Kelly Harms is the bestselling author of several novels, most notably, The Overdue Life of Amy Byler and The Goodluck Girls of Shipwreck Lane. Her books explore the inner world of women whose lives did not turn out as planned, women who are thrust into incredible, often hilarious situations like winning a new home only to find out you have to share it with a woman of the same name, or a cocktail party that has some seriously Freaky Friday-like consequences. Her books have topped the charts on Amazon, Washington Post, and USA Today, and The Overdue Life of Amy Byler was a Goodreads Readers Choice Top Ten pick (2019).
A former literary agent, Kelly traded the New York hustle and bustle for the dream of being an author in a quieter life in Madison, Wisconsin with her sparkling son, Griffin; her fluffy dog, Scout; and her beloved Irishman.
When she’s not getting lost reading a book, she’s either writing, or on the water, in the water, or near the water.
PS: Those things are all true, for sure! But if I didn’t have to have an easily copy-and-paste-able bio for media reasons, I’d also add…
Kelly (me) grew up in Iowa, and her much bigger brother only tortured her sometimes. Sometimes he played Home Run Derby with her and every time she hit a 400-footer, he made mouth sounds like the crowd was going wild.
She studied Biology and Violin Performance at Gustavus Adolphus College, then worked selling shoes and interning at the Utne Reader, which had a huge books section. That’s where things went downhill—too much book publishing exposure resulted in a decade in New York in the publishing business. It cannot be helped. On the plus side, while there she rooted for the Mets and heard a lot of great bands and worked as Docent at the American Museum of Natural History and sang in the West Village chamber choir and, once, attempted to host a dinner party in her 300 square foot studio.
Eventually she came to her senses and moved back to the Midwest, though she misses New York all the time. Kelly is now a USA Today, Amazon Charts, and Washington Post bestselling author. THE OVERDUE LIFE OF AMY BYLER was a Goodreads Reader's Choice Fiction Top Ten of 2019, a WFWA Star Award nomination, and a #1 Amazon Bestseller. Her works have been translated into a dozen languages throughout the world. THE SEVEN DAY SWITCH is her fifth novel and has helped push her above the million-download milestone.
In Wisconsin, she roots for the Cubs AND the Brewers which is very confusing. She likes snow and cross-country skiing and knitting and playing games with friends and kids and kids of friends. In Madison she became a mother, a sailor, and a fan of craft breweries.
She loves writing by a fire in the winter and in the sunroom in the summer. She’s currently at work on her sixth work of comic fiction and who knows what else.
Kelly Facts:
Birthstone: Sapphire
Novels published so far: five
Novels written so far: nine
Pairs of shoes owned: twenty-seven
First USA Today Bestseller Kelly edited: TO MARRY THE DUKE by Julianne MacLean
First USA Today Bestseller Kelly wrote: THE GOOD LUCK GIRLS OF SHIPWRECK LANE
Number of unread books on Kelly’s Kindle: 218
Number of Kelly books downloaded: 1 million and counting
Favorite foreign title translation: SAY THANK YOU IF YOUR HUSBAND LEAVES (Korean Edition of THE OVERDUE LIFE OF AMY BYLER)
Main character names so far: Janie, Nean, Lily, Colleen, Jenny, Paige, Mia, Jessica, Wendy, Celeste, Rebecca Ann, and Amy
Guy character names: Noah, Ben, Daniel, Davis, Dewey, and Grant
Name of imaginary boyfriend in sixth grade: Noah
Dedications so far: Griffin Wimmer, Abbie Foster Chaffee, Kris Adams, bookstagrammers, single mothers and Tui T. Sutherland
Superpower: finding things in the fridge
Kryptonite: birthday cake popcorn
Favorite children’s book: Bridge to Terabithia
Favorite toy: LEGO
Weirdest publishing moment: Being introduced to a roomful of people as Amy Byler
Favorite thing about writing: when the characters start talking on their own
Favorite thing about being a writer: not wearing pants