"Kemanis is a writer of substance" (The U.S. Review of Books); "unarguably gifted…a great talent" (SP Reviews); "an excellent writer" (Mystery Scene Magazine).
V.S. Kemanis has enjoyed an exciting and varied career in the law and the arts. As an attorney, she has been a criminal prosecutor for county and state agencies, argued criminal appeals for the prosecution and defense, conducted complex civil litigation, and worked for appellate judges and courts, most recently as a supervising editor of appellate decisions. Ms. Kemanis is also an accomplished dancer and has performed, taught, and choreographed in California, Colorado, and New York.
Short fiction by Ms. Kemanis has been widely published in literary journals, anthologies, and magazines such as Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, The Crooked Road Volume 3, The Best Laid Plans, and Me Too Short Stories, among others. Her award-winning stories are collected in five volumes, including Your Pick: Selected Stories, winner of the 2019 Eric Hoffer Award for best story collection. Her novels of legal suspense feature prosecutor Dana Hargrove who, like the author, juggles family life with a high-powered professional career in criminal justice. Ms. Kemanis is a member of the Mystery Writers of America.
