Karen Kelly

"I grow ideas into books"

About Karen Kelly

         

I am a generalist but have a special passion for lifestyle, culture, health, business, design, food and fashion.  Please see the Projects page for information about the proposals and books I have collaborated or written, as well as articles I have authored.  I work with agents at major literary agencies such as Abrams Artists Agency, Inkwell Management, ICM, Waxman Agency, Sterling Lord Literistic, Trident, William Morris, and major publishers including Avery Books, Clarkson Potter, HarperCollins, Kensington Books, Random House, Rodale Inc., St. Martin’s Press, Simon & Schuster/Viacom, and Viking Penguin.

In addition, I am a professional food writer, recipe developer, and a regular contributor to Natural Health magazine.  My food writing has also appeared in Prevention and Yoga Journal.  General interest articles have also appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal. My business writing appears in several Financial Times Company business publications including Ignites, BoardIQ and Board Alert. My how-to and home improvement articles appear in the New York Post most Thursdays under the Barbara K byline.

Before becoming a fulltime writer and journalist, I worked in book publishing as a marketer, editor and publisher.  I developed an imprint for Rodale, Inc., Daybreak Books, which published a variety of popular inspirational titles on a range of subjects, including business, food and lifestyle.

As a senior editor at Warner Books (now called Grand Central), I acquired and edited many cutting edge titles including David Cassidy’s Fear and Loathing on the Partridge Family Bus, Entertainment Weekly’s Guide to the Best Movies Ever Made, Entertainment Weekly’s Seinfeld Companion, Jerry Stahl’s cult classic memoir Permanent Midnight, Montel William’s New York Times bestseller Mountain Get Out of My Way, and super model Beverly Johnson’s True Beauty.

At Book-of-the-Month Club and Better Homes and Gardens book clubs, I licensed and marketed design, decorating, gardening, art, history, literary fiction, and do-it-yourself titles.  I started my publishing career at the Meredith Bernstein Literary Agency.

I am a member of the Authors Guild, The Woman’s Media Group, The Freelancer’s Union, and P.E.O.  I have a BA in art history from the University of Massachusetts and an MFA from Columbia University.

Blogs and Links

Testimonials

“Karen Kelly acted as my freelance editor, and breathed new life into this project in a way I never could have done on my own.” - Victoria Moran, author of Living a Charmed Life: Your Guide to Finding Magic in Every Moment of Every Day (HarperOne, May 2009)

“This book would not have been possible if it had not been for my…writing partner Karen Kelly…” - Celerie Kemble, author of To Your Taste (Clarkson Potter, November 2008).

“Karen Kelly did an amazing job helping me to write this book and was a constant source of inspiration and ideas. I couldn’t have pulled it off without her.”
– J. Douglas Bremner, MD, author of Before You Take That Pill (Avery, Spring 2008)

“After two attempts at an outline [my agent] told me I needed professional help and introduced me to my left brain, a talented and determined freelance editor Karen Kelly. Karen not only helped me organize this book, she told me when I was funny (“I just snorted coffee through my nose.”), when I was boring (“What the hell are you talking about here?”), and when I was redundant (“In this paragraph you use the pronoun ‘I’ 27 times.”). She is one of the most patient people I know.”
– Nina DiSesa, chairman of McCann Erikson, New York and author of Seducing the Boy’s Club (Random House, Fall 2008).

“Thank you to Karen Kelly, who ‘got’ our voice and understood our message from the first meeting, and then translated it beautifully on the page. We would not have this book without her.”
– Terence Noonan and Marta Tracy, TV producers and authors of Starring You! (Harper Entertainment, Summer 2007).

“Karen Kelly, a special thanks to you for doing such a great job capturing my voice and organizing my thoughts on paper. You brought things out of me that I don’t think anyone else could have.”
– Barbara Kavovit, CEO and founder of Barbara K! Enterprises and author of Room for Improvement and Invest in Your Nest (Rodale, 2005 and 2006).

“The wonderful writer Karen Kelly…beautifully translated my philosophies, concepts, and ideas into the written word. I give special thanks. Her insight and enthusiasm has made this book not only possible, but a very rewarding and memorable experience for me as well. I could not have done it without her.”
– Randolph Duke, designer and author of The Look (Clarkson Potter, 2006).

“Karen Kelly’s…patience and motivation has kept me focused. Dearest Karen, thank you for your flow and non-stop diligence. You are the true backbone of this book. I revere you.”
– Lorri Goddard Clark, Hollywood and celebrity hair colorist and author of The Color Mix Book (Regan Books, 2006).

“Karen, I invited you into my sometimes hectic, a little crazy, but always interesting world and you have represented me, the nature of my business, and my philosophy beautifully. I cannot thank you enough!”
– Janis Spindel, owner of Janis Spindel Serious Matchmaking, New York City and author of Get Serious About Getting Married (Regan Books/Harper, 2005).

 

 
 

©2008 Karen Kelly. All Rights Reserved.

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