Welp, that surely was a surprise. I had no idea, based on your essays, that you also wrote AND illustrated childrens books. You are obviously freakishly talented and unnaturally heterodox and, thus, will be among the first they send to the gulag when they come for us all.
I know you're not looking for flattery, but if you were, I'd tell you that I really enjoy your writing, in fact I get lost in your essays when you publish them. They are very intense. There is much in your upbringing that I can relate to, and much in your adventures, too. I may not have been to the same places, but I've been to many similar places, and your insights are familiar, even if your adventures are different.
Strangely, I don't know if I've ever shared one of your essays, and I apologize. I'll make the effort to, going forward. In a strange way, I like to keep your writing to myself, like I used to keep small things in my cigar box when I was a kid.
I do love your watercolors! I wish I could do that. I think stories and illustrations like these are foundational, and without them in our past, we're not sufficiently armed and protected for our present and future world.
Too long, I know. I promise to be a better fan in the future.
It's been amazing, when I shared in my essays about living as a child in a village in Switzerland and then living as a teenager in a village in France, two readers told me they had lived in those exact same places, one at the same time I was living there. It's incredible how often our lives intersect. Thank you!
Awww, Karen… Thank you for sharing! My Christmas wish is that your books would be available for purchase, once again. I know many young children being homeschooled in my tiny Canadian town who would benefit from this simple, biblical wisdom presented in such a charming manner. God bless you and Merry Christmas ❤️🙏🏻🙌🏻
Thanks, Karen. The Canada I grew up in is unrecognizable but we are blessed to have several brave warriors who are willing to stand up for what’s right. I thank God for connecting me to Trish Wood, for her amazing work and for introducing me to yours. ❤️🙏🏻🙌🏻
It may be possible to find an old one on the search engine, DuckDuckGo. I found a bookseller who had an old poetry book from my childhood that I was able to purchase. It’s worth a try…..
I agree with so many others... you have a terrific talent. I am qualified to say that the illustrations are top notch as I have been a professional illustrator at times. Your excellent writing speaks for itself.
Well, this is my favourite, of course! What a lovely story, and your paintings are delightful. Thank you so much, Karen. And rich blessings to you and yours.
I enjoyed the simple children's story, and we do need more of them.
I am never good at choosing my "favorite" or voting for the "best" of most things, that being said, I suppose that the "The Demonization of the Unvaxxed" is my favorite essay (and I believe was my introduction to your work).
Even though I may not complete them all, I have enjoyed reading all of your essays.
In part, they are chilling, confirming, reassuring, and thought provoking. And always worthy of my attention.
It is an insane world out there now, much as many of us expected, but far earlier and more 'robust' than we imagined. Many of us are searching for the role(s) and purpose(s) best suited for our unique composition, background, and circumstances, it is refreshing and gratifying to see that you have found yours, and are relishing in fulfilling it!
Let us all savor and bask in this wonderful and blessed season, and let no one infringe on your natural rights to enjoy!
Thanks for letting me know. Kudos to everyone who makes it through even part of my long essays! The Demonization of the Unvaxxed is the most read essay of them all. So far, it's been read by over 25,000 people, which makes me happy. Stay safe and have a wonderful holiday!
I have several favorites and have only just been introduced to you so I’m sure I will discover many more. As for this Christmas story…those aren’t tears, I was just watering my eyelids.
Climbing back up on my chair, after I fell off when I read you were the illustrator! Oh my. I’m blown away. Love the story, of course, but I have always loved the drawings in the story. I had no idea you were the artist. How gifted you are. The old illustrations in our old books were spectacular. Like the work of N.C. Wyeth (The Last of the Mohicans), or Norman Rockwell, etc. So amazingly beautiful. The big surprise to me is this book was done by you,….someone who I just happened to bump into on Twitter. Small world. Not only are you are a talented writer, but illustrator too!! Not fair. So, thank you so much for sharing your talent with us. I would like to ‘share’ this out on Twitter, but I am in Twit jail for 5 more days out of 7. Seems the new boss has censoring on steroids now. I will post it this coming week. Regarding a favorite essay, I will look them over again to choose, as I enjoy all your work. I’m fairly new to your postings. Sorry for the long comment. Just wanted to share my surprise this morning. Many Blessings to you and yours this holiday season, and all the best in the New Year. (Fingers crossed)🙏 Be well.
