Reviews Are News! With a Local Spin

Hi! My name is Kelly Thunstrom, and I am thrilled to write for Patch. I will be keeping you up-to-date on the local arts scene, reviewing books, theater productions and movies that have a local connection. But first, let me tell you a little about my background.

I grew up in Mountaintop, Pa., which is near the Poconos. From the age of 10 through high school, I was a ballet, tap and jazz dancer with a wonderful dance company in Luzerne County. I was also heavily involved in the arts in high school, especially with theater productions and choral groups. I graduated from Kutztown University with a degree in Elementary Education, also becoming certified in Mid-Level Social Studies and Secondary English. After college, I moved to Pottstown and taught fifth grade for three years. My husband (, who also writes for Patch and is the guru behind http://www.phillyweather.net) and I then moved to Royersford and have been living very happily here for eight years.

Besides teaching seventh and fourth grades, I also was the Community Relations Manager for Barnes & Noble. What a neat job! In addition to my other responsibilities, I was in charge of event planning. This included working with some very famous authors, one of which was Stephenie Meyer! This was when Twilight first came out. I can only say that the success could not have happened to a nicer person! Once the kids I taught found out that I met Stephenie Meyer, I became the "cool" teacher!

In the last few years, I have really gotten into reviewing, especially books and local theater. I am a theater reviewer for http://www.stagepartners.org, and have reviewed plays and musicals at the Walnut Street Theater, The Players Club of Swarthmore, and the King of Prussia Players, just to name a few.  I am also the editor and publisher of my own blog, where my goal is to eventually read 1776 (Get the Philly connection?) books or more. I also review books for http://www.bookloons.com.

Excerpts from my reviews can be found on New York Times bestselling authors' websites, including Hyatt Bass (The Embers) and Suzan Colon (Cherries in Winter).

I am a very fair reviewer who will try to steer you in the right direction. Now I need some help from you. If you are an author or know of an author with a local connection (meaning the author is from Limerick, Royersford or Spring City, or the book is set here), please email me. If you know of a local production (school or otherwise) in this area, please email me. If you or someone you know is from these three areas and you are in a show somewhere else, you can email me, as well. I can be reached at kelly.thunstrom@gmail.com. I look forward to seeing and reading all that our local communities have to offer!