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Writing and Wrestling with the Heart: Jan Karon's Washington National Cathedral Lecture: Jan Karonfs Washington National Cathedral Lecture
In this Penguin eSpecial, Jan Karon, the bestselling author of the Mitford and Father Tim novels, tells the personal story of her life as a writer. Illuminating the way in which faith has influenced both her life and her writing, Karon also discusses her calling as an author—a calling she received early but took years to answer. Only an incredible leap of faith gave her the courage to give up all she had, risking everything to follow this call. Intimate, funny, and straight-from-the-heart, this eSpecial is a superb companion to Jan Karon’s novels, providing a revealing glimpse into the life of a novelist who has moved so many people with her words.
18 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 28, 2008
39 people are currently reading
196 people want to read
About the author
Jan Karon
128 books2,822 followersBorn Janice Meredith Wilson in 1937, Jan Karon was raised on a farm near Lenoir, North Carolina. Karon knew at a very early age that she wanted to be a writer. She penned her first novel when she was 10 years old, the same year she won a short-story contest organized by the local high school. Karon married as a teenager and had a daughter, Candace.
At 18, Karon began working as a receptionist for a Charlotte, N.C. advertising agency. She advanced in the company after leaving samples of her writing on the desk of her boss, who eventually noticed her talent. Karon went on to have a highly successful career in the field, winning awards for ad agencies from Charlotte to San Francisco. In time, she became a creative vice president at the high-profile McKinney & Silver, in Raleigh. While there, she won the prestigious Stephen Kelly Award, with which the Magazine Publishers of America honor the year's best print campaign.
During her years in advertising, Karon kept alive her childhood ambition to be an author. At the age of 50, she left her career in advertising and moved to Blowing Rock, North Carolina, to pursue that dream. After struggling—and failing—to get a novel underway, Karon awoke one night with a mental image of an Episcopal priest walking down a village street. She grew curious about him, and started writing. Soon, Karon was publishing weekly installments about Father Tim in her local newspaper, The Blowing Rocket, which saw its circulation double as a result. "It certainly worked for Mr. Dickens", says Karon.
The Father Tim stories became Karon's first Mitford novel, At Home in Mitford. That book has since been nominated three times (1996, 1997, and 1998) for an ABBY (American Booksellers Book of the Year Award), which honors titles that bookstore owners most enjoy recommending to customers, and the only book ever nominated for three consecutive years. The fourth Mitford novel, A New Song, won both the Christy and Gold Medallion awards for outstanding contemporary fiction in 2000. A Common Life, In This Mountain, and Shepherds Abiding have also won Gold Medallion awards. Out to Canaan was the first Mitford novel to hit the New York Times bestseller list; subsequent novels have debuted on the New York Times list, often landing the #1 spot.
Karon has also published two Christmas-themed books based on the Mitford series, The Mitford Snowmen and Esther's Gift, as well as Jan Karon's Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader. Other Mitford books include Patches of Godlight: Father Tim's Favorite Quotes, a compilation of wit and wisdom, and A Continual Feast: Words of Comfort and Celebration, Collected by Father Tim. In addition, Karon has written two children's books, Miss Fannie's Hat and Jeremy: The Tale of an Honest Bunny, and an illustrated book for all ages, The Trellis and the Seed.
Karon says her character-driven work seeks to give readers a large, extended family they can call their own. Though Light From Heaven is officially the final novel in the series, there's yet another Mitford book in this prolific author. Karon urges her millions of ardent fans to look for the Mitford Bedside Companion, releasing in the Fall of 2006. "It has everything in it but the kitchen sink", says Karon.
At 18, Karon began working as a receptionist for a Charlotte, N.C. advertising agency. She advanced in the company after leaving samples of her writing on the desk of her boss, who eventually noticed her talent. Karon went on to have a highly successful career in the field, winning awards for ad agencies from Charlotte to San Francisco. In time, she became a creative vice president at the high-profile McKinney & Silver, in Raleigh. While there, she won the prestigious Stephen Kelly Award, with which the Magazine Publishers of America honor the year's best print campaign.
During her years in advertising, Karon kept alive her childhood ambition to be an author. At the age of 50, she left her career in advertising and moved to Blowing Rock, North Carolina, to pursue that dream. After struggling—and failing—to get a novel underway, Karon awoke one night with a mental image of an Episcopal priest walking down a village street. She grew curious about him, and started writing. Soon, Karon was publishing weekly installments about Father Tim in her local newspaper, The Blowing Rocket, which saw its circulation double as a result. "It certainly worked for Mr. Dickens", says Karon.
