About Kelly Shade
Early Life and Background
Born on July 26, 1992, Kelly grew up in a very dysfunctional family and faced a difficult childhood. Despite the hardships, her imagination became her refuge, where she could escape into stories and create new worlds.
Current Life
A Citizen of the World
Currently holding court in Bristol, UK, Kelly's got the kind of globe-trotting background that would make Carmen Sandiego jealous. After bouncing around Europe like a creative pinball (Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Bulgaria, and Germany all got a piece of the action), she's settled in England (for now) – though her heart belongs to California's sunny shores.
She is also the mom of two amazing kids who inspire her to keep going.
Education
Kelly Shade’s commitment to lifelong learning has significantly shaped her storytelling and creative endeavors. After graduating from school with Literature and Psychology majors, Kelly never stopped learning. She has studied The Art of Intelligence with former CIA officers (very Jane Blake of her), learned screenwriting from Aaron Sorkin, and picked up acting tips from the likes of Helen Mirren, Natalie Portman, and Samuel L. Jackson. Oh, and she casually threw in some psychology studies at Yale and criminal psychology courses, because why not? Kelly has enhanced her fiction writing skills through courses, all led by expert instructors, and helped her crack the code of TV series development. She expanded her acting expertise through specialized courses from the University of London.
Career Overview
As an author, Kelly brought to life the "Jane Blake" series and "Helligdom" books, weaving her real-life quest for her biological parents into page-turning fiction. Fun fact: Jane Blake is basically Kelly's alter ego with an extra shot of adrenaline. Kelly likes to say that Jane is her better and prettier version.
When she's not crafting crime fiction or fantasy worlds, you might find her acting, painting, dancing, or plotting a new business venture through her marketing and design business.
Kelly also works on bringing her "Deception Unit" series to the screen – and yes, she plans to star in it herself. Because when you've written the story of your life, who better to play the lead?
The thread that ties all of Kelly's ventures together? A deep-seated belief that creativity isn't just about making pretty things – it's about building connections, telling stories that matter, and maybe, just maybe, making the world a bit more interesting along the way. After all, as she loves to remind us, "Earth without Art is just Eh..." (And honestly, who wants to live in an "Eh" world?)
Whether she's penning her next book, bringing characters to life, or making business plans on coffee-stained napkins, Kelly Shade is proof that you don't have to pick just one dream to chase. Sometimes, the best path forward is just saying "yes" to all of them and figuring out the details later. Because if there's one thing Kelly knows for sure, it's that life's too short for creative compromises.
Fun Facts
At the age of only 14, Kelly started working and studying at the same time. She worked as a bartender for almost 6 years. (yes, in the country she lived in, it was possible for a 14-year-old to work behind a bar).
As a child and teenager, Kelly's writing was under lock and key - she didn't want anyone reading it. At the age of 26 Kelly decided it was time to share her stories with the world.
Kelly had some training from an actual spy. No kidding.
Kelly officially found out she was adopted when she was 8, but she suspected it a year before that. She made her own investigation, finding the truth along with some dirty family secrets, but didn't share her knowledge with her adoptive parents until she was 14. Her childhood and teenage years were marked by a lot of trauma.
"Life is full of opportunities - catch some ;)"