How we name things matter. My husband once had a student named Vodka, her parents's nod to her conception. I don't know what happened to Vodka but that name was a burdensome thing to her during her school years. She became the focus of much[..]
Tim stopped by the front office where he works last week and apologized to all the women there on behalf of all the wrongs men have perpetuated, continue to perpetuate, against women. It wasn't a planned apology. It was spontaneous and heartfelt. As the[..]
She opened up the appointment book and flipped through the pages, trying to figure out a way to schedule the next haircut around both of our schedules. If we don't get it on the books, then too many weeks pass by and I grow[..]
Karen Spears Zacharias is an Appalachian writer, a former journalist, and author of numerous books, both fiction and non-fiction.
She holds a MA in Appalachian Studies from Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, West Virginia, and a MA in Creative Media Practice from the University of West Scotland, Ayr, Scotland.
Her debut novel Mother of Rain received the Weatherford Award for Best in Appalachian Fiction from The Loyal Jones Appalachian Center at Berea College, Kentucky.
Zacharias was named Appalachian Heritage Writer in 2018 by Shepherd University.
Her work has been featured on National Public Radio, CNN, the New York Times, Washington Post and in numerous anthologies.
She lives at the foot of the Cascade Mountains in Deschutes County, Oregon, where she’s an active member of the League of Women Voters and Central Oregon Writers Guild. She is a member of Phi Beta Delta and Phi Kappa Phi. A Gold Star daughter, she is a fierce advocate for democratic principles and women’s rights.
Zacharias taught First-Amendment Rights at Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington, and continues to teach at writing workshops around the country.
Her forthcoming novel No Perfect Mothers will be released by Mercer University Press, Spring 2024.
For more information on Karen and her books, click here
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