The Father Tim stories became Karon's first Mitford novel, At Home in Mitford. That book has since been nominated three times (1996, 1997, and 1998) for an ABBY (American Booksellers Book of the Year Award), which honors titles that bookstore owners most enjoy recommending to customers, and the only book ever nominated for three consecutive years. The fourth Mitford novel, A New Song, won both the Christy and Gold Medallion awards for outstanding contemporary fiction in 2000. A Common Life, In This Mountain, and Shepherds Abiding have also won Gold Medallion awards. Out to Canaan was the first Mitford novel to hit the New York Times bestseller list; subsequent novels have debuted on the New York Times list, often landing the #1 spot.
Karon has also published two Christmas-themed books based on the Mitford series, The Mitford Snowmen and Esther's Gift, as well as Jan Karon's Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader. Other Mitford books include Patches of Godlight: Father Tim's Favorite Quotes, a compilation of wit and wisdom, and A Continual Feast: Words of Comfort and Celebration, Collected by Father Tim. In addition, Karon has written two children's books, Miss Fannie's Hat and Jeremy: The Tale of an Honest Bunny, and an illustrated book for all ages, The Trellis and the Seed.
Karon says her character-driven work seeks to give readers a large, extended family they can call their own. Though Light From Heaven is officially the final novel in the series, there's yet another Mitford book in this prolific author. Karon urges her millions of ardent fans to look for the Mitford Bedside Companion, releasing in the Fall of 2006. "It has everything in it but the kitchen sink", says Karon.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 24, 2020
I'll read anything Jan Karon has her name on, just to live in her head more. This was a fun origin story of Mitford, along with some of the details about her writing process, but if you're a Mitford fan, probably nothing you haven't already read in articles and compilations over the years.
June 30, 2016
A transcript of Jan Karon's lecture in the National Cathedral on her experience writing the Mitford series. It was concise and illustrative of her process. I did not know the backstory to Mitford nor that she was as surprised by some turns of plot as I was.
She spoke of letters fans had written her wondering about where the story was going and when certain points would happen or resolve. I loved those inclusions. People can be utterly charming.
Ms. Karon's dedication to no profanity or sex in her books is one of the reasons I love them so much. She has sold tens of millions of books, therefore you can't tell me only racy content will move a book. It seems Ms. Karon agrees as do her fans.
If you enjoyed the Mitford series this will be a quick read and a delight.
She spoke of letters fans had written her wondering about where the story was going and when certain points would happen or resolve. I loved those inclusions. People can be utterly charming.
Ms. Karon's dedication to no profanity or sex in her books is one of the reasons I love them so much. She has sold tens of millions of books, therefore you can't tell me only racy content will move a book. It seems Ms. Karon agrees as do her fans.
If you enjoyed the Mitford series this will be a quick read and a delight.
January 31, 2017
A great short read for all Mitford lovers - too short, really! There's so much more I'd love to know about Jan Karon... I wish she'd write a longer auto-biography or memoir, but this was an excellent snippet of a memoir. I had never read before about her call to be an author or some of the details about her struggle to start writing once she'd quit her advertising career. I enjoyed learning just a bit more about the history of what is probably my all-time favorite series of books.
October 23, 2015
Jan Karon is truly one of God's most gifted messengers. Her stories and beloved characters give glory to our awesome heavenly Father!
Give someone a gift of the Mitford series. Jan Karon is truly one of God's great messengers! Just finished Come Rain or Shine: Lace and Dooley..worth the wait. A true treasure.
Give someone a gift of the Mitford series. Jan Karon is truly one of God's great messengers! Just finished Come Rain or Shine: Lace and Dooley..worth the wait. A true treasure.
October 24, 2017
If only I could retire in Mitford!
I am an only child of 65..I was immediately part of a large crazy but LOVING family. Mitfrord truly made me happy....thank you Jan Karon.
I am an only child of 65..I was immediately part of a large crazy but LOVING family. Mitfrord truly made me happy....thank you Jan Karon.
May 12, 2025
Man (as Dooley would say)! This is a wonderful book about how Jan came to write the Mitford series. If you love Jan’s books or you don’t even know about her and her Mitford series, but you have a passionate desire to be a writer, this book is for you. It’s a short book, but is packed with wisdom about the writing process.
January 6, 2023
Awesome
Of, wouldn't it he great to hear Jan in in person? Or to meet her? This speech FreeTime how it all happened. You need to read this simple speech. It makes me want to to back and read the series again.
Of, wouldn't it he great to hear Jan in in person? Or to meet her? This speech FreeTime how it all happened. You need to read this simple speech. It makes me want to to back and read the series again.
August 1, 2020
Beautiful
Beautiful. I discovered a few things about Mitford and her writing that I did not know.
I adore Jan Karon
Beautiful. I discovered a few things about Mitford and her writing that I did not know.
I adore Jan Karon
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews