Meet Karen

I’m a preacher’s kid, a middle child (between two brothers), a mom of four-legged and furry “kids,” a lover of God and words and family and wonder. I learned early on the wonder of words, so it was only natural that I gravitated toward a career in publishing.

KAREN, THE PUBLISHING PROFESSIONAL

karenfrancine-2023-02-2023-02After 30 years of working in publishing houses (Tyndale, Multnomah, Zondervan, and B&H Publishing Group) as an executive editor, I now head up my own business, Karen Ball Publishing services. Through KBPS, I’m doing all the things I love: editing, speaking, consulting. And I’m also a literary agent with the prestigious Steve Laube Literary Agency. GREAT fun!

There’s a wonderful synergy in editing and agenting, helping authors craft the very best books they can and finding just the right home for them. My job as an editor and an agent is to come alongside the author and serve. And I love that!

During my 30 years in publishing, I’ve been blessed to discover several notable authors, including Francine Rivers, Karen Kingsbury, Liz Curtis Higgs, Sharon Ewell Foster, and Ginny Yttrup, whose debut novel Publisher’s Weekly called “a masterpiece!” I’ve also had the honor and joy of working with many other authors, including Angela Elwell Hunt, Robin Jones Gunn, Kimberley and Kayla Woodhouse, Gilbert Morris, Terri Blackstock, and Lori Copeland. It’s been terrific!

KAREN, THE AUTHOR

karendonphoto-2023-02-2023-02I love writing stories that resonate with authenticity. Be it suspense or romance, adventure or a family saga, I write to share truths about the faith journey, to uplift family and friendships, and to honor the truth that God is the Great I Am. What I hear from readers, over and over, is that they find my novels powerful, uplifting, and fun. That means so much to me.

I live in my beloved Oregon, with my husband, Don, and our two “kids”: Dasha, a mischievous Siberian husky, and Dakota, an Aussie-Terrier mix, a rescue dog that we affectionately call “The Black Hole of Emotional Need.”