I grew up the daughter of a Methodist minister in central Illinois. My two most hated nicknames were “Jonesey” and “preacher’s kid.” I took care of that by getting married. If Bruce Gowen’s last name had been Jones, he wouldn’t have stood a chance. Now I’m proud to be called a Jones girl.
Bruce and I have lived in Illinois, California, Washington and now Utah. We have ten children, eight boys and two girls. Later in life I went back to complete my degree in English and American literature from Brigham Young University. In my last year, I took a folklore class that inspired me to record the memories of my then-90-year old mother about her experiences growing up on a 1920′s Nebraska farm. This led to the publication of Farm Girl.
I love to read and I believe in the power of books to change lives, for they have changed mine. After raising my very large family, it’s a joy and privilege to have time to write books. My published works are Farm Girl, Uncut Diamonds, and House of Diamonds. Lighting Candles in the Snow is scheduled for 2012 release by WiDo Publishing.
Contact me: karenjonesgowen@gmail.com.
