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]
![]() | This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. (August 2022) |
Deborah Coonts | |
---|---|
Born | Deborah Buell Dallas, Texas |
Occupation | Writer |
Nationality | American |
Education | Hockaday preparatory school Southern Methodist, (B.A.) University of Texas at Austin, (M.A.) Southern Methodist, (J.D.) New York University, (L.L.M) |
Period | 1999 – present |
Genre | Romantic mystery Humorous fiction |
Notable works | Wanna Get Lucky? Lucky Bastard |
Notable awards | RITA award double finalist |
Spouse | Stephen Coonts (divorced) |
Website | |
www |
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.
Coonts was admitted to the Texas Bar Association in 1989[2] and practiced tax law in Colorado after being admitted to its bar in 1990.[3]
While still practicing law, she wrote for Aviation for Women magazine from 1999 to 2005.[4]
Her first book, Wanna Get Lucky?, was included in The New York Times "Notable Crime Books of 2010"[5] 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."[6] Lucky Bastard, fourth in the Lucky O'Toole series, was released by Forge Books in May 2013[3] and was a Denver Post bestseller in June 2013.[7]
An essay by Coonts was included in the anthology Fade, Sag, Crumble: Ten Las Vegas Writers Confront Decay, published by CityLife Books in 2011.[8]
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."[9]
Coonts is a licensed commercial pilot and instrument rated flight instructor in single-engine land and sea planes. She lived in Las Vegas and has one son. She is divorced from novelist Stephen Coonts.