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Karen’s Year In Books

Karen’s 2019 Year in Books

Take a look at Karen’s Year in Books. The long, the short—it’s all here.

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Karen’s Friends (16)

Susan Pope

196 books | 35 friends

Charlotte Chapman

125 books | 5 friends

Cheryl Turtlemoon

49 books | 69 friends

Anna Twort

88 books | 81 friends

Lisa Lucas

0 books | 23 friends

Nick Rolfe

0 books | 24 friends

Paul Newman

1 book | 69 friends

Della Heath

35 books | 45 friends

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Karen Tucker

Goodreads Author

Born

Nottingham, The United Kingdom

Website

http://www.karentucker.me.uk

Twitter

KarenTWriter

Genre

Crime, Fantasy, Nonfiction

Influences

Barbara Erskine, Kathy Reichs, JRR Tolkein and many more!

Member Since

October 2013

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As a child, stories, poems etc fascinated me. I used to listen avidly to my mother as she read to me, even learning some of the pieces by heart and 'reading' along with her, long before I understood what the squiggles on the page meant. The one I remember with most fondness is a poem about 'coat of blue and red sou-wester'. Perhaps because of this attention from my mother, I was able to read and write before I started school, and by the age of 7, my parents were told I had a reading age of 14. This is probably why, when my teacher bought Topsy and Tim books for all her class, I alone was given something different - a magical children's novel by Noel Langley, entitled The Land of Green Ginger.

For as long as I can remember, I have made up my As a child, stories, poems etc fascinated me. I used to listen avidly to my mother as she read to me, even learning some of the pieces by heart and 'reading' along with her, long before I understood what the squiggles on the page meant. The one I remember with most fondness is a poem about 'coat of blue and red sou-wester'. Perhaps because of this attention from my mother, I was able to read and write before I started school, and by the age of 7, my parents were told I had a reading age of 14. This is probably why, when my teacher bought Topsy and Tim books for all her class, I alone was given something different - a magical children's novel by Noel Langley, entitled The Land of Green Ginger.

For as long as I can remember, I have made up my own stories. Recently, my mother found an old 'book' I had made - a tiny scrap, a few pages long, into which I had transcribed several (very!) short stories. I can't have been more than about 9 when I wrote that! Even back then, writing was something I longed to do for a career.

But I had no knowledge or experience I could really write about back then. This was forcibly borne in upon me when I signed up for a writing course and found myself stuck on the first assignment, which was to write an article for a magazine or newspaper. I couldn't think of a single thing I felt competent enough to comment on! And while I was still contemplation what I might be able to write about, the company went bust and I lost my money. But I never lost the desire to write.

I joined a local writers' group, The Write Idea, after becoming aware of them through means I no longer remember. We had plans to publish a magazine/book of short stories with some of our work, but somehow it never happened.

Subscription to Writing Magazine and Writers' News helped me develop in many ways, not least by entering their monthly and annual short story competitions. I was shortlisted a couple of times, which boosted my confidence that I had some writing talent, but I never achieved the highest prize and got my work in print in their publications.

Through one of these magazines, however, I did get my first publication. The New Writers competition, advertised in their pages, finally accepted my short story, Full Circle, after rejecting it twice, with very helpful comments on how I could improve it. I had written the original version of this story for a competition to celebrate an anniversary of Robert Louis Stevenson, and had tried to write in imitation of his style. I was somewhat surprised, therefore, to find that my old-fashioned ghost story had been seen by the publishers as being written in a style similar to that of Jane Austen!

My first publication in a non-fiction context was nearly the end of me! I had written to a new cross-stitch magazine and finding my letter published in the next edition, I stopped in amazement to relish the moment. Unfortunately, I happened to be in the middle of Queen Victoria Street in Blackfriars, and the traffic lights were just about to change! Fortunately, I noticed in time to reach the pavement before the first car arrived.

Further success came in 2003, when my paranormal crime novel, Past Sins, was shortlisted for the Debut Dagger Award by the Crime Writers' Association. It didn't win, but on attending the awards dinner I sat at table with several big names in the crime-writing world, all of whom were delighted to hear that I was hoping to join their ranks, and generously wished me luck. That novel is now completed in first draft, and part-way through the editing process, and I have several ideas for follow-up novels, so it could turn into a whole series one day. In the meantime, a collection of short stories starring the heroine of Past Sins is now available on Amazon (Kindle version only), under the title of Liberty Gibbens, Paranormal Investigator - Volume 1.

