Kelli Stanley

Female

San Francisco, CA

United States

Profile Information:

Hometown:: San Francisco
About Me:: THE CURSE-MAKER--sequel to my debut "Roman noir" novel NOX DORMIENDA--releases on February 1st, 2011, from Thomas Dunne/Minotaur.

Arcturus—legionary physician and sometime investigator for Agricola, the governor of Britannia—has seen enough of war. But the half-native, half-Roman reluctant soldier faces nother battle for his beloved wife's soul ...

It's the fall of 837 a.u.c. (84 AD), and Gwyna—Arcturus' headstrong and beautiful wife—is distant, troubled, disconnected. Agricola insists that Arcturus take her to Aquae Sulis (Bath), a fashionable health resort in the west of Britannia, where the hot springs and healthful atmosphere are sure to rejuvenate her.
Instead, they find the corpse of a curse-writer floating in the sacred spring of the goddess Sulis.

Evil has taken root in the city, and something has corrupted any goodness from the goddess' waters. Something wicked beneath the reflection of the blue, bubbling spring ...

From a haunted silver mine in the hills above Aquae Sulis to the underground tunnels of the enormous buildings built for the sick and dying that flock to the town, they encounter a city that festers with corruption, more hellish than health-spa, running on magic water and faith in cure-alls, populated by social-climbing boors, quacks, and nephews with rich, sickly aunts. A resort more dangerous than the war Arcturus left behind.

Now he must fight again—to save his marriage ... and their lives.

THE CURSE-MAKER is a sequel to the award-winning NOX DORMIENDA, the first book of the Roman Noir series created by Kelli Stanley (CITY OF DRAGONS). Wedding impeccably-researched history to prose and themes reminiscent of classic hard-boiled writers, THE CURSE-MAKER is a thrilling and suspenseful journey to a dark corner of Roman Britain. Don't go near the water.

My second novel and the first book of the Miranda Corbie series, CITY OF DRAGONS, launched from Minotaur on February 2, 2010.
CITY OF DRAGONS was an Indie Next Pick for February, 2010, a Killer Book selection from the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association, a #2 bestseller from IMBA, a Top Pick from RT Book Reviews, an alternate selection of the Mystery Guild, and earned three starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist and Library Journal. It is currently available in hardcover, e-book and audio, and large print. A paperback will be released in September, 2011.

CITY OF SECRETS, the sequel to CITY OF DRAGONS, will be published in September, 2011. "Children's Day"--a short story prequel to CITY OF DRAGONS--is included in the ITW anthology FIRST THRILLS: High Octane Stories from the Hottest Thriller Authors, published on June 22, 2010, and available in audio and e-book. A paperback will be published in June.

NOX DORMIENDA, my debut novel, won the Bruce Alexander Memorial Historical Mystery Award, and was nominated for a Macavity Award.

For more more information about my books--including history, videos, and ephemera--please visit my website at www.kellistanley.com
I Am A:: Writer
Website:: http://www.kellistanley.com
Books And Authors I Like:: In no order:
Raymond Chandler, Thomas Hardy, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Hammett, Woolrich, Hemingway, Steinbeck, Tennessee Williams, L'Engle, the Brontes, Fitzgerald, and many friends and contemporaries, too many to list ...
Movies And TV Shows I Like:: Film Noir, film noir, film noir. German Expressionism, early '30s musicals, Warner crime melodramas, B-movie science-fiction, Italian neo-realism, John Ford westerns, Judy Garland, screwball comedies, pre-code soaps ...
If pressed to name a favorite of favorites: Casablanca. Favorite Noir: Gilda.
And who has time for television?

Comment Wall:

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Donna Moore

I'd love to make it to the Noir City film festival one of these days - of course, I've also been trying to persuade Eddie to do one in Scotland but no luck so far!

I shall be at Bouchercon so will look out for you.

Aug 15, 2007
Louisa Christy

I don't know why you get bounce back. I am sorta of new at this thing and still learning. I will send out my email and go from there.

Aug 15, 2007
David Terrenoire

Thank you for the invitation and right back atcha.

Aug 15, 2007
Cyndi Martin

Thank you for adding me and for the kind comment!

