McWilliams, Kelly 1987–

PERSONAL: Born 1987; daughter of Jewell Parker Rhodes (a writer). Hobbies and other interests: Music, aikido.

ADDRESSES: Agent—c/o Author Mail, Delacorte Press, 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.

CAREER: Writer and student.

WRITINGS:

Doormat (novel), Delacorte Press (New York, NY), 2004.

SIDELIGHTS: Kelly McWilliams was fifteen years old when her first book, the novel Doormat, was published in 2004. McWilliams initially created the characters when she was in the eighth grade and wrote her novel during the summer prior to her freshman year in high school. "When I look back on Doormat now, a novel primarily about teenage relationships, I'm also looking back on my middle school years and my own relationships," McWilliams explained on the Kids@Random Web site.

Doormat revolves around Jamie, a fourteen-year-old girl who has always felt like a secondary character, especially next to her popular friend. But when her friend becomes pregnant, Jamie steps forward and helps the teen, gaining confidence along the way and ultimately landing the lead in the school play and finding her first boyfriend. Writing in the School Library Journal, Catherine Ensley noted that the young author still has room for development, but added that her "understanding of human motivation is strong, and her ability to use metaphor to describe it is … appealing." Claire Rosser, writing in Kliatt, called the novel "believable" and added that McWilliams "nails the relationships her narrator … describes." A Kirkus Reviews contributor commented that the author writes about "the grim realities of teen pregnancy without being too preachy," while Booklist reviewer Hazel Rochman noted that McWilliams writes about young adults "with wit and immediacy as well as distance."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Black Issues Book Review, March-April, 2005, Desiree Harrison, review of Doormat, p. 16.

Booklist, September 1, 2004, Hazel Rochman, review of Doormat, p. 647.

Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2004, review of Doormat, p. 870.

Kliatt, September, 2004, Claire Rosser, review of Doormat, p. 14.

Publishers Weekly, October 18, 2004, review of Doormat, p. 65.

School Library Journal, September, 2004, Catherine Ensley, review of Doormat, p. 212.

ONLINE

Kids@Random Web site, http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/ (May 25, 2005), "Kelly McWilliams."