Historical Writer Karen Harper to Speaker at Ƶ College
GREENSBURG, PA- Dr. Lee Tobin McClain, Director of the Writing Popular Fiction Graduate Program at Ƶ College, and Ƶ College welcome historical writer Karen Harper on Tuesday, June 26, 2001. Harper will give a presentation titled “Realities of the Writing Life” as part of the graduate program’s summer residency.
The presentation will be held on campus in Cecilian Hall from 7:00- 8:00 p.m. immediately followed by a book signing. The event is free and open to the public.
“At a certain point in my life, I just decided to write book-length fiction, and it’s been in my blood ever since. My first one did not sell, but my second one did and I kept going to over 30 books. I was really blessed to find what I was born to do. A true writer is driven to write,” said Karen Harper of her profession. “I think it’s great that Ƶ has a program where they bring in professional writers, agents, etc. to let students know about the reality of writing and being published.”
“Karen Harper combines superb use of setting with savvy marketing and genre flexibility, so I know she’ll provide useful insight for all our students of popular fiction,” McClain said. “Her Elizabeth I historical mystery series has received excellent publicity and is proving extremely popular with readers. She writes contemporary suspense using unusual settings like Amish country and Appalachia. Ms. Harper has also written a number of historical romances. She knows her strengths and she knows the market, and those who want to gain practical understanding of getting published will have much to learn from her.”
Published since 1982, Harper is the author of historical novels and more recently, contemporary suspense and historical mystery. Her historical mystery series debuted in February 1999 with The Poyson Garden. Library Journal chose this mystery as one of the best books of 1999. Harper’contemporary suspense, Down to the Bone (Mira, July 2000) was a USA Today Best Seller. Harper’s books have been published in a variety of foreign languages including Portuguese, German, Italian, Swedish, Romanian, Dutch, Czech, French and Greek. A native of Toledo, she received her BA from Ohio University and MA in English for The Ohio State University. Before writing full-time, Harper taught English at Ohio State and in public schools in the Columbus, Ohio area.
Harper has given writing workshops at a number of places around the country including: the Columbus Writers Conference at Ohio State University; the Lakeland Community College Writers Conference; the Ohio University on the Art and Business of Fiction Writing; the University of Southern Indiana; the Moonlight and Magnolias Writers Conference in Atlanta, Georgia; the Booklovers Convention in San Antonio, Texas; the Mystery Writers of America SleuthFest on Writing Historical Mysteries in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; and the University of South Florida on Writing the Historical Fiction.
The Writing Popular Fiction program is beginning its sixth residency program and will graduate its second class on June 27, 2001. There are approximately 60 students enrolled in the program. For more information about the event please contact Dr. Lee Tobin McClain at 724-830-1040. For more information on the Writing Popular Fiction Graduate Program at Ƶ College, contact Sadie Lopez Alicea in the graduate studies office at 724-838-4283.