Aug 16, 2007
Karen from AustCrime

Hi Kelli - thanks for the invitation :)

Aug 16, 2007
Kelli Stanley

Melbourne is one of my favorite cities--I gave a presentation at a conference at the University of Melbourne a couple of years ago. I loved shopping on Lygon street, and eating at the fabulous Italian restaurants! (And Victoria Bitter remains one of my favorite drinks--but I haven't been able to find it in the US, so I'm going on memory).

It's always a pleasure to meet someone from Australia--I'm definitely looking forward to a return trip!

Best,

Kelli

Aug 16, 2007
Rhys Bowen

Thanks for coming to the tea party, Kelli.
I've had such fun holding them, and i don't know if you saw but Spyness was the number 1 bestseller for all the mystery bookstores in July!

Aug 22, 2007
Kevin Allman

Thanks for the virtual handshake! Good to meet you.

Great atmospheric author photo, btw.

Aug 23, 2007
Michael Haskins

Kelli, yeah, three cheers for Five Star. God bless the small indy presses! I expect to have some signings in the LA area in late June, early July, but nothing planned for anything further north than Thousand Oaks. Do you plan any signing in the LA area? Love Key West, but will love it more when I can begin sailing south, about 90 miles, again!

Aug 24, 2007
Peg Herring

Kelli,
Welcome, fellow Five Star author. I'm due in January with a historical romance, but I mostly write mysteries (just need to sell them!) I love the Elizabethan era, but I like all history, being a retired English, history, speech teacher.

Aug 24, 2007
Michael Haskins

Kelli, my problem for this year, and early '08, is my book doesn't come out until mid-late March and I am told that I should give it another two weeks to get to the stores! I miss the MWA Fla SleuthFest, Feb. 28th, but there are some other "events" I will be able to attend like the Vero Beach Book Festival in Nov. and a Panhandle event, but I don't recall the time of year. You need to be invited, as a writer, and I have a friend working on that for me. It is a library sponsored event with all Fla writers. I will be doing group signings in Fla. Figuring that a first timer has a better chance of getting people in if they come to see someone else. Am doing that in Glendale, Ca., for sure. Wish I had the time and $ to hit all the cities I want! If anythig changes, I would love to go north to S.F. area. Is Fla in your plans?

Aug 24, 2007
Declan Burke

Hi Kelli - Love that fedora ... Thanks for the invite, I'm very much obliged, ma'am. Casablanca for your fave movie? I think we're on the same wavelength here ... Congratulations on Nox Dormienda and pray tell more ... The timing of your invite couldn't have been more apt: I generally write crime fiction / hardboiled mysteries set in modern Ireland, but last week, driving into town and minding my own business, an idea came to me for a historical mystery set in the first century AD, with which I am well pleased. So I may become something of a vulture picking your brains ...! Cheers, Dec

Aug 24, 2007
Michael Haskins

Kelli, my daughter is getting married NY's Eve outside NYC and I am hoping to hit some bookstores about signings in the summer. I need reviews for my press package. When did you first see reviews for your book? Wondering how much lead time I will have prior to March. Hope a lot! I am sure we will cross paths somewhere in '08.

Aug 24, 2007
Declan Burke

Hi Kelli - That sounds great, I'll definitely get my grubby mitts on Nox when it comes out. Re: the Romans and Ireland / Hibernia ... Ptolemy would have known of Hibernia courtesy of the Greeks, who traded with coastal areas of Ireland long before the Empire made it to Britain ... my own home area, Sligo in the northwest, has a history that acknowledges this ... there are also suggestions (unproven as far as I'm aware) that the Phoenicians made it as far as Ireland for (what else?) trading purposes ... I don't know if you've ever been to Ireland, but flying into and out of Ireland, you can see all the winding, twisting roads in Ireland, compared with the arrow-straight roads practically everywhere else ... as sure a proof as any, if any were needed, that the Romans took one look and said, 'Sod that for a lark.' Cheers, Dec

Aug 25, 2007
Michael Haskins

Kelli, please tell me more about the yahoo group. I am in the MWA Fla yahoo and Thriller Writers yahoo, but this is the first I've heard of a Five Star. Appreciate your help.