Please don't be sorry for the long comment, haha! I write very long essays! It's always wonderful when I run into folks who know The Rumpoles and The Barelys and have read the books to their children or have been the children who have been read to! I have realized over time that I have to emphasize I am the artist because people don't realize that me being the artist could actually be an option lol. Merry Christmas and thanks for reading my work.
Merry Christmas and thank you for sharing that lovely little story. It was great and I am 67. I look forward to reading more from you in the near future! All the best!
Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas to you and your family, Karen. Thank you so much for sharing your insights, your hope, your keen perspective and illustration talents with your readers all along--and these endearing and delightful illustrations and children's book -- we love The Rumpoles!--are a special treat! I think my favorite article was the "Offering Our Children..." one but so many are good. Keep on writing and sharing!
Merry Christmas to you and your's. I throughly enjoyed this latest post/essay/illustrations. Please keep doing what you do. Your talent comes thru with every word!
Thank you for sharing these beautiful Christmas stories for children. We are all just children at heart. The message and illustrations are simple and touching. Merry Christmas to you and yours- may the light & love of our savior fill every nook and cranny of your soul this season!
Welp, that surely was a surprise. I had no idea, based on your essays, that you also wrote AND illustrated childrens books. You are obviously freakishly talented and unnaturally heterodox and, thus, will be among the first they send to the gulag when they come for us all.
I know you're not looking for flattery, but if you were, I'd tell you that I really enjoy your writing, in fact I get lost in your essays when you publish them. They are very intense. There is much in your upbringing that I can relate to, and much in your adventures, too. I may not have been to the same places, but I've been to many similar places, and your insights are familiar, even if your adventures are different.
Strangely, I don't know if I've ever shared one of your essays, and I apologize. I'll make the effort to, going forward. In a strange way, I like to keep your writing to myself, like I used to keep small things in my cigar box when I was a kid.
I do love your watercolors! I wish I could do that. I think stories and illustrations like these are foundational, and without them in our past, we're not sufficiently armed and protected for our present and future world.
Too long, I know. I promise to be a better fan in the future.
It's been amazing, when I shared in my essays about living as a child in a village in Switzerland and then living as a teenager in a village in France, two readers told me they had lived in those exact same places, one at the same time I was living there. It's incredible how often our lives intersect. Thank you!
Awww, Karen… Thank you for sharing! My Christmas wish is that your books would be available for purchase, once again. I know many young children being homeschooled in my tiny Canadian town who would benefit from this simple, biblical wisdom presented in such a charming manner. God bless you and Merry Christmas ❤️🙏🏻🙌🏻
Merry Christmas. Your tiny Canadian town sounds lovely. So sorry for what's happening now in Canada.
Thanks, Karen. The Canada I grew up in is unrecognizable but we are blessed to have several brave warriors who are willing to stand up for what’s right. I thank God for connecting me to Trish Wood, for her amazing work and for introducing me to yours. ❤️🙏🏻🙌🏻
It may be possible to find an old one on the search engine, DuckDuckGo. I found a bookseller who had an old poetry book from my childhood that I was able to purchase. It’s worth a try…..
I agree with so many others... you have a terrific talent. I am qualified to say that the illustrations are top notch as I have been a professional illustrator at times. Your excellent writing speaks for itself.
From one artist to another, thank you!
Well, this is my favourite, of course! What a lovely story, and your paintings are delightful. Thank you so much, Karen. And rich blessings to you and yours.
Haha, thank you!
Merry Christmas, Karen!
And holiday greetings to all!
I enjoyed the simple children's story, and we do need more of them.
