Jan Karon Books

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Jan Karon is an American author that started writing fiction when she was 50. Despite her late start, Jan succeeded in her efforts to tell stories that are free of sex, violence, and profanity. The author writes with both young and adult readers in mind.

Born in 1937 in Lenoir, North Carolina, Jan spent a lot of time with her grandparents as a child. She was only four when her parents divorced and their situation was such that it became necessary for Jan’s grandparents to look after her.

Though, the author eventually reunited with her mother some years later. By that time –Jan was 12—she had remarried, bringing stepchildren into Jan’s life. The author never finished school. She went as far as ninth grade before getting married at the age of fourteen to a man five years her senior.

Things between Jan Karon and Robert Freeland—her husband—were rocky from the very beginning. Jan was the one who filed for divorce. This was after Freeland was paralyzed by a bullet.

As a career woman, Jan started out as a receptionist. Still in her teens, the notion of answering phones did not appeal to Jan and she quickly grew bored.

She was fortunate enough to secure a position in advertising as a copywriter. Jan stayed in the field for many years and saw many great successes. Things on the personal front were not quite as rosy.

Jan was married two more times and, in each case, things ended rather disastrously. But the author only continued to climb the ranks in the field of advertising, going so far as to win a $100,000 Award for her efforts.

Jan’s writing efforts began when she was a child. She actually wrote her first novel when she was only ten. And even after she broke into the advertising arena, the author never stopped dreaming about producing fiction.

She spent the 1960s trying to pursue the dream. But she could never get her foot through the publishing door. It wasn’t until she quit her job and all its financial perks in 1988 that things began to fall into place.

Jan realized that she was never going to get anywhere unless she put everything on the line and threw everything she had into writing. It was a difficult first few years. But Jan had the advantage of a lifetime spent in advertising and she used the marketing skills she had nurtured over the years to plant her flag in the publishing field.

Jan Karon writes character-driven stories about life, love, family and small towns. Her stories are typically sprinkled with Christian scriptures and messages.

Jan Karon Awards

Jan won Christianity Today Book Awards in 2002, 2008, 2003, and 2000. She also won a Christy Award in 2000 and 2008, and a Gold Medallion Book Award in 2000.

Best Jan Karon Books

Jan Karon writes what people typically call women’s fiction; her stories are heavily dramatic and soaked in emotion, with some of the best books in the author’s bibliography including:

A New Song: Father Tim had retired from his duties as Episcopal Priest in Mitford after what felt like a lifetime. He never expected to get drawn back into the drama of life in ministry. But then he agreed to go to Whitecap where he became the interim minister of a small church.

Whitecap has no shortage of interesting individuals, from mysterious church organists to desperate bachelors. And even though Tim and his wife left Mitford, the frequent phone calls from the community ensure that they are kept abreast of everything happening back home.

In This Mountain: Tom and Cynthia went to Whitecap when Tim was asked by a small church to become its interim minister. But now the couple has returned to Mitford. And it doesn’t look like things have changed that drastically, with people like Dooley, Joe Ivey, and Fancy Skinner going about their business.

Tim doesn’t know where he fits in, though. Cynthia’s life is alive with activity. People keep calling her to either reward her or hold events in her honor. But Tim has nothing of significance to look forward to.

His essays and books are refusing to take shape and he’s starting to miss his days at the pulpit. As such, he jumps at the chance to take on a difficult ministry. However, Tim’s excitement quickly fizzles out when unexpected change forces him to undertake a painful journey.

When Does The Next Jan Karon book come out?

Jan Karon doesn't seem to have an upcoming book. Their newest book is Bathed in Prayer and was released on October, 30th 2018. It is the newest book in the Mitford Collections.

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