Aug 25, 2007
Gigi Vernon

Kelli--
You mentioned you have a short story coming out. Where? When? I must read it.
I just finished writing (well almost, still have to do some revisions) a historical mystery short story set in 1934 West Virginia. Very different for me. Very fun.

Aug 25, 2007
Michael Haskins

Kelli, I have sent a request to the yahoo email you passed along. I will let you know if there is a problem, but if it's for Five Star authors, I can't see why there should be. Thanks again for the heads up!

Aug 25, 2007
Kevin Allman

Sometimes a man just feels like clip art.

Aug 27, 2007
Declan Burke

Hi Kelli - yon Pytheas of Massalia - I presume he's the Pytheas of Barry Cunliffe's book? I picked it up a couple of months ago, and it's been doing the up-and-down shuffle on the escalator that is my reading pile ever since ... I really have to get into it. By the way, I run a writers' Q&A over at Crime Always Pays ... if you fancy taking part, just drop me a line at dbrodb(at)gmail.com and I'll forward you on the questions ... Cheers, Dec

Aug 27, 2007
Mark Haile

Ah yes... I remember one particular only-in-San Francisco night, watching a man with a length of chain chasing after his human prey!

The immediate neighborhood is a lot more gentrified now - but not by much!

Aug 29, 2007
R. Barri Flowers

Hey, Kelli -- I just watched for first time the noir tale, Clash by Night, with Barbara Stanwyck, Paul Douglas, and Marilyn Monroe. It was terrific and highly recommend, if you haven't seen.

I know Barbara mainly from her role at Victoria Barkley on the Big Valley, so it was great to see her as a younger woman on the screen. -- Best, Barri

Sep 4, 2007
Fabrizio Fulio - Bragoni

I'm glad you accepted...
sure i've seen the movie, and i liked it very much...
have you ever seen Pasolini's Accattone? it has a much obvious "neo-realistic" touch wich reminds me Rossellini's movies (might be just the plot, and not the style...).
Anyway i really like Pasolini's style, as a director as well as a writer (are there any good translations of his books in english?)...
Again, i'm Glad you accepted,
bye for now,
fabrizio

P.S. I'm very curious, was it for your job that you lived in Italy? (stop me if i get too personal...)

Sep 5, 2007
James Roberts

Hi Kelli:

Brad J. Smith's "One-Eyed Jacks" is a marvelous novel set in the late 90s -- 1990s. I follows the Brando movie by several decades, I think. I *highly* recommend him. Smith's work is undeservedly underrated and I've been giving his books out hand-over-fist to anyone who's a fan of well-written crime fiction.

What I like is in each novel he creates a powerful series of events that threaten characters you've grown to love. When I've put down a Brad J Smith novel, I feel as if I've lived a chunk of life with men and women I've grown to have great affection for.

Sep 5, 2007
Fabrizio Fulio - Bragoni

wow, i used to be a big fan of Dylan Dog too,now it has changed a bit, and is not half as good as it used to be...
you are right about Buzzati, he's a good one... I like his short novels very much...
bye,
fabrizio

Sep 5, 2007
ITW Debut Authors - First Kill

Hey--I hear there's a Roman Noir dude on the First Kill page. You should check it out. Roman Noir is HOT right now!!!

Sep 10, 2007
Jordan Dane

You are sooo cute. When we have a drink at BCon, I'll tell you some of the other titles I had. :)

Sep 10, 2007
Laura Benedict

Travel safe!

Sep 23, 2007
Morgan OReilly

Hey Kelli! Am so glad I got to meet you at B'con. Hope you had fun in Anchorage.

Oct 4, 2007
Shannon Chenoweth

Thanks for the welcome Kelli!

Oct 10, 2007
Eddie Vincent

Hi Kelli,
Tana mention Crimespace to me earlier today, so I thought this would be a good way to show you what we do and have a way to communicate back and forth about your cover. I am really looking forward to working with you and Tana.

