Criminal Instinct (Carina Press) June 2010

Kelly (Lynn) Parra’s earliest stories were told with paintbrushes, but upon discovering the drama, forbidden love, and danger of romance and suspense novels, those paintbrushes were replaced with a keyboard.

Now a multi-published author, she has created memorable characters such as a graffiti artist, a psychic teen, and a tough undercover narc. A two-time RITA finalist, she divides her time between her novels, freelance writing, and the adventures of motherhood, where she juggles her home life with two children, a tattooed husband, a sweet poodle, and a stealth turtle.

Kelly debuted into young adult fiction in 2007 with her Latina novel Graffiti Girl, garnering attention as a double nominee for the Romance Writers of America RITA award, and chosen for the California High School Reading Collection and National Book Foundation "BookUpNYC" program. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and co-author of the popular young adult blog, YA Fresh.

On a personal note...

Kelly enjoys writing entertaining stories--a simple statement for a simple person such as herself. Her love of stories began visually through movies. She would cheer for the characters she grew up with, movies that left a compelling impression on her at a young age. (That is why she is especially thrilled that one of her books could one day be adapted for the screen.)

Kelly strives to write stories that make readers feel, smile, to want to turn the page, or even shed a tear. Overall she sketches characters with words that you might want to know in real life and to cheer on against the bad guys.

That's what she's writing now.

What others are saying about CRIMINAL INSTINCT

"Criminal Instinct is more than a page turner and more than the freshest voice to hit publishing in years. Kelly Lynn Parra brings a distinctive voice and style to her intense suspense novels that sucks you in from page one and holds you prisoner." ~ NYT Best Selling Author Dianna Love

"Kelly Lynn Parra wrote a romantic suspense that hit the right note with me. I read it breathlessly from first to last page and the ending had my mind spinning." ~ Pearl's World of Romance

"As a suspense novel, there is plenty here that will keep readers guessing. The line between the good guys and bad guys is blurred, and no one is exactly as they seem." ~ RT Book Reviews

"The action is nonstop, the violence nearly constant, the emotions always just below the surface. Much like Ana. It was almost exhausting to read, but that might be because I read it in a single sitting. I couldn’t stop. The threat was always right there, and it felt too tenuous to put the book aside, even though I knew I could always come back to it. The level of detail creates a world that’s gritty and completely in your face, defying you to pretend it’s not real." ~ Book Utopia

"The gritty world of illegal drug dealings is realistically portrayed in CRIMINAL INSTINCT, where danger is nonstop and emotions are conflicted." ~ 4.5 Stars by Amelia Richard, Singletitles.com

What others are saying about INVISIBLE TOUCH

"A magical blending of mystery, romance, and deep and dangerous secrets. Kelly Parra's Invisible Touch is an action-packed coming-of-age novel, sure to keep readers turning pages and begging for a sequel." -- Laurie Faria Stolarz, Bestselling author of Blue is for Nightmares and Deadly Little Secret

"My daughter's favorite gift for Christmas was her second copy of Invisible Touch. Her fav book, the first copy was getting ragged." -- Michelle, Parent of Teen (via Twitter)

"You are really going on a personal journey with Kara. You’re following her as she tries to figure out the signs, sure, but the whole time she’s trying to figure out herself. Trying to figure out how to balance the person she wants to be with the person her mother expects her to be. Trying to live a life where her father is remembered. Trying to eat the occasional forbidden carne asada taco. Trying to be more open with her best friend, to figure her brother out, to fall in love for the first time. And to a certain extent it’s about race relations, especially the divisions that can arise between people of the same heritage who are separated by economic status or location or the portion of their heritage that’s full-blooded. It’s about being in a gang, and then not being in one anymore. It’s about breaking free of what’s expected of you and reaching out for everything you want.." -- Kidliterate

"This book shows that when you're always looking to the future, you often forget to deal with the past. An amazing, touching novel that deals with big issues in an original context." Golden Star of Excellence ~ TeensReadToo Reviewer, Lauren Ashley

What others are saying about GRAFFITI GIRL

"With characters as bold and exciting as the art they love, and an honesty that keeps them raw and real, Graffiti Girl shows us that the only thing better than discovering your talent is finding yourself along the way." ~ Jenny O'Connell, author of Plan B and The Book of Luke

"My 13-year-old daughter loved this book. In fact, it's one of the few paperbacks my daughter has refused to pass on to a friend. [...] Kelly Parra has definitely won over this family." -- Teen Parent (via Amazon)

"'Graffiti' a strong debut novel for teens - Five out of five gold pens for "Graffiti Girl.'" ~ The Salinas Californian Reviewer, Robert Walch

"Kelly Parra writes with the keen eye of an artist. Graffiti Girl is warm, gutsy, and true-to-life -- an unflinching, honest portrayal of young adults. A seamless and impressive debut." ~ Anne Frasier, USA Today bestselling author of Pale Immortal

Memberships

Romance Writers of America (RWA)

Kelly Lynn Parra's debut Romantic Suspense CRIMINAL INSTINCT, in which a street-savvy Latina felon chooses to become an undercover drug agent to stop a deadly shipment of Ecstasy instead of face jail time, to Angela James at Carina Press.

Film Rights Option: Kelly Parra's GRAFFITI GIRL, a struggling young Latina artist looking for acceptance is torn between two Latino boys -- one with a beautiful eye for detail and an upscale street address and the other who lives in her neighborhood and who uses the streets as his canvas, optioned to Lucy Mukerjee of After Dark Films, by Michael Cendejas at the Lynn Pleshette Agency, on behalf of Kristin Nelson at Nelson Literary Agency.

Novels
Criminal Instinct, June 2010, Published by Carina Press
Invisible Touch, October 2008, MTV/Pocket Books (Simon & Schuster)
Graffiti Girl, May 2007, Published by MTV/Pocket Books (Simon Schuster)

YA Fresh
A fresh blog for readers of YA fiction for all ages, where we spotlight teen flicks, authors, and of course, books! Visit YAfresh.blogspot.com for great YA fun.

Honors
Invisible Touch
* Given the Golden Star Award of Excellence by TeensReadToo
* Recommended by Color Online for "Hispanic Heritage Month" Reading List 2009

Graffiti Girl
* Film Rights optioned to Lucy Mukerjee and Shelley Brown of Mukerjee-Brown Productions
* Recommended by the The California Latino Legislative Caucus for Reading Education
* Chosen for the California Readers 2009 High School Reading Collection
* 2008 RWA Double RITA finalist for Best First Novel & Young Adult Novel
* Selected by the National Book Foundation for the "BookUp NYC" program, promoting reading with middle grade students.
* Latinidad 2007 Best Latino Young Adult Book Pick
* Selected by a VIT (Very Important Teen) as a page-turning read in TEEN magazine. (Winter 2008)

For interest in forthcoming Young adult projects or availability of foreign rights, please contact:

Kelly Parra
kellyparra@earthlink.net
www.KellyParra.com