Lynne Sella

Responding to a callout in Twins magazine for stories about raising twins, Lynne Sella began her writing career as a contributing author for Susan Heim, editor of Twice the Love (“Fun With Granny Nanny”), It’s Twins (“Messiah Madness”), and Chicken Soup for the Soul: Twins and More (“Don’t Drink the Water”).

Anxious to expand her writing skills, she entered several contests and won the category of Children’s Literature in the 2003 Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest. This winning entry appears in It Was a Dark and Stormy Night compiled by Scott Rice. She also received 9th place in the 75th Writer’s Digest Annual Writing Competition (2006) in the Children’s/Young Adult category for her short story “Regina’s Dragon.”

After a failed attempt at writing children’s stories (she has the rejections to prove it), she decided to try her hand at writing adult novels and got the idea for her first novel while attending the Mendocino Coast Writers Conference. However, the writing technique of this first attempt was very rough and the plot dark and depressing, so she put it in a drawer and moved on.

Inspired by Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series, she began searching for a setting and occupation for her main character. It wasn't until she arrived in Surprise Valley to visit some friends that she discovered the perfect place and, after passing a sheriff's vehicle, the perfect occupation, and the Deputy Sarah Murdock series was launched.

While working on Grave Robber, the first book of the series, she had the opportunity to participate in a community project, collecting stories from residents of Lassen County, helping others edit their contributions, and even writing a few of her own. Edited by friend and fellow author, Candace Toft, this collection was published by Wingspan Press under the title of Small Moments in Time: Memories of Lassen County.

Grave Robber complete, Lynne spent the next two years submitting her novel to any and all that agreed to look at it. Unsuccessful, she decided to self-publish. With two books in the series “in the bank,” she dug out that first novel, rewrote it in the humorous style of the Deputy Murdock books, and published A Picture Perfect Romance. Four years later and after much begging by her diehard fans, the third Deputy Sarah Murdock book was completed and published.

Lynne Sella lives with her husband in northern California. Retired after more than 25 years in education, she plans to devote most of her time to writing and has ideas for several more Deputy Murdock books as well as a new series featuring Lou Marks, a retired teacher turned PI (Professional Inquirer) and her loyal sidekick, Trixie, whose self-appointed job is to keep Lou out of trouble—if she can. Other future projects include a collection of short stories and a historical fiction novel about a young girl desperate to leave post WW II Italy.

Follow her on Facebook at Books by Lynne Sella and and Instagram @LynneSellaBooks