When interviewed by Lola Sparks in Purple Pens[usurped], Kelly identified the following writers as having influenced her: In her author profile on the e-Harlequin site, Kelly says her three favorite fictional works have remained constant through the years, although their rankings tend to shift: War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, The Lawrenceville Stories by Owen Johnson, and A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute.
In surviving the effects of war and in helping other survivors her characters find in themselves qualities of strength and purpose not previously evident.
They are quiet achievers influencing the world on small, personal stages, making a difference in their own lives and others ultimately by acts of kindness rather than daring.
Kelly goes against the norms of the genre by focusing her attention not on the glittering world of London society and the social elite, but on the other 99.9% of the population occupying England.
Kelly has also written an acclaimed series of short stories about the men, women and children of Fort Laramie during the Indian Wars era of American history.
This list excludes articles written in her capacity of journalist or feature writer for various newspapers and magazines, primarily in North Dakota.