Deborah Coonts (born Deborah Buell) is an American novelist and lawyer best known for her Lucky O'Toole Las Vegas Adventures series of romantic, humorous mystery novels.[1]

Deborah Coonts
BornDeborah Buell
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
OccupationWriter
NationalityAmerican
EducationHockaday preparatory school
Southern Methodist University (BBA, JD)
University of Texas at Austin (MA)
New York University (LLM)
Period1999 – present
GenreRomantic mystery
Humorous fiction
Notable worksWanna Get Lucky?
Lucky Bastard
Notable awardsRITA award double finalist
SpouseStephen Coonts (divorced)
Website
www.deborahcoonts.com

Early life and education

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Coonts grew up in Dallas, Texas, where she attended the Hockaday preparatory school. She received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Southern Methodist University's Cox School of Business, and received a Master's degree in small business finance from the University of Texas at Austin's McCombs School of Business, a Master of Laws in taxation from New York University School of Law, and a Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University's Dedman School of Law.[2]

Career

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Coonts was admitted to the Texas Bar Association in 1989[3] and practiced tax law in Colorado after being admitted to its bar in 1990.[4]

While still practicing law, she wrote for Aviation for Women magazine from 1999 to 2005.[5]

Her first book, Wanna Get Lucky?, was included in The New York Times "Notable Crime Books of 2010"[6] and was a double finalist for the Romance Writers of America's 2011 RITA award in the categories of "Best First Book" and "Novel With Strong Romantic Elements."[7] Lucky Bastard, fourth in the Lucky O'Toole series, was released by Forge Books in May 2013[4] and was a Denver Post bestseller in June 2013.[8]

An essay by Coonts was included in the anthology Fade, Sag, Crumble: Ten Las Vegas Writers Confront Decay, published by CityLife Books in 2011.[9]

In a 2012 interview with The Big Thrill magazine, Coonts said her debut series is based in Las Vegas because "the whole world wanders through Vegas. The stories are endless."[10]

Personal life

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Coonts is a licensed commercial pilot and instrument rated flight instructor in single-engine land and sea planes. She lives in Las Vegas and has one son.[11] She was married to novelist Stephen Coonts.[12]

Books

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Fiction

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Lucky O'Toole Las Vegas Adventures series

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  • Wanna Get Lucky? (June 2015) (ISBN 978-0985792589)
  • Lucky Stiff (July 2015) (ISBN 978-0996571203)
  • So Damn Lucky (July 2015) (ISBN 978-0996571210)
  • Lucky Bastard (July 2015) (ISBN 978-0996571227)
  • Lucky Catch (June 2015) (ISBN 978-0985792596)
  • Lucky Break (November 2015) (ISBN 978-0996571272)
  • Lucky the Hard Way (November 2016) (ISBN 978-1944831820)
  • Lucky Ride (June 2017) (ISBN 978-1944831752)
  • Lucky Score (February 2018) (ISBN 978-1944831646)
  • Lucky Ce Soir (February 2019) (ISBN 978-1944831592)
  • Lucky Enough (May 2020) (ISBN 978-1944831011)

Brinda Rose Humorous Mystery series

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Kate Sawyer Medical Thriller series

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Other books

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Novellas

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  • Lucky In Love (June 2015) (ASIN B00ZNGJ066)
  • Lucky Bang (June 2015) (ASIN B00ZNGJA48)
  • Lucky Now and Then (June 2015) (ASIN B00ZNGJDKY)
  • Lucky Flash (September 2015) (ASIN B014VCCRS0)

Non-fiction

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  • Fade, Sag, Crumble: Ten Las Vegas Writers Confront Decay (contributor, 2011) (ISBN 978-1932173796)

References

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  1. ^ "Book Reviews, News and Best Selling Lists - USATODAY.com". USA TODAY.
  2. ^ "Deborah Coonts". Book Series in Order. September 10, 2016.
  3. ^ State Bar of Texas | Find A Lawyer | Deborah Buell Coonts
  4. ^ a b "Local novelist Deborah Coonts finds success". Las Vegas Review-Journal. 6 June 2010. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  5. ^ "Aviation for Women Magazine Index of Articles". Archived from the original on 2012-11-24. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
  6. ^ Stasio, Marilyn (December 3, 2010). "Notable Crime Books of 2010" – via NYTimes.com.
  7. ^ "2011 RITA and Golden Heart Finalists Announced! by Team H & H". Archived from the original on 2013-08-28. Retrieved 2013-11-23.
  8. ^ "Books: Denver best sellers, 6/2/2013". May 31, 2013.
  9. ^ Book Review: Fade, Sag, Crumble: Ten Las Vegas Writers Confront Decay | The Nevada Review
  10. ^ Reed, Rick (March 24, 2012). "So Damn Lucky by Deborah Coonts".
  11. ^ "Local novelist Deborah Coonts finds success". June 6, 2010.
  12. ^ "Wanna Get Lucky?". mysteryscenemag.com.
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