Shelly Ellis is the penname of women's fiction/romance author and creator of the Gibbons Gold Digger series. Her fiction writing career began when she became one of four finalists in a First-Time Writers Contest when she was 19 years old. The prize was a publishing contract and having her first short-story romance appear in an anthology. She has since published two novels and has been chosen as a finalist for 2012 African American Literary Award in the romance category. Shelly started her new series in May 2013, with Can't Stand the Heat, to be followed by The Player and the Game in September 2013.

She is married and lives in Prince George's County, Maryland with her husband and their tabbie cat, Barty.

Genres: Romance