Sean Kelly

Sean Kelly was a freelance writer and editor. Along with Ted Mann, he is credited as co-author of the book The Secret, although he was not involved in the creation of the treasure hunt itself.

Kelly was born on July 22, 1940, on a farm in Cushing, Quebec. After graduating from Loyola College he worked as a radio actor, advertising copywriter, schoolteacher and on a quiz show.

In 1967, he co-wrote Expo Inside Out, a bestselling but highly unofficial guide to the Montreal World's Fair. In 1972, he migrated to New York City to co-write the infamous off-Broadway mock rock musical Lemmings. He received the Drama Desk Award for his lyrics.

He worked at National Lampoon from 1971 until 1978, becoming an editor and later co-editor-in-chief in 1975.While at the National Lampoon, he co-wrote with Michel Choquette the satirical comic strip Son-O-God,about "a WASP superhero who fights Catholicism", illustrated by Neal Adams.

In 1977, Kelly was a founding editor of the "adult fantasy magazine" Heavy Metal (which was published by National Lampoon), lasting as editor until August 1979. Kelly returned to National Lampoon as a senior editor in 1981 and until 1984 he guided its staff.

As a freelancer, he was eclectic; published in Harper's Bazaar, Benetton'sColors, Interview, Irish America, the Old Farmer's Almanac, Playboy, Spy, The Village Voice, and The Quarterly of Joyce Studies. He reviewed many children's books for The New York Times.