Deborah Grace Staley
The new voice in Southern Romance
About the Author / News / Appearances
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Deborah Grace Staley
Born and raised in Kingsport, Tennessee - that's in the upper eastern tip of the state - Deborah Grace Staley is the youngest of four children. Since there were not a lot of neighborhood children to play with and no siblings close in age, she learned to amuse herself by creating stories that played out in her head. For some reason, she never gave a thought to committing them to paper.
A painfully slow reader, Deborah decided if she was going to earn a college degree, her reading speed would have to improve. So the summer before she entered King College in Bristol, Tennessee, she went to her local library and checked out a variety of books. She fell in love with Harlequins. By the end of the summer, she was reading a book a day written by classic romance authors such as Anne Mather and Carole Mortimer.
After earning her degree, she tried out a couple of careers before she settled into being a paralegal. Meanwhile, she kept reading romance while her own stories kept spinning around in her head, but now were demanding to be written. With a degree in French, she had no idea how to write a novel. So, she took three novel writing courses at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and got started. Four years and one baby later, with one completed book in hand, she began submitting, joined Romance Writers of America and began attending conferences for romance writers.
Deborah never sold that first book she wrote, and it took nine years before her dream of being a published romance novelist became a reality. Still, she never doubted that it would happen when the time was right. "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1.
Today, Deborah has retired from the life of a paralegal and a Disability Services Specialist and writes and teaches full-time. She just received her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Goddard College. Married to her college sweetheart for twenty-three years, they make their home on five acres in Maryville, Tennessee in a circa 1867 farmhouse with gingerbread trim that has Angel's Wings. She has one son in college whom she loves to
watch play baseball.
Now that her stories are out of her head and on paper, she's so thankful for the opportunity to share them with readers! She'd love to hear from you via e-mail at deborah@deborahgracestaley.com or via snail mail at P.O. Box 672, Vonore, Tennessee, 37885. Include an SASE and she'll send you a bookmark and autographed bookplate.
News
Big things happen when word gets around, but I need your help! Tell someone that you read the Angel Ridge Novels and loved them. Post a great review on Amazon.com.As always, your support is appreciated!
November 2011
Friday, November 18, from 4-?, Deborah will sign copies of all four books in the Angel Ridge series, including, I'll Be There, at Hastings in Foothills Plaza, Maryville, TN. 977-7111.
Saturday, November 19, from 2-4, Deborah and the Greenback Market will host a release party for I'll Be There. Join us for fun and snacks and great conversation. Deborah will be on hand to autograph books from the Angel Ridge series. 6525 Hwy 411 S, Greenback, TN, (865) 856-5000.
October 2011
Thorndike will publish I'll Be There in large print. All of the novels of Angel Ridge are now available in large print through Thorndike. Yay!
A Home for Christmas and I'll Be There made a great showing on the Amazon Kindle bestseller list, each spending about 2 weeks in the Top 100 bestseller lists!
September 19, 2011
I'll Be There, Book Four of the Angel Ridge Novels, is available at Amazon.com.
July 2011
What the Heart Wants, Book Three of the Angel Ridge Novels, won the HOLT Medallion of Excellence for Single Title Mainstream Romance. Awarded annually, the Virginia Romance Writers give the medallion Honoring Outstanding Literary Talent (HOLT).
July 2011
What the Heart Wants, Book Three of the Angel Ridge Novels, won the HOLT Medallion of Excellence for Single Title Mainstream Romance. Awarded annually, the Virginia Romance Writers give the medallion Honoring Outstanding Literary Talent (HOLT).
July 2011
Deborah received her MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College in Port Townsend, Washington.
July 2011
What The Heart Wants is part of Amazon's Great Reads Promotions and is available for download for .99 for a limited time. The novel was #1 in Romantic Suspense and was in the Top 100 for all paid downloads.
What The Heart Wants is part of Amazon's Great Reads Promotions and is available for download for .99 for a limited time. The novel was #1 in Romantic Suspense and was in the Top 100 for all paid downloads.
October 2010
Bell Bridge Books gave away Only You as a free Kindle download for 2 weeks during the month of October. During that time, Only You was in Top 100 for all free downloads for two weeks, reaching as high as #2. Following the promotion, Bell Bridge has been offering Only You at a reduced price for Download. Only You was on the Top 100 bestseller list and was #1 on the Contemporary Romance Bestseller list! Also, What the Heart Wants appeared on the bestseller lists for Romantic Suspense and Action Adventure. Thank you to all the readers who downloaded the novels!
9/27/2010
Deborah is pleased to announce that the Angel Ridge novels can be purchased locally in Maryville, TN at Hastings. If you would like to see the Angel Ridge Novels in your local bookstore, please ask your local bookseller to order them!
Bell Bridge Books gave away Only You as a free Kindle download for 2 weeks during the month of October. During that time, Only You was in Top 100 for all free downloads for two weeks, reaching as high as #2. Following the promotion, Bell Bridge has been offering Only You at a reduced price for Download. Only You was on the Top 100 bestseller list and was #1 on the Contemporary Romance Bestseller list! Also, What the Heart Wants appeared on the bestseller lists for Romantic Suspense and Action Adventure. Thank you to all the readers who downloaded the novels!
9/27/2010
Deborah is pleased to announce that the Angel Ridge novels can be purchased locally in Maryville, TN at Hastings. If you would like to see the Angel Ridge Novels in your local bookstore, please ask your local bookseller to order them!
Appearances
Contact deborah@deborahgracestaley.com to schedule Deborah to speak at your meeting/conference or to do a book signing.
