Kelly Steed was born in Detroit, Michigan, USA in 1965. She holds a
Bachelor of Science Degree in US History from Northern Michigan University.
Kelly is a published poet, freelancer and novelist. Stasis, co-authored by
Colleen Elliott, is her first novel. In 1997, Stasis took second place in
the First Page Contest sponsored by G.E. Pierce Communications. The first
page was published in The Best of 1997. Kelly is an avid science fiction,
fantasy and horror fan of both print and media sources.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Stasis by Kelly Steed & Colleen Elliott

2027 Illinois: Brad Harris is shocked to learn that his grandfather James,
declared clinically dead twenty years ago, has been revived from cryonic
suspension. James was the black sheep of the family and is a completed
enigma to Brad, who was four when he died. James' death was caused by a
brain tumor; but does cellular damage totally account for his strange
behavior?

Brad discovers the word is an infinitely more complex and dangerous place
than his Catholic upbringing led him to believe. He finds himself immersed
in the paranormal realm of ancient Pagan religions where problems were
solved through complex rituals. He must put aside his fear of the unknown
and unite with a parapsychologist and an adept mage, risking his life and
those of his friends, to stop a force that was never meant to be human or
the Earth will forever be plunged into chaos.

Stasis is available from PublishAmerica, Inc. http://www.publishamerica.com

When did you first start writing?

I started writing as a child in the oral tradition of the ancient
storytellers with friends; we'd act them out. I graduated to writing
stories out on paper torn from my school notebooks and later typing them out
on a computer keyboard. I didn't really get the chance to pursue the
profession seriously until I got out of college and was married. My husband
Richard has been a great inspirational motivator. He believed in me when
others belittled me for wanting to pursue my dream.

Why do you write?

I write to honor friends and memories, America's war dead and those that
survived and can't forget those we lost, our allies and in certain cases
seek justice for past wrongs even if it's only in a fictional sense. I find
writing to be cathartic therapy.

What sort of books do you like to read?

I read non-fiction in the areas of history, biography, autobiography and New
Age. I also love novels in the following genres: science fiction, fantasy,
horror and romance especially Jove's Haunted Hearts. I love supernatural
stories.

Who is your favourite author or who has influenced your writing?

Harlan Ellison's commentary on Sci-Fi Buzz influenced Stasis because it
challenged me to write hard science fiction rather than a space opera. I
think my co-author was a bit reluctant at first; but once we got started
everything seemed to fall into place. As for any one author influencing my
writing as a whole, I'd have to say that there weren't any. Each individual
project I tackle has a different inspirational influence that depends on the
type of story I'm telling. Some of my favorite fiction authors are Robert
Heinlein, Anne Rice and Mercedes Lackey.

If you could meet any character from a book, who would it be and why?

I'd like to meet Herald Kris from The Heralds of Valdemar series: Arrows of
the Queen, Arrows Flight and Arrow's Fall by Mercedes Lackey because I fell
in love with his chivalrous nature, nobility and angelic face. The books
made me wish I could be a Herald.

What are you currently working on?

I'm doing the final edits on an alternative history novel entitled Camelot's
Revenge about JFK's assassination. Bridgett MacLachlan, a clairvoyant
history teacher, discovers the identity of the knoll shooter, runs into the
man in 1999 and sets out to bring him to justice.

What have you found to be the best way to promote your book(s)?

Since I'm a new author, this is a hard question to answer because I won't be
receiving royalty payments until next February so I can't really gauge,
until then, if what I've done was effective. I can say that freelance
newsletters are a great source to find free and low cost places to promote
on the Internet. Web Ferret is a great search engine program that has aided
me in finding more places to publicize for free.

And finally, what advice would you have for writers starting out?

Subscribe to as many freelance writing newsletters via the Internet as you
can possibly read in a week's time and not neglect your writing, promoting
efforts or family. I learned a lot from the advice of others in the field.
I'd also tell them to read often, do thorough research and practice writing
everyday. Don't get discouraged by rejection letters! I got my share
before AmErica House offered me a book contract. It has been said that it
takes five to ten years to produce a good author. I got my contract in my
eleventh year, so I guess I'm living proof of that.

Web Sites:
My Author's Den site contains a book excerpt from Stasis and links to
others.
http://www.authorsden.com/kellyrsteed