I am never good at choosing my "favorite" or voting for the "best" of most things, that being said, I suppose that the "The Demonization of the Unvaxxed" is my favorite essay (and I believe was my introduction to your work).
Even though I may not complete them all, I have enjoyed reading all of your essays.
In part, they are chilling, confirming, reassuring, and thought provoking. And always worthy of my attention.
It is an insane world out there now, much as many of us expected, but far earlier and more 'robust' than we imagined. Many of us are searching for the role(s) and purpose(s) best suited for our unique composition, background, and circumstances, it is refreshing and gratifying to see that you have found yours, and are relishing in fulfilling it!
Let us all savor and bask in this wonderful and blessed season, and let no one infringe on your natural rights to enjoy!
Thanks for letting me know. Kudos to everyone who makes it through even part of my long essays! The Demonization of the Unvaxxed is the most read essay of them all. So far, it's been read by over 25,000 people, which makes me happy. Stay safe and have a wonderful holiday!
I forgot to mention: I really enjoyed the watercolor paintings used to illustrate the story!
Just to make sure you read it right, I painted those watercolors. Haha, I am first and foremost an artist, but I never have time for it anymore.
I have several favorites and have only just been introduced to you so I’m sure I will discover many more. As for this Christmas story…those aren’t tears, I was just watering my eyelids.
Haha, thank you.
You always amazing me! Merry Christmas, Karen, hugs and love, family, cheer, and salvation. xoxooxo
Thank you. Right back at you!
Climbing back up on my chair, after I fell off when I read you were the illustrator! Oh my. I’m blown away. Love the story, of course, but I have always loved the drawings in the story. I had no idea you were the artist. How gifted you are. The old illustrations in our old books were spectacular. Like the work of N.C. Wyeth (The Last of the Mohicans), or Norman Rockwell, etc. So amazingly beautiful. The big surprise to me is this book was done by you,….someone who I just happened to bump into on Twitter. Small world. Not only are you are a talented writer, but illustrator too!! Not fair. So, thank you so much for sharing your talent with us. I would like to ‘share’ this out on Twitter, but I am in Twit jail for 5 more days out of 7. Seems the new boss has censoring on steroids now. I will post it this coming week. Regarding a favorite essay, I will look them over again to choose, as I enjoy all your work. I’m fairly new to your postings. Sorry for the long comment. Just wanted to share my surprise this morning. Many Blessings to you and yours this holiday season, and all the best in the New Year. (Fingers crossed)🙏 Be well.
Please don't be sorry for the long comment, haha! I write very long essays! It's always wonderful when I run into folks who know The Rumpoles and The Barelys and have read the books to their children or have been the children who have been read to! I have realized over time that I have to emphasize I am the artist because people don't realize that me being the artist could actually be an option lol. Merry Christmas and thanks for reading my work.
Merry Christmas and thank you for sharing that lovely little story. It was great and I am 67. I look forward to reading more from you in the near future! All the best!
Thank you. Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas to you and your family, Karen. Thank you so much for sharing your insights, your hope, your keen perspective and illustration talents with your readers all along--and these endearing and delightful illustrations and children's book -- we love The Rumpoles!--are a special treat! I think my favorite article was the "Offering Our Children..." one but so many are good. Keep on writing and sharing!
Merry Christmas to you and your's. I throughly enjoyed this latest post/essay/illustrations. Please keep doing what you do. Your talent comes thru with every word!
Love your writing and look forward to reading more. Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2022.
Thanks. Merry Christmas to you.
Thank you so much for sharing this! I love this story and LOVE your illustrations! I always look forward to your essays. Merry Christmas ❤️
Merry Christmas!
Lovely story and illustrations!
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing these beautiful Christmas stories for children. We are all just children at heart. The message and illustrations are simple and touching. Merry Christmas to you and yours- may the light & love of our savior fill every nook and cranny of your soul this season!
Thank you. I wish the same for you and your loved ones!
Thank You Karen. What a wonderful story and beautiful illustrations. Touched me and made me smile. Have a very Merry Christmas!
Thank you. Merry Christmas!