Books
“I write nonfiction that explores reinvention, resilience, and the courage it takes to change course. My work is rooted in real life, those times when things don’t go as planned and we must decide what comes next. My stories invite readers to live fully, open the good bottle of wine on a Tuesday night, and pursue the life they imagine for themselves.”
Books by Kelly E. Carter
Come to Win: Business Leaders, Artists, Doctors, and Other Visionaries on How Sports Can Help You Top Your Profession, a New York Times bestseller co-authored with tennis icon Venus Williams, featuring first-person perspectives from some of the most accomplished leaders across various industries.
The Dog Lover’s Guide to Travel, a Lowell Thomas award winner published by National Geographic, highlighting 75 of the best destinations in the U.S. and Canada for traveling with a dog.
Works in Progress
Bellini for One: Discovering Myself, from Italy to Napa Valley, a memoir sharing Kelly’s two transformative years living la dolce vita as an expat in Italy, with her dog Lucy, aka Lucia, and the journey that ultimately leads her to Napa Valley.
After I Said Ahhhh: My Year of Resilience in the Face of Cancer, a deeply personal account of Kelly’s 2023 diagnosis of a rare oral cancer and the year that followed, offering insight, strength, and a path forward.
Bellini for One: Discovering Myself, from Italy to Napa Valley, traces New York Times bestselling author Kelly E. Carter’s journey from Hollywood’s red carpet to two transformative years living in Italy, split between Florence and Positano, and ultimately to Napa Valley.
At 40, a single African American celebrity reporter at the height of her career, Kelly walks away from Hollywood. Basta! In Italy, she sets out to build a life on her own terms, no longer defined by access, other people’s schedules, or their stories, but by a search for her own identity and amore.
Yet the reality proves more complicated. Living abroad with her dog Lucy (aka Lucia), Kelly finds herself caught between the life she craves and the one she can’t quite escape. Hopscotching around Europe, she reluctantly writes about stars di Hollywood to fund her la dolce vita, encoutering her fair share of charming and not-so-charming foreign men along the way.
What begins as an act of reinvention is tested by setbacks that force her return to the United States, and later, to start over once again in San Francisco, paving her path to Napa Valley.
Woven throughout is the perspective of a trailblazing journalist and unapologetic singleton, one who breaks barriers as the first female beat writer for the Los Angeles Lakers, lives inside the celebrity world, and chooses to step outside of it.
Leaving one life behind, Kelly risks everything to create another. Bellini in hand.
New York Times bestselling author Kelly E. Carter reads a condensed version of the opening chapter of Bellini for One, her memoir-in-progress, at a Napa Valley Writers Club meeting on March 8, 2025.
“I felt like I was right there with you... and was anxiously rooting for you at the end.”
“You transported me to Lake Como... I loved your reading.”
“I want more!”
Venus Williams and Kelly E. Carter at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. (left); Kelly E. Carter and Venus Williams at Barnes & Noble in Los Angeles (right)
Multiple grand slam tennis champion and entrepreneur, Venus Williams and 46 of her colleagues, friends, and mentors deliver a volume of invaluable wisdom, motivation, and inspiration. Come to Win, co-authored by former sportswriter Kelly E. Carter, demonstrates how the principles of competitive athletics translate into business success. With contributions from a wide range of men and women who reached the very top of their games—including former CEO and bestselling author Jack Welch, fashion designer Vera Wang, actor Denzel Washington, and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice—Venus Williams’s Come to Win is a book every aspiring professional, coach, and sports enthusiast should read.
Reviews
“Contributors offer advice on how to learn from losses, block out distractions, and visualize a course of action. Solid advice from a wide and varied A-list of contributors.” ~ Booklist
“Come to Win is an athlete-driven project based on a refreshing concept – curiosity about what makes other people tick. . . . Successful people don’t always win, but they nearly always learn something useful when they lose. It’s a timeless message.” ~ ESPN.com
“A book written by former sportsmen and women who then made good in the world of commerce and politics [is] a welcome addition. Come to Win promises to be just that.” ~ Financial Times (UK)
“An engaging collection. . . . Her advice comes from leaders who are masters of the power game, but the lessons are for us all.” ~ Bloomberg Businessweek
“Containing gems of biographical information not available elsewhere, this presents inspirational readings on how sports can make a significant difference and teach ‘life lessons.’ ” ~ Library Journal
The Dog Lover’s Guide to Travel
National Geographic’s ultimate resource for traveling with your furry friend features hundreds of dog-friendly places to pamper your pooch, from doggie daycare to canine cruises. Special features include walks you can take with your dog, insider tips from local pet parents on how to best enjoy their area with a pup, and sidebars detailing unique opportunities for coddled canines, such as winery hikes in California wine country. New York Times bestselling author and pet parent Kelly E. Carter, and her beloved longhaired Chihuahua, Lucy, give you the inside scoop on pet-friendly hotels and restaurants, beaches, parks, and dog runs, plus the lowdown on events for four-legged visitors and dog-friendly attractions. A detailed introduction discussed everything you need to know when taking your pooch on vacation, including the lay of the land for road tripping and flying cross-country. From Sanibel Island, FL, to Whistler, BC, from Montreal QC, and Nantucket, MA to San Francisco, CA, The Dog Lover’s Guide to Travel showcases 75 of the best pet-friendly vacation destinations across the U.S. and Canada.
Reviews
“The ultimate resource for traveling with your furry friend, from doggie daycare to canine cruises, including walks you can take with your dog and tips from local pet parents.” ~ Publishers Weekly
“Fun and precious, the book is a must for dogs and their traveling human companions everywhere.” ~ Chicago Tribune
“Whether you’re looking for a simple off-leash romp in a nearby park or trying to find a fancy wine-and-wag event, THE DOG LOVER’S GUIDE TO TRAVEL is the ultimate resource for making the most of travel with your best canine friend.” ~ Modern Dog Magazine
“Colorfully packaged and reader friendly, “The Dog Lover’s Guide to Travel” is a breezy resource for the owner with an adventurous spirit who prioritizes the need to do his/her homework first.” ~ Seattle Kennel Club
“Kelly Carter’s new book dishes advice on everything from prepping your pooch for a trek to the beach (yes, they should wear sunscreen) to finding the most Fido-friendly hotels, restaurants, parks and more in 75 cities across North America.” ~ CNN
New York Times bestselling author and pet travel expert Kelly E. Carter and her latest book, The Dog Lover's Guide to Travel, are featured in this Good Morning America segment showing new ways to vacation with a dog. GMA contributor Becky Worley spends time in San Francisco with Kelly, Founder of TheJetSetPets.com, the luxury travel source for pampered pets on the go. Pick up The Dog Lover's Guide to Travel on Amazon.com. http://amzn.to/1irCkwz