{{Short description|American writer (born 1960)}} {{Infobox artist | image = Lynn_Ames_Photo.jpg | name = Lynn Ames | caption = Lynn Ames | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|10|10|mf=y}} | birth_place = New York | death_date = | death_place = | training = Middlebury College | works = Fiction and Nonfiction | website = {{URL|https://www.lynnames.com}} | known_for = The Mission: Classified Series, The Kate & Jay Series, and ''Out at the Plate: The Dot Wilkinson Story'' | patrons = | awards = Golden Crown Literary Society Winner, The Alice B Readers Award, Ann Bannon Award, Lambda Literary Award Finalist }}
'''Lynn Ames''' (born October 10, 1960) is an American writer whose works feature female protagonists, past and present. She has authored sixteen novels spanning a variety of genres, including historical fiction, thrillers, and LGBTQ+ romance, and a biography of softball player and bowler Dot Wilkinson. Ames has collected six Goldie Awards from the Golden Crown Literary Society (GCLS) and was keynote speaker at the 2023 GCLS annual conference. Her contemporary romance novel, ''All That Lies Within'', won the GCLS Ann Bannon Popular Choice Award in 2013<ref name=Goldie>{{cite web|author=Golden Crown Literary Society (GCLS)|url=https://www.goldencrownliterarysociety.org/previous-goldie-winners|title=Previous Goldie Winners|publisher=GCLS|access-date=14 November 2023}}</ref> and was a Lambda Literary Award finalist for Lesbian Romance.<ref name=Lammy>{{cite web|author=Lambda Literary|url=https://lambdaliterary.org/category/winners-finalists/|title= Past Winners & Finalists|publisher=Lambda Literary|access-date=14 November 2023}}</ref>
==Early life and education== In 1982, she graduated cum laude from Middlebury College with a bachelor's degree in history and a minor in psychology. She received the Marci J. Stewart Award for “the student in history who has shown outstanding personal and academic qualities.”<ref>{{cite web|author=Middlebury College|url=https://www.middlebury.edu/college/academics/history/awards-and-prizes#the-marci-j-stewart-memorial-award|title=Awards and Prizes|publisher=Middlebury College|access-date=2 December 2023}}</ref>
==Early professional career== Ames began her career as a broadcast journalist, news anchor, and news director for WQBK AM & FM, a radio station in Albany, New York. In 1987, she was named press secretary to New York State Senate Minority Leader Manfred Ohrenstein. In 1989, Governor Mario Cuomo tapped her to become spokesperson for the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, then the third-largest prison system in the country.<ref>{{cite news|author=Special to the New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/05/11/us/number-of-inmates-in-us-prisons-reached-record-high-last-year.html|title=''Number of Inmates in U.S. Prisons Reached Record High Last Year''|work=New York Times|date=11 May 1987 |access-date=2 December 2023}}</ref>
In 2001, after a six-year stint as Vice President of the New York State Credit Union Association, Ames established her own public relations firm where she specialized in image, crisis communications planning, and crisis management.<ref name=AliceB>{{cite web|author=Alice B Awards Organization|url=https://www.alicebawards.org/pastbios.html|title= Biographical Information About Past Alice B Medal Winners|publisher=Alice B Awards Organization|access-date=2 December 2023}}</ref>
==Writing career== In 2004, Ames published her first novel, ''The Price of Fame'', with Intaglio Publications. Her next four novels also were published by Intaglio.<ref>{{cite web|author=Intaglio Publications|url=https://openlibrary.org/publishers/Intaglio_Publications|title=Intaglio Publications|publisher=Open Library Internet Archive|access-date=19 November 2023}}</ref> In 2010, Ames took back the rights to all of her works and created Phoenix Rising Press.<ref>{{cite web|author=Phoenix Rising Press|url=http://www.phoenixrisingpress.com/ForAuthors.htm|title=For Authors|publisher=Phoenix Rising Press|access-date=2 December 2023}}</ref> In addition to issuing second editions of her first five novels, Phoenix Rising Press became publisher of record for her eleven subsequent works of fiction.