Eddie

Nov 2, 2007
Sophie Littlefield

Kelli! so great to finally find you again! I misplaced your card. :( Hope you're well!
- Sophie

Nov 13, 2007
Sophie Littlefield

definitely...see you in december! and next month's book is Cruel Poetry (Vicki Hendricks) and the date's 12/6 - I unfortunately will be at a high school band concert :)

Nov 13, 2007
Todd Robinson

Thanks much, Kelli. If you wear the smae hat in your pick, I think bourbon is simply going to HAVE to be the direction we take at that Con.

best,
-T-

Dec 5, 2007
Sophie Littlefield

hey kelli, i forgot *again* to get your email address! would you pls. email me at swlittle at earthlink.net? great to see you today!
-sophie

Dec 10, 2007
Chester D. Campbell

Hi, Kelli. I've been here for a while but I don't post much. Probably should.

Chester

Dec 21, 2007
Mari Sloan

I like your hat. I like the comment in your blog about writing in which you compare it to "herding cats". You have a very kewl style about you.
:-) Mari

Dec 31, 2007
Mari Sloan

Sisters in Crime meets in Pasadina the first Sunday of each month, and I'm sure that you would be very welcome at any meeting. Whenever you're coming this way just let me know and I'll see if we can arrange to meet for lunch.
:-) Mari

Dec 31, 2007
Mari Sloan

I'm looking forward to that too! I'm glad you're okay. The storm was much worse than it seemed last night when my husband was telling me that it looked like we were having 60 mph gusts. I think you guys up there really were! I'm hoping I'll be able to go from Westlake Village to Pasadena tomorrow.

I've met some really sharp authors from your area. I'm a real Laurie R. King fan and have no trouble at all comparing her To Play the Fool to The DaVinci Code. I loved it! I particularly love multi genre type books that step out of the usual. Your latin is fun, especially written in such a noir manner.
:-) Mari

Jan 6, 2008
Mari Sloan

Thank you for jitterbugging me out to work! Have a great day!
:-) Mari

Jan 9, 2008
Mari Sloan

Things are going great! Spooky's asleep on the chair next to the heater and i'm printing and Alan is cutting bookmarks. The wind was horrific here last night. How is it in San Francisco? I loved that city when I visited two years ago.

Jan 18, 2008
Terri

Hi Kelli,

It was really nice to meet you in San Francisco. Your book launch party was awesome! I'm looking forward to reading the book!

Terri

Aug 7, 2008
Mari Sloan

I'm SO excited! I'm dancing up and down, doing the dance of joy! You are coming to Mysteries to Die For, the wonderful little bookstore right around the corner from my home in Westlake Village! I REALLY wanted to meet you and Voila! Here you are, SAT. Sept. 6th!

Unless you are accompanied by a gaggle of family and friends and have other plans. my husband and I would like to treat you to an early supper Chinese Seafood buffet after the signing. It's great buffet complete with fruits, crab legs, oriental salads and sushui--all the reason to eat AFTER you speak. i will be there with bells on!
:-) Mari

Aug 26, 2008
Mari Sloan

Your book is already on sale at MTDF, btw, and looks GREAT!

Aug 26, 2008
Mari Sloan

I'm just glad I'll get a chance to meet you so close to my home. Touring has to be wearing you out but your book is beautiful and it'll be worth it. Soon you'll have new friends ALL over. See you a week from tomorrow!
:-) Mari

Aug 30, 2008
R.J. Mangahas

Thanks for the add Kelli. I just added Nox Dormienda to my TBR. I'm looking forward to this "Roman Noir." And I hope to run into you at Bouchercon.

Sep 16, 2008
R.J. Mangahas

Sounds like it's going to be fun. Should I just seek out the fedora? ;)

Sep 17, 2008
R.J. Mangahas

I have a fedora too, but it's not really my trademark. It's just a cool hat.

Sep 17, 2008
R.J. Mangahas

Well then, I may have to try and dig out the ol' fedora before B'Con.

A whole closet full huh? That's a lot of hats.

Sep 17, 2008
Mari Sloan

It was GREAT meeting you and I just finished Nox Dormienda. It portrays the times and mix of cultures exactly as I pictured them when I was taking high school latin. I LOVED it! It fulfilled all of my expectations, and more. I love your smart-ass voice and your characters, and can't wait for more. Come back this way again soon and LOOK ME UP!!!!! Thanks, Kelli!

Mari

Sep 19, 2008
Meredith S. Cole

Kelli-
It was great to meet you at Bouchercon! I hope you are feeling better...
-Meredith

Dec 1, 2008