I used to be a school teacher, but I gave it up to concentrate on writing.  I also used to work in a bookstore before I moved to the mountains with my husband and our dog.  Nowadays I tutor at a nearby elementary school and yes, I continue write.

In fact, it was my students that got me started writing my first book.  They complained, "There's nothing to read!"  Well, I knew that wasn't true, but  maybe there was something more to what they said.  "Everyone likes monsters," kids told me.  That began my seven year search for monsters that were "real."  The result is Monsters and Water Creatures (Henry Holt, May 2007).

Now I am writing a book about a Maya Princess.

I really wrote my first "book" when I was six years old.  Funny, that book was about the water monster we call a mermaid.  (Sometimes what intrests you as a kid sticks with you your whole life.)  I have always liked reading and writing kids stories and I don't see that changing any time soon.

When I was young everyone used to tease me about two things:  my hair and my "incurable optimisim."  My brother used to call me Mop Head!  Nevertheless, I was most often in a good mood and always looked at the bright side of things.  That's still true of me now even though I'm an adult.

I raised three boys, and one girl, who have grown up and moved to different parts of the world.   Soon another exciting thing will happen to me for the first time:  I'll become a grandmother. 

I hope you enjoy reading.  Give my books a try - or check out some of my favorites.

 -- Karen

A former school teacher and bookseller, Karen has never strayed far from her childhood love of books. Currently Karen is a tutor for the Yancey County Literacy Council, a member of the Author’s Guild, American Library Association, National Council of Teachers of English, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and the North Carolina Writer’s Network. 

She serves as the Children's Literature Coordinator for the Carolina Mountains Literary Festival (Burnsville, NC).  She has also been a judge for the Writer's Digest Annual Writing Contest (the self-published picture book category) and the Rebecca Caudhill Award (an award given by the children of Illinois for the best in Children’s Literature.)