A native southerner, born in Alabama and raised in Texas, I began my writing career immediately after college, covering criminal trials and county government shenanigans for a crusading West Texas newspaper. It was an assignment as far from romance as a writing job could be.
The gritty world of journalism was not for me, and I went on to the equally challenging profession of teaching, devoting twenty-five years as English teacher and librarian to various middle schools in Texas. During the last eight years of my education career, intrigued by the world of the romance novel, I began a collaboration that lasted through two unpublished contemporaries (deservedly so) and five published historicals. Kathryn Davenport and I combined our maiden names to write as Keller Graves (I'm the Graves). We began writing in 1983, sold in '85, and in February '87, BRAZEN EMBRACE began the Zebra Heartfire line.
In 1989 I went on my own with MIDNIGHT SINS. A year later I retired from teaching to write full time. My stay at Zebra, to whom I will always be grateful, ended with book number sixteen, ANGEL, a December '95 special release.
I've found an equally happy home at Leisure/Love Spell. WICKED (March '96) began this association, which continued with the publication of THE FOREVER BRIDE the following February, coincidentally exactly ten years after that first Heartfire. Upcoming Gothic novel THE GROTTO will be my 12th for this publisher. I have also published two Leisure novellas and novellas for Zebra, Avon, and Harper.
At first shy about public appearances (writers by their very nature can be moles), I have spoken at national and regional conferences and now travel extensively for autographing parties. But it's the writing I love best.
On a personal level, I've been married to the same man for 45 years. A retired newspaperman, Jay helps me immeasurably in research and travel. He has sacrificed so far as to accompany me to Italy, England, Scotland, Ireland, Spain, Turkey, and France. What a guy.
We have two grown children and four grandsons. Chances for a grand-daughter are looking bleak.
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