==Writing influences== Ames draws on her experience as a journalist and governmental spokesperson to create plots and characters. This is particularly notable in ''The Price of Fame'', the first book in the Kate & Jay series. As described in ''The Lesbian Review'', Jay “is in Albany to interview the Governor of New York when she turns on the TV in her hotel room and sees a face she’s been thinking about for five years.” Kate “is at the state capitol building, covering the wreckage after an explosion and helping as many survivors as she can.” The two women reconnect, resulting in a “page turner” that is “a lot of fun to read.”<ref>{{cite web|author=Tara Scott|url=https://www.thelesbianreview.com/price-fame-lynn-ames/|title=The Price of Fame by Lynn Ames: Book Review|date=20 November 2016 |publisher=The Lesbian Review|access-date=2 December 2023}}</ref>
In reviewing ''Chain Reactions'', a ''Writer’s Digest'' honorable mention for genre fiction,<ref name=Digest>{{cite web|author=Cassandra Lipp|url=https://www.writersdigest.com/self-published-book-awards/announcing-the-winners-of-the-27th-annual-writers-digest-self-published-book-awards|title=''Announcing the Winners of the 27th Annual Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards''|date=5 February 2020 |publisher=Writer’s Digest|access-date=2 December 2023}}</ref> Lambda Literary advised “readers who enjoy a blend of contemporary and historical fiction” to pick up the book, as it is “fascinating, compelling, and well-researched, giving a glimpse into what will be for many a little-known contribution women made to the war effort in WWII.”<ref>{{cite web|author=Tara Scott|url=https://lambdaliterary.org/2019/06/chain-reactions/|title=Chain Reactions by Lynn Ames|date=11 June 2019 |publisher=Lambda Literary|access-date=2 December 2023}}</ref>
Ames also has won a Goldie Award and other recognition for her humorous novel ''Great Bones'', published in 2018, and for other comedic work.<ref name=INDIES>{{cite web|author=Foreword Reviews|url=https://www.forewordreviews.com/awards/books/great-bones/|title=Great Bones: 2018 INDIES Finalist|publisher=Foreword|access-date=2 December 2023}}</ref>
==Personal== Ames resides in Asheville, North Carolina, with her wife, Cheryl Pletcher.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://www.lynnames.com/about |access-date=4 December 2023 |website=lynnames.com |language=en}}</ref>
==Works== {{Library resources box|about=no|by=yes}} ''(All works published by Phoenix Rising Press unless noted)''
===Nonfiction=== * ''Out at the Plate: The Dot Wilkinson Story'' (2023), Chicago Review Press, {{ISBN|9781641609999}}
===Series===
====Kate & Jay series==== * ''The Price of Fame'' (2003, 2nd edition 2010) {{ISBN|9780984052141}} * ''The Cost of Commitment'' (2004, 2nd edition 2010) {{ISBN|9780984052158}} * ''The Value of Valor'' (2005, 2nd edition 2010) {{ISBN|9780984052165}} * ''Final Cut'' (2016) {{ISBN|9781936429127}}
====Mission: Classified series==== * ''Beyond Instinct'' (2011) {{ISBN|9781936429028}} * ''Above Reproach'' (2012) {{ISBN|9781936429042}}
===Standalone fiction===
====Historical fiction==== * ''Eyes on the Stars'' (2010) {{ISBN|9781936429004}} * ''Bright Lights of Summer'' (2014) {{ISBN|9781936429103}} * ''Secrets Well Kept'' (2019) {{ISBN|9781936429189}}
====Contemporary romance==== * ''Heartsong'' (2007, 2nd edition 2010) {{ISBN|9780984052134}} * ''One ~ Love'' (2010) {{ISBN|9780984052127}} * ''All That Lies Within'' (2013) {{ISBN|9781936429066}} * ''Chain Reactions'' (2019) {{ISBN|9781936429165}} * ''46'' (2020) {{ISBN|9781936429202}}
====Romantic comedy==== * ''Great Bones'' (2018) {{ISBN|9781936429141}}
====Anthologies and collections==== * “In a Flash” (included in ''Outsiders'', a collection of five short stories, published by Brisk Press, 2009) {{ISBN|0-979-92545-2}} * Selected love poems (included in "Roses Read", edited by Beth Mitchum, published by UltraVioletLove Publishing, 2013) ASIN: B00B2FA78W * “It’s a Dog’s Life” (included in ''Lesbians on the Loose: Crime Writers on the Lam'', edited by Lori L. Lake and Jessie Chandler, published by Launch Point Press, 2015) {{ISBN|9781633040311}}e
====Novelty works==== * ''Digging for Home'' (2014) {{ISBN|9781936429080}} * ''A Christmas Tail'' (2015 – Kindle only) ASIN: B019MZNDJI
==Awards and other recognition== * 2007 - ''The Value of Valor,'' Arizona Book Award Winner - Best Gay/Lesbian Book * 2010 - ''Outsiders,'' Golden Crown Literary Society Award Winner - Short Story/Essay/Collections (Lynn Ames, Georgia Beers, JD Glass, Susan X. Meagher and Susan Smith)<ref name="Goldie" /> * 2011 - ''Eyes on the Stars'', Golden Crown Literary Society Winner - Historical Romance<ref name="Goldie" /> * 2012 - ''Beyond Instinct,'' Golden Crown Literary Society Award Winner - Mystery/Thriller<ref name="Goldie" /> * 2013 - ''All That Lies Within,'' Lambda Literary Award Finalist - Lesbian Romance<ref name="Lammy" /> * 2014 - ''All That Lies Within,'' Ann Bannon Popular Choice Award Winner<ref name="Goldie" /> * 2015 - ''Bright Lights of Summer,'' Golden Crown Literary Society Award Winner - Historical Fiction<ref name="Goldie" /> * 2016 - ''Final Cut,'' Lambda Literary Award Finalist - Lesbian Romance<ref name="Lammy" /> * 2017 - ''Final Cut,'' Golden Crown Literary Society Award Winner - Romantic Suspense/Intrigue/Adventure<ref name="Goldie" /> * 2018 - ''Great Bones,'' Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award Finalist - Humor<ref name="INDIES" /> * 2019 - ''Great Bones,'' Golden Crown Literary Society Award Winner – Humorous Novel<ref name="Goldie" /> * 2019 - ''Chain Reactions,'' Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards Honorable Mention - Genre Fiction<ref name="Digest" /> * 2020 - The Alice B Readers Award for Outstanding Body of Work<ref name="AliceB" /> * 2024 - ''Out at the Plate: The Dot Wilkinson Story'', Foreword INDIES Gold Award Winner - LGBTQ+ Adult Nonfiction<ref>{{Cite web |title=2023 Foreword INDIES Winners in LGBTQ+ (Adult Nonfiction) |url=https://www.forewordreviews.com/awards/winners/2023/lgbtq-1/ |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=www.forewordreviews.com |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website|https://www.lynnames.com/}} * [https://www.briskpress.com/home.html Brisk Press home page] * [https://www.chicagoreviewpress.com/ Chicago Review Press home page] * [https://www.launchpointpress.com/ Launch Point Press home page]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ames, Lynn}} Category:1960 births Category:Living people Category:American lesbian writers Category:American LGBTQ novelists Category:Middlebury College alumni Category:Lesbian novelists Category:21st-century American novelists Category:21st-century American women novelists Category:Novelists from Arizona Category:Novelists from North Carolina