Dan Kellams

Dan Kellams has written two books set in his hometown of Marion, Iowa. The most recent, "Mistaken for a King," is an evocative and often funny memoir of his early years. "A Coach's Life: Les Hipple and the Marion Indians," is the biography of a stern Hall of Fame high school coach.

Kellams has more than 50 years' experience in public relations and as a freelance writer and editor in New York. In these roles he promoted a range of sports and outdoor adventure activities, including mountaineering and jungle expeditions. He has written and created publications for such clients as American Express, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Citibank, Reebok, Moody's Investors Service, R.J. Reynolds, the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, and many other organizations.

His early work experience included a stint as an editor for Radio Free Europe in Munich, Germany, and service in the Army as an information specialist at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y. At Marion High School, he played four sports under his demanding coach. He holds a BA degree from Cornell College, Mount Vernon, Iowa, and a MS in journalism from Columbia University.

After living in Manhattan and rural Connecticut for five decades, Kellams and his wife, Elaine, moved in Arizona in 2015.