred: I’m great at pacing (thanks to timing a newscast every single day of my life), and I’m pretty solid at writing in different character’s voices because I had to write for different anchor’s voices. Also, pretty great at dialogue from the hours and hours of transcribing interviews. And pitching?! I used to have to live pitch a whole room of news reporters, anchors, and news directors every day twice a day.

All that to say, it was a learning curve. And I’m sure if you look close enough, you’ll still find little hints of my journalism history sneaking in (em-dashes. So many em-dashes).

What are three fun facts about you?

*I once interned at a Zoo, and we had 5 clouded leopard cubs running around the office. Yes, I snuggled them daily.

*My grandfather, father, and myself have three different spellings of my last name on our birth certificates.

*Deep water freaks me out, so I’ve never been off a diving board (or water slide).

What is your favorite hobby outside of writing, and how does it influence your creative process?

I really enjoy photography! I’ve dabbled in family portraits ever since my oldest child was born and I like flexing the visual storytelling side of my brain. I think a good portrait should tell a story just like a book: a child’s first steps, a couple’s pregnancy announcement, a senior headed off to college and a new future. Challenging myself to figure out their tale and how to convey it in an image helps me with the detail work in my books (both in setting a scene and character building). Because honestly, the devil’s in the details when it comes to building a character who feels real—and the little details make for a great portrait!

If you could give any advice to a new writer/author, what would it be?

Find a group chat! And by that I mean, find a group of writers similar to you: in skillset, in goals, in their point of publishing (querying, on sub, self-pub) and help each other! I truly believe “a rising tide lifts all ships” and we learn best by sharing what we know and learn. Publishing is a difficult, and at times, isolating industry—you will need other authors’ experiences and transparency at some point in your journey.

Find those friends at the start