HER STORY

 

Karen spent much of her career improving the lives of children globally by working in the US healthcare industry and with Save the Children.  Work brought her to schools in villages and overcrowded urban streets all over the world. During every visit, no matter where she went, she witnessed how the positive power of a book, a song, and games could foster giggly smiling children.

 

With her own children, reading books brought about the same giggly smiles. Reading books to her boys led to making up stories, which led her to the classroom to learn to write for children. In the classroom, she discovered a passion. 

 

For over a decade, Karen has enjoyed the journey of children picture book writing through continous class work, mentor instruction, critique partners, and actively participating in SCBWI regionally, and nationally. Online communities, such as 12X12 further support her learning and connections.  Her manuscript MISHMASH GARDEN won the 2023 Tassy Walden Award for Picture Book Text from the CT Shoreline Arts Alliance, a state-wide contest for unpublished authors and illustrators.  She also was a #50PreciousWords Winner in 2025 and HM in 2024.

 

Born and raised in the Boston area, Karen loves anything "Boston". She is a wife, mother of three boys and a dog, living happily along “the Sound” in Connecticut.  During summer months she spends as much time as she can with her relatives on Cape Cod. When not engrossed in the world of writing, she is mothering, running, reading, exercising, traveling, and enjoying time with friends or watching her boys’ sports teams compete.

 

To find out more or to discuss a potential project, please contact her.

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