Donnell Ann Bell rang our doorbell. Karen and I were unpacking boxes, figuring where to put various items. We had moved into a new neighborhood. Donnell was one of the first neighbors to welcome us.
Donnell said she and husband Les lived just across El Segundo Trail, the neighborhood side street we live on. She didn’t stay long. She was on her way to a meeting.
I learned soon after from Glen, our friend and “landlord”, that Donnell is an award winning author of Romantic Suspense mysteries and Cold Case mysteries.
As a writer of mysteries whose only “award” was a loving “Good job” from my wife, I suffered feelings of low self-esteem. I figured an author of her caliber wouldn’t have much in common with me.
Boy, was I wrong!
Donnell proved to be a generous, unselfish writing colleague who always promotes and encourages other writers, including me. We pick each other’s minds about characters, plots, opportunities and sometimes we challenge each other by doing improv: one of us provides a random series of words or a sentence, and the other creates a scene based on the words or the sentence.
We’ve become fans of each other’s work, and I’m delighted that our personal and professional relationship continues to grow.
Recently, the Sisters in Crime Colorado Chapter invited her to participate in an anthology, which should be published in 2025.
Donnell’s four romantic suspense novels, have been Amazon Best Sellers.
Her Cold Case series is made up of Black Pearl: A Cold Case Suspense (A 2020Colorado Book Award Finalist), and Until Dead, voted Best Thriller in the 2023 Imaginarium Celebration in Louisville, Kentucky.
Currently Donnell is hard at work on book three of the series.
If you’re interested in learning more about my friend, visit her website:
Comments