Bush, Nancy 1953- (Natalie Bishop, Carolyn Keene, Nancy Kelly)

PERSONAL:

Born 1953; married Ken Bush, 1976; children: Kelly. Education: Oregon State University, B.A. Hobbies and other interests: Crossword puzzles, mystery novels, and spending time at the beach.

ADDRESSES:

Home—OR.

CAREER:

Writer. Worked as a breakdown writer for All My Children daytime soap opera.

WRITINGS:

ROMANCE NOVELS; AS NANCY BUSH

Dare to Love, Silhouette Books (New York, NY), 1982.

Bittersweet 16, Silhouette Books (New York, NY), 1983.

Imaginary Lover, Silhouette Books (New York, NY), 1988.

Lady Sundown, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1989.

Danner's Lady, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1990.

Jesse's Renegade, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1991.

Scandal's Darling, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1993.

JANE KELLY MYSTERIES; AS NANCY BUSH

Candy Apple Red, Kensington Books (New York, NY), 2005.

Electric Blue, Kensington Books (New York, NY), 2006.

Ultraviolet, Kensington Books (New York, NY), 2007.

ROMANCE NOVELS; AS NANCY KELLY

Tangled, Z Mass Paper, 1994.

If You Believe, Z Mass Paper, 1997.

Ginny Blue's Boyfriends, Strapless (New York, NY), 2005.

ROMANCE NOVELS; AS NATALIE BISHOP

Saturday's Child, Hodder & Stoughton (London, England), 1984.

String of Pearls, Silhouette Special Edition (New York, NY), 1985.

Lover or Deceiver, Silhouette Books (New York, NY), 1985.

Stolen Thunder, Silhouette Books (New York, NY), 1985.

Trial by Fire, Silhouette Books (New York, NY), 1985.

Just a Kiss Away, Silhouette Books (New York, NY), 1986.

Diamond in the Sky, Harlequin Books (New York, NY), 1986.

Silver Thaw, Harlequin Books (New York, NY), 1986.

Summertime Blues, Harlequin Books (New York, NY), 1987.

Imaginary Lover, Silhouette Books (New York, NY), 1988.

Princess and the Pauper, Harlequin Books (New York, NY), 1989.

Dear Diary, Harlequin Books (New York, NY), 1990.

Downright Dangerous, Harlequin Books (New York, NY), 1991.

Romancing Rachel, Harlequin Books (New York, NY), 1991.

Man She Married, Silhouette Books (New York, NY), 1992.

A Love Like Romeo and Juliet, Silhouette Books (New York, NY), 1993.

The Princess of Coldwater Flats, Harlequin Books (New York, NY), 1994.

Valentine's Child, Silhouette Books (New York, NY), 1998.

Two Across, Two Down, Harlequin Books (New York, NY), 2001.

(With Holly Jacobs) Love on Line One/Not Precisely Pregnant, Harlequin Duets (New York, NY), 2003.

Also contributor to "Nancy Drew Mysteries" series, writing as Carolyn Keene, including Wings of Fear, The Search for Cindy Austin, Bad Medicine, and Win, Place or Die, all Simon & Schuster (New York, NY).

SIDELIGHTS:

Nancy Bush is an author of romance novels writing under her own name as well as the pseudonyms Nancy Kelly and Natalie Bishop. She has also contributed to the "Nancy Drew Mysteries" series writing as Carolyn Keene, the house pseudonym used by all authors contributing to the series. Writing under her own name, Bush is author of the "Jane Kelly Mysteries." In the first book in the series, Candy Apple Red, Bush writes of a thirty-year-old woman named Jane Kelly who begins working for Dwayne Durbin, a private investigator. Ironically, Jane's first case involves her boyfriend, Tim Murphy, who dumped her. Jane is hired to find Bobby Reynolds, who is accused of killing his family and disappearing. Bobby also happens to be a friend of Tim's. When Bobby eventually turns up dead in a lake, Jane's life is further complicated by the reappearance of Tim. "Funny sex scenes, good drinks and a likable dog lift Bush's first Jane Kelly mystery," wrote a Publishers Weekly contributor. Harriet Klausner, writing on the Best Reviews Web site, noted that the author "has written a delightfully witty and charming crime caper starring a charmingly original heroine."

The next book in the series, Electric Blue, features Jane and her pet corgi, The Blinkster, as Jane becomes involved with the Purcell family, known for its family members' mental instability. As she hunts for the murderer of Gran Purcell, she is the object of the romantic desires of Jazz Purcell as well as her boss Dwayne Durbin. "With her clever ability to handle the zaniest of life's circumstances, Jane won't disappoint readers," wrote a Publishers Weekly contributor. Pat Cooper, writing on the Romantic Times Online Web site, called Electric Blue a "chuckle-out-loud entry" in the series.

Bush's romances written as Natalie Bishop include Valentine's Child and Two Across, Two Down. In Valentine's Child, the author tells the story of a successful restaurateur who goes home to confront an old lover only to find herself falling in love with him again. Romantic Times Online Web site contributor Pamela Cohen noted that the author "writes with a sizzling intensity." Two Across, Two Down features an actress agreeing to be the girlfriend of a male model so he can keep other women from bothering him. Catherine Witmer wrote on the Romantic Times Online Web site that the novel is "something a little different."

Bush, again writing as Natalie Bishop, is author, with Holly Jacobs, of Love on Line One/Not Precisely Pregnant. In her novel, Love on Line One, the author writes of Jake Danforth, whose ex-wife is seeing a psychic marriage counselor. When Jake jokes about it on his radio program, he ends up inviting the therapist, Julie Sommerfield, onto his show. However, when Julie shows up, he discovers that she is his ex-lover Juliet Adams. Catherine Witmer, writing on the Romantic Times Web site, noted that the novel "has its fair share of fun moments."

Bush's novels written as Nancy Kelly include If You Believe. The story revolves around Liz Havers, who became pregnant as a teenager and gave up her baby son to his natural father, who is older than Nancy. Sixteen years later, Liz is a child psychologist who seeks to become involved in her child's life as she tracks down her ex-boyfriend Hawthorne "Hawk" Hart, who is now a detective working in Woodside. When her son, Jesse, and a friend discover a body in the woods, Liz agrees to help them and finds herself once again falling in love with Hawk as they unravel the mystery. "Adolescent anger, rebellion and regrets are the cornerstones of the talented Ms. Kelly's emotional novel," wrote Jill M. Smith on the Romantic Times Online Web site.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Publishers Weekly, September 12, 2005, review of Candy Apple Red, p. 46; August 21, 2006, review of Electric Blue, p. 53.

ONLINE

Best Reviews,http://thebestreviews.com/ (January 24, 2004), Kelley Hartsell, review of Love on Line One/Not Precisely Pregnant; (September 15, 2005) Harriet Klausner, review of Candy Apple Red.

Charlotte County, FL, Government Web site,http://charlottecountyfl.com/ (June 11, 2007), "Nancy Bush—Author Visit."

Nancy Bush Home Page,http://www.nancybush.net/booklist.cfm (June 11, 2007).

Romance Designs,http://romancedesigns.com/ (June 11, 2007), brief profile of author.

Romantic Times,http://www.romantictimes.com/ (June 11, 2007), Catherine Witmer, review of Love On Line. and Two Across, Two Down; Pamela Cohen, review of Valentine's Child; Robyn Glazer, review of Candy Apple Red; Pat Cooper, review of Electric Blue; Jill M. Smith, review of If You Believe.