Jan Karon, born Janice Meredith Wilson in the
foothills of North Carolina, was named after the title of a popular
novel, Janice Meredith.
Jan wrote her first novel at the age of ten. "The manuscript was
written on Blue Horse notebook paper, and was, for good reason,
kept hidden from my sister. When she found it, she discovered the
one curse word I had, with pounding heart, included in someone''s
speech. For Pete''s sake, hadn''t Rhett Butler used that very same
word and gotten away with it? After my grandmother''s exceedingly
focused reproof, I''ve written books without cussin'' ever
since."
Several years ago, Karon left a successful career in advertising
to move to the mountain village of Blowing Rock, North Carolina,
and write books. "I stepped out on faith to follow my lifelong
dream of being an author," she says. "I made real sacrifices and
took big risks. But living, it seems to me, is largely about
risk."
Enthusiastic booksellers across the country have introduced
readers of all ages to Karon''s heartwarming books. At Home in
Mitford, Karon''s first book in the Mitford series, was
nominated for an ABBY by the American Booksellers Association in
1996 and again in 1997. Bookstore owner, Shirley Sprinkle, says,
"The Mitford Books have been our all-time fiction bestsellers since
we went in business twenty-five years ago. We''ve sold 10,000 of
Jan''s books and don''t see any end to the Mitford phenomenon."
