ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Norman V. Kelly is a life-long Peorian, a graduate from Woodruff High School, class of 1950, and a Distinguished Alumni, 2006.  Norm graduated from Bradley University in 1958.  He was a member of the U.S.A.F. during the Korean War, 1951-1955. He was a medic in the United States Air Force where he reached the rank of S/SGT. Norm is a retired Private Investigator and Para-Legal, and still living in his beloved hometown of Peoria, Illinois.

 

Norm is a well-known radio personality having appeared on all of the local talk shows in Peoria as well as several TV shows over the years.   He has written 12 books about the history of Peoria, Illinois, writing mostly about the bawdy, seedy and dangerous elements of Peoria’s long history, 1845 through 1950.

He has written close to 600 short stories, including mystery, true-crime, fiction, adventure pieces and many biographies of celebrities with a Peoria connection. His short story work includes a couple hundred pieces about Peoria History. He was a member of the prestigious Mystery Writers of America for many years.

 

Mr. Kelly has been awarded the Landin Award from the Peoria Park District and two distinguished service awards from the Peoria and State Police Departments. Norm represented the United States as the U.S. Clue Champion in 1986 in a World competition in New York City.  The author wrote OFFICER DOWN, a book that chronicled the death of officers who died in the line of duty here in Peoria.   He has written stories of 5 other officers that had died in the line of duty but were never honored.  These men’s names are now on all three police memorials in Illinois and Washington, DC. He also found PFC Zimmerman who died of wounds suffered in Korea.  He is now on the local Korean Monument.

 

Norm has written hundreds of articles about Peoria and currently writes for NEWS and VIEWS and stories for The Times Observer, Art and Society, Journal Star, Illinois Business Issues and Downstate Story. He is featured in ADVENTURE OUTDOOR SPORTS magazine monthly and was featured in the first issue of the new magazine THE PEORIAN.  Only recently he has contributed stories to Peoria Life/Articles an on line media.   Norm was honored as a ‘Hero Of The Day’ at the Chief’s baseball game in Peoria in June of 2012. Norm was a member of a radio show that aired on WOAM, 1350 AM on Sundays 7-10 AM. And is a guest on Royce and Roger’s radio show on 90.7 FM Community Radio every Thursday. He has had stories printed in multiple newspapers, America’s Most Wanted, and dozens of newsletters as well as DOWNSTATE STORIES.  Norm wrote THE CASE OF THE MISSING MANUSCRIPT for the Peoria Library.  This play was shown on local TV and starred local celebrities.  Norm’s current play is AN ARTFUL MURDER which was part of CORNSTOCK’S presentation of  FOURPLAY.  He has over 100 stories on the Peoria library’s web site as well as a Historical Blog on Blogspot.com/Historian. Norm was a frequent speaker at service clubs, local luncheons, colleges and library presentations. norman.kelly@sbcglobal.net  

 

You can read some of his stories at http://peoriahistorian.blogspot.com/blog  and  www.peoriapubliclibrary.org/Norman Kelly.  Or just Google Peoria Public Library/Norman Kelly, Historian: his picture will appear.

Norm has a fiction blog called  Night has fallen  good luck finding it.

His e mail is:    norman.kelly@sbcglobal.net   Phone   692 6387

 

Norm wrote a two-act play that was performed by the Pleasant Valley High School in Bettendorf, Iowa. His new play, AN ARTFUL MURDER is available now. It appears that Richwood’s High School will produce the play  An Artful  Murder  in the fall of 2017, written by Norman Kelly.

 

GENESIS:  The Park Murders… is Norm’s newest book that sold out the first two printings.  “A sinister killer stalked the small town of Peoria, Illinois. All of the killer’s victims were discovered in the local parks grotesquely displayed. Can two local detectives track down this killer and bring an end to the most bizarre murders in Peoria’s bawdy history?” His newest mystery book, FALSE FACE was sold out and out of print. Both of his books are serialized in the new magazine, THE PEORIAN. You can find them on line on their ‘Junk Drawer’ site.

 

Norm has been writing since 1980 and over the years has given over $12,000.00 to local non-profit organizations here in Peoria, Illinois and East Peoria Illinois, Delavan and Eureka. The author continues to write and speak at local service clubs and special events. He writes monthly for NEWS and VIEWS and four local magazines.

Mr. Kelly lectured at the local library, taught adult classes at ICC and Bradley University.  His series on Prohibition in Peoria is scheduled for August 9, 2012 at ICC and will appear with Royce Elliott at the North Branch of the Library on July 9. 2013.

 

Norm continues to write for 5 local magazines bringing Peorians and local readers precious historical stories from 1828 through 1951. He also wrote a book entitled MURDER  IN  YOUR OWN BACK YARD that chronicled 18 infamous murder cases in Peoria’s History up to an including 1980.   He is on a local podcast and local radio show once a week educating the listeners on Peoria’s Historical past.

 

In 2014 Norm Kelly was honored by the Chief’s Baseball Team at their stadium representing Korean War Veterans. He spoke at Springdale Cemetery during the ceremonies honoring our fallen soldiers that fought and died in Korea.  He was a Marshall in the Veteran’s Parade and was the keynote speaker at the ceremonies at the Peoria County Courthouse. He is a patriotic Peorian and proudly accepts the title of Peoria Historian.                                                

 

All of his books are available at the Peoria Public Library. Norm currently has his last two books,  FALSE FACE and GENESIS:  The Park Murders on line within THE PEORIAN’S  web site.  He encourages your e mails at  norman.kelly@sbcglobal.net.  Some of his books are available in the Bradley University archives. (Correction all of Norm’s books were sold and are no longer available except in the local library.

 

END  OF A CAREER:  On July 11, 2017 Norm Kelly will be honored 

as a Peoria Local Legend in a ceremonies at the Peoria Country Club. Norm is among four others named a Local Legend by the magazine InterBusiness Issues. On June 23, Norm will give his final public lecture on elements of Peoria’s colorful history. For thirty-five years Norm has written and lectured about Peoria and as he once remarked, “It has been one hell of a ride.”   The Local Yokel is now a Local Legend.  Not bad from a kid from Elvista.