As a teenager, Kay organized her uncle’s Hardy Boy, Nancy Drew and gardening books in the attic of his twenty-nine-room mansion. She was always looking over her shoulder. You see, when she was a child, the only way her parents could discourage her from going up to the third floor was to warn if she went alone, the man in chains would get her. Even as a teenager when organizing the books, she found herself worrying about the boogeyman.
Then she discovered Georgette Heyer, Daphne du Maurier, Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt. Loved reading their books and treasured the ones she collected.
Kay double-majored in Library Science and history in college and her first job was organizing the library of a private school in Powhatan County, Virginia. Four years later she and her husband moved to rural Caroline County, Virginia where a group of citizens wanted to set up a public library. Kay volunteered to help and apparently did a good job because she was offered the job! She went on to establish a headquarters and three branches in the county.
Kay discovered romance books when she wanted something light to read while her children were napping. She found herself wondering what if and decided to write a story of her own. She joined the Virginia Romance Writers and Washington Romance Writers DC and made many, many new published and unpublished author friends. She learned lots about pursuing a writing career and queried the popular publishing houses. But nothing happened. You see, her friend, Nora Roberts started writing about the same time and was getting all the contracts. But that’s okay, she says, “I admire Nora and love all her books. She is one of a kind.”
Three small children, a full-time job, little league and civic obligations forced Kay to put the pen away for a while. She continued to write news articles and library newsletters; became immersed in the community and a friend to many of the citizens through the library.
By 2007, the kids were grown, and Kay and her husband were “empty nesters.” She had always enjoyed wine and decided, “I want to do something for myself. What if I start a wine shop?” Grapes of Taste came to mind. She put together a business plan, got her ABC license, found a site, contacted distributors and wineries and opened the shop! All this in addition to working full time at the library. Hence her evenings and weekends became busy with wine tastings and email newsletters. She tried to make her newsletters educational and sent out over one thousand emails each Wednesday night. People often called or emailed asking to be put on the Grapes of Taste this Weekend! email list.
In 2013, Kay retired from the Caroline Library. She was still running the wine shop but used her free time to catch up on reading her favorite authors. Soon, she found herself pulling out her old manuscripts and wondering, “what if I make a change here? A change there? Update things?”
On December 19, 2014, Kay released Spicer’s Challenge in eBook format on Amazon. “I was having so much fun with my writing, I decided to close the wine shop in March of 2015.” Dreams Fulfilled was released as an eBook two months later. In 2016, she wanted to see her books in print format and decided to publish a small number of her first two titles with Otter Bay Books. Soon after, she ventured into the world of Indie publishing.
Kay’s first Indie publication was Key to His Heart, Book 3 in The Row Series. Other titles include:
The Row Series:
Spicer’s Challenge, Book 1 (2014)
Dreams Fulfilled, Book 2 (2015)
Newfound Love, Book 3 (2017)
Victory Hill Trilogy:
Northwest to Love, Book 1 (2018)
Journey Back to Love, Book 2 (2020)
Possessed by Love, Book 3 (2022)
Biographies:
The Dancing Couple (2020)
I’ve Still Got Sand in my Shoes, A Conversation with Steve Jarrell (2020)
Stand-alone titles:
Persistent Intruder (2018)
Love Again (2018)
Shadows of Déjà vu (2018)
Invincible (2023)
There are many more what if stories waiting to come alive as she pursues her passion for writing. She also welcomes comments via email at kay@kaydbrooksauthor.com
Please enjoy her website, www.kaydbrooksauthor.com
Facebook page: Kay D Brooks (author)
