- Ann Kelly lives on the East Coast. She is currently at work on a novel, a screenplay, and
short stories. In college she majored in Journalism and Anthropology, played lacrosse,
wrote a lot of weird, award-winning poetry, and drank too much coffee. She still drinks too
much coffee and is addicted to chocolate-covered espresso beans. That’s where she gets a
lot of her ideas.
Why did you become an author?
I can’t “not” write. I feel like I was born with the dream to be a writer. I really enjoy reading,
language play, and creating characters. It took me a few years to realize that I am a character-
writer, and that it's okay to write that way. I never use outlines or plots. I tend to have many
ideas, and then characters jump into my mind. The ones I can't ignore, I end up writing
about. Also, I read two books that completely opened something inside of me to write with
my own voice-The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold and In the Cut by Susanna Moore. I was
beating myself up for not using outlines or plots and I finally accepted that I don't write that
way. I think each author has to do what works best for her (or him).
What kind of impact do you hope your writing will have in general or on readers?
I want my readers to be entertained, of course. I want them to keep turning pages well into
the night, because those are the kinds of books I like to read, so those are the kinds of
books I want to write. I have to entertain myself too! I also hope that others will realize that
you don’t have to give up on your dreams. Sure, you have to chase them down, and it’s hard
work, but worth it.
What is your greatest challenge as a writer?
Hmmmm….not enough coffee or chocolate-covered espresso beans? Actually, I think it’s
just finding time to do it. I don’t write every day; I’m not a rigid, schedule-everything kind of
person. I do write every week, and I do it whenever and wherever I can. I write notes on
napkins if I have to, yeesh.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing? What are your interests?
I read A LOT. I think this is important if you want to learn things about writing and if you want
to become a good writer, but I do it because I’ve always loved a good story and learning
something, new ways to think about things or new ways to understand language and words.
I love the beach, disco music, movies starring Jim Carrey, Ben Stiller, or Mike Myers, taking
time off from work, hanging out in bookstores and perusing the shelves for hours, drinking
coffee, NOT cooking or cleaning….
Do you have any other novels in mind? Can you give us some insights into what we can
expect?
I’ve completed a new novel called Glass Gardens, set in Ocean City, NJ. Check back for
updates!
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