Meet Amanda Kelley | Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amanda Kelley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I was actually born here in Colorado, but my family moved to Wyoming shortly after my birth where I lived the first thirty years of my life before moving back to Colorado with my husband and two sons.

I guess I was a typical Wyoming kid. We spent a lot of time outdoors, hunting, fishing, swimming, having snowball fights, playing with friends, but I wouldn’t consider myself outdoorsy–at all. I burn too easily, hate bugs, and the Wyoming winter air literally hurts your lungs more often than not. Give me a jigsaw puzzle or a novel and a comfy chair any day of the week. And I don’t know if it was because I grew up with the public library just a few houses down the street from my home or if fate just had a way of knowing where I needed to be, but I’ve never not been a reader. I remember staying up late with my flashlight just so I could get a few more pages–sometimes multiple chapters– in after lights out, and crying all over the pages of some of my favorite stories and then doing it all over again the next time I reread them.

You always hear people call reading an escape, a way to forget about the real world. But I never saw it that way. I rarely had anything I wanted to escape from. For me, it was an opportunity. An opportunity to go places I’ve never gone, meet people I’ve never met, and to do things most can only dream of doing. It was an adventure. It still is.

Now, not only am I still an avid reader, but I write my own stories and get to give other readers a chance to meet the people who live in my head rent free, to hear their stories, and hopefully fall in love along the way.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a romance author. I write about love, hope, pain, struggles…I write about life, except you’re always guaranteed a happily ever after.

The romance industry is overflowing with amazing and talented writers, and I consider myself privileged to work beside, learn from, and support them in kind. I am also an independently published author, which means I’ve chosen to work for me and shoulder all of the responsibilities of publishing my own books. The indie community is truly one of a kind. In all of my walks of life I have never experienced the enthusiasm and passion that I do with this ever growing group of creatives. We know the heart, sweat and tears that go into not only writing a story which is a feat in and of itself, but then having to get it out into the world.

I started writing my first book as a stay at home mom of two toddlers. I had no plans for my story beyond getting it out of my head. I was simply going to be proud of myself for writing a full novel, start to finish. It took me years to complete, but when I did, I decided I wanted to share it. And that was by far the scariest thing I’ve ever done.

The HOW took me at least another year to navigate that first time. I had to find beta readers, a cover designer, an editor, a formatter and just when I thought I was done, I then had to navigate the world of marketing. Lord help me. I was lucky enough to find a couple graphic designers to make my promotional pieces, but that was only the beginning. This world doesn’t work without book bloggers and all of their platforms. Be it web sights, news letters, or social media. They are what make the book world go round. Thankfully, I’ve developed some wonderful relationships with bloggers from all over the world who have supported me, and I will forever be grateful for them and all of the ones who I’ve yet to meet. Even so, marketing is constantly something I struggle with. I have to remind myself to spend time on it when I’d rather be doing anything else. And I still feel that panic every time I send another story out for the first time. I don’t think that will ever change. When I write a story, I’m letting people glimpse parts of my soul that I leave on those pages before willingly sending it out into the world to be judged. That will never not be scary.

As a reader I never fully appreciated the work that went into getting a book published. And believe me, I STILL feel the frustration when I complete a story only to realize the next installment won’t be out for at least six more months. But the writer in me knows what is happening behind the scenes and tells the other part of me to chill out. haha
There are super human authors out there who are able to push out a new book multiple times a year, sometimes every other month. There was a time when I thought I was failing because I couldn’t do that. But I’ve learned that that’s okay. I don’t need to be that author. I just need to be me. My stories and my journey are unique because they are mine. I’m not in competition with anyone else. The book world is full of different voices and genres for a reason. It’d be boring otherwise.

I can’t wait to keep creating, to give my readers more of me and my stories. I went into this knowing I’d be happy if even a handful of readers found a connection with my books, and it far exceeded my expectations. Here’s to more adventures and opportunities to share what I love with anyone willing to join me.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’d definitely take them to Studio Vino in Loveland for a paint and drinks night. Some of my favorite girls/date nights have been there and it’s always a good time with great energy.

We’d have to make a stop in downtown Greeley for some tacos and margaritas at the Rio or Lunas. We’d also have to visit Warm Hugs for some gifts and dip mixes.

For shopping and mountain views we’d head to Estas for the day.

And I’d definitely take them to a night time Rockies game.

But my favorite place in the city is my own backyard, and my husband is the best cook I know. There’d be game nights, BBQs, drinks, and great conversation full of belly laughs. That’s how we’d spend most of our time.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Oh wow. That’s hard to narrow down. I’ve had so much support from all corners of my life.

My husband Scott deserves the biggest shoutout of all of them.

Not once has he ever doubted me. Even when I doubt myself, he’s right there pushing me, encouraging me…believing in me. I couldn’t do what I do without his support. On those late nights when deadlines are looming or when the words are simply flowing, he gets it. He helps any way he can whether its just listening to me talk my way out of a plot hole or getting dinner on the table.

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Other: Amazon: amazon.com/author/amandakelley Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17887175.Amanda_Kelley email: amandakelleyauthor@gmail.com