Kelley Gunter

Kelley Gunter was born and raised in a small town in Southern Ohio. She graduated from a small rural school that combined grades kindergarten through 12 in the same building. She spent summers with her grandparents learning the art of true southern cooking from her grandmother, whom she affectionately called “Nonnie.”

Kelley’s love of reading was passed on to her from her grandmother and her mother, who were both avid readers. Kelley graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in counseling and is a licensed social worker. Throughout high school, college, and graduate school, Kelley’s teachers and professors encouraged her to write professionally. She had written both editorial and review columns for a few local newspapers, but only pursued writing as a hobby after the birth of her son in 1994.

Following a lengthy career in social services, Kelley began writing full time. Her first book, You Have Such a Pretty Face, is a memoir detailing the emotional journey of being obese and the surprising changes brought on by her 243-pound weight loss following bariatric surgery, as well as the emotional factors that contributed to her initial weight gain. Kelley is currently in the process of writing a second memoir, The Homecoming Queen of Crazy Town.

When she is not writing, she enjoys cooking, baking, and reading. She also loves spending time with her son, her best friend, and her three Rottweilers. She makes a habit of enjoying all of the sweet magic life has to offer and thanking God regularly for blessing her with the continued gift of life.