Today's author spotlight is on Kelly Harmon, the author of Blood Soup and Selk-Skin Deep.  You can find part 1 of the author's spotlight here.



When not writing, Kelly likes to read speculative fiction of all kinds.  Some of her favorite authors include classic science fiction writers such as Bradbury, Asimov and Heinlein.  She also enjoys more recent authors including Carole Nelson Douglas and Terry Brooks.

"I like reading outside the genre too, if it's interesting.  I just finished reading Imperium, by Robert Harris.  He places Cicero in the political context of Pompeii and tells the story from the viewpoint of Cicero's scribe -- a man who supposedly created short hand. I couldn't put it down.  It was fabulous.  I also just finished The Time Traveler's Wife by Audry Niffeneggr.  I had high hopes for that one, but I was disappointed."

Kelly said that right now she's reading The Spiderwick Chronicles, Buy Jupiter and Other Stories by Isaac Asimov and Dangerous Visions, which was edited by Harlan Ellison.

Kelly said that she's wanted to be a writer since the time that she could type on her parent's manual typewriter.

"I begged my parents to get me an electric typewriter.  I finally got one for my 12th birthday."

She said that she was inspired to write speculative fiction by reading Brooks and Douglas

"I remember reading Dogulas's Six of Swords and having to keep a dictionary by my side to continually look up words," Kelly said.  "I was so fascinated by the story that I was determined to get through it.  I also remember that a friend loaned me his copy of The Sword of Shanarra when I was in Junior High School.  It had been published more than a decade previously. I devoured it in only a few days."

When not reading or writing, Kelly keeps herself busy by hiking and  teaching herself to knit for fun. She has also played in a marching band.

"I marched in the Baltimore Ravens Marching band the year they went to the Superbowl.  We were also in the inaugural parade that year," Kelly said.  "I've always been a band wally.  I marched in my high school band, and  in college with the University of Maryland.  That's where I met my husband."

You can find Kelly online at her website: http://kellyaharmon.com.   You can read an excerpt of Blood Soup at http://kellyaharmon.com/?page_id=979

Kelly can also be found on Twitter @kellyharmon, and has a Facebook fan page.