Kate Dolan

Kate Dolan writes award-winning historical fiction and romance under her own name and contemporary mysteries and children's books under the name K.D. Hays. A professional writer since 1992, Kate has written everything from legal analysis to a weekly newspaper column on religion.

Historical Novels Review praises her "humor and unusual characters that crackle off the page," Midwest Book Review finds her tales "riveting," and historians admire her research and reconstruction of places and manners of bygone eras. Drawing on local color for inspiration, she sets many of her stories in Maryland.

Regency England also provides the setting for a number of her books, including the four book "Love & Lunacy" series and a collection of Christmas novellas.

Her most unusual book was created in partnership with her eleven-year-old daughter. "Toto's Tale" tells the "real" story of the Wizard of Oz from Toto's point of view.

Although Kate earned a law degree and passed the bar (as her husband says, "the only bar she ever passed without entering,") she has actually spent more time working with preschool children than with lawyers. Of the two groups, she prefers children because "if they have something bad to say, they'll say it to your face."

She loves to explore the past by visiting historic sites and engaging in living history demonstrations and experiments. She also tries to spend as much time as possible riding roller coasters and waterslides with her kids, which can be just as educational. For example, last summer they learned exactly what not to put in your pocket when you riding El Toro at Six Flags.

When not writing and riding coasters, Kate enjoys coaching jump rope, practicing karate and taking long walks with her two dogs. She shares her office with Downy, a mini-rex rabbit who likes to gnaw on reference books. Learn more at www.katedolan.com or follow her on Facebook.