Spotlight on Kristen Kyle
(Published in 2002)

By Cheryl Bolen

Our chapter's Kristen Kyle (Chris Benson) has joined a select group of authors who have racked up awards right out of the chute.

With the 1997 publication of her first book, NIGHTHAWK, Kristen was a finalist for the prestigious Holt Medallion, and she won the Prism, given by the paranormal special interest chapter. That book had previously won the Emily and the Golden Heart.

From Leisure, her first publisher, she switched to Bantam for LOST WARRIOR. Bantam must be happy she did. The book was a Rita finalist and won the Dorothy Parker Award of Excellence and was a Reviewer's Choice selection by Romantic Times magazine.

The second in her Gold series, PROMISE OF GOLD, is published this month.

These accomplishments are impressive when one considers Kristen didn't join RWA until 1991, when one considers she works full time and when one considers she is a single mother with two teenage sons living at home.

She lives in a suburb of Dallas and has been a member of West Houston RWA since she won the Emily in her pre-publishing days.

"That I can't manage to write as a career any time soon is actually rather painful, because it's what I love to do most," Chris said.

She holds an MBA from Texas A & M University and works as a consultant for a large software company.

With sons 15 and 17, most of her money goes toward their cars, car insurance and college fund.

In fact, the boys receive most of her attention--when she's not working.

She basically only writes every other weekend, when the boys are with their father. She may squeeze in another four or five hours during the week, an hour here and there. "It's very erratic and difficult to stay in the story that way," Chris said. "It's either persevere or give up writing. I can't imagine not writing."

Divorced for nine years, Chris said her love life is pathetic. "Keeping up with my sons, upkeep on the house, and my writing have maxed out my time. I simply haven't been able to fit dating in."

What's next for her--career-wise? "I'm at a crossroads right now. I've kinda developed the itch to write a contemporary single title, which is a good thing since the publishers are not getting behind historicals right now."

With her reputation for weaving suspenseful action-adventure stories, a single title from Kristen Kyle ought to be great read.