Some of the Liberty Gibbens stories have been inspired by the short stories in my first two collections, Horri ...more

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Karen Tucker’s books

Average rating: 2.75 · 4 ratings · 1 review · 6 distinct works

	Healing the Wounds 3.50 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2012 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Stories to Warm Your Heart liked it 3.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 2014	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Liberty Gibbens, Ghost Whisperer - Volume 1 did not like it 1.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 2014	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Liberty Gibbens, Ghost Whisperer - Volume 2 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2014	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Horripilations Volume 2 (Bite-Sized Books) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2013	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Horripilations Volume 1 (Bite-Sized Books) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2013	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Karen Tucker's Blog

New Book Offering Online!

I'm so excited! At long last, after a year of writing, and six months of waiting on tenterhooks for it to be available, the new subscription website for my collaborative spiritual novel is up and running!

The story takes place in modern times, and we focus on the lives of a special couple who have long been engaged in spiritual work. When the book opens, they are on one of their regular public t... Read more of this blog post »

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Published on January 31, 2016 01:11 • Tags: crystal-skulls, joshua-shapiro, new-book, spiritual-novel, subscription

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Karen’s Writing

Healing the Wounds (Literature & Fiction)

1 chapters — updated May 13, 2015 06:37PM

Description: Cathy Heritage has lost a child, an embryo she carried for only a few days. Haunted by the loss, she dreams about a past life in which she was brutally killed while pregnant, and learns the reason for a painful relationship break-up. As more past life issues on a similar theme begin to come to light, Cathy learns to find relief from the karmic emotions she has carried for many lifetimes, through forgiveness, understanding, acceptance and compassion. With tears and laughter, the unfailing support of good friends and her spirit guide, and initially the bewilderment and scorn of others, Cathy learns to release much of her past-life trauma. Along the way, she helps others release their own trauma, forms new friendships and frees herself to find a wonderful new relationship, as well as a possible new career. But the hardest lesson of all is to let go of the little girl she never got to hold.

Stories to Warm Your Heart (Literature & Fiction)

1 chapters — updated Mar 08, 2014 02:04PM

Description: This small collection of short stories is designed to be read in those moments when you have a short time to yourself – on the bus, tube, subway, etc; in your lunch or tea break; or any time you have a few minutes to relax. There are six stories in all – six romantic or simply heartwarming moments to make you smile. They are: The Rainbows – a very short, but very romantic, starter The First Kiss? – a young man’s fancy turns again to the love of his life. Will he manage to tell her this time? What Comes Between – taking the brave step of living with her new love is only the start. Can she accommodate her man’s divided loyalties and accept his cat, too? Finally – A Rose! – they’ve waited a long time, but finally, the big day is here … and full of romance! The Once and Future Marriage? – can Pete and Dorothy’s marriage survive the boredom that seems to have set in? A Crazy Sort of Love – a temporary security assignment has unforeseen consequences.

Liberty Gibbens, Paranormal Investigator - Volume 1 (Literature & Fiction)

1 chapters — updated Jan 10, 2014 03:55AM

Description: Following on from the success of the Horripilations volumes, two of these stories are inspired by, and pick up the loose ends from, those tales and resolve them. The other is a fictionalised version of a house-clearing I once did. Liberty Gibbens, also known as Libby, is an osteo-archaeologist by trade, but has a psychic talent that she is just beginning to learn to use and control. Through a series of short episodes in which her particular skills are much in demand, she develops her talents and her experience in the world of paranormal investigation. There are three short stories in this volume: The Voice in the Trees - intriguingly begun in the very short piece that opens Horripilations Volume 1, this story tells the tale behind the flash of white in the undergrowth and the screaming voice in Ruth's nightmare. Who is the woman, and why did she contact Libby's friend? Sarah's Dilemma - Libby is taken on a training assignment by the teacher from her development circle, to discover the truth behind an unexplained chill in the air and a smell of pipe smoke in the living room. Have the children really seen a flapper on the stairs? The Unwanted Guest - picking up on the story of the 'friendly persuasion' from Horripilations Volume 1, this is the story of the guitar-playing boy and Libby's attempt to dislodge him from the house he was unwittingly invited into.

Horripilations Volume 2 (Horror)

1 chapters — updated Jan 10, 2014 03:52AM

Description: A second short collection of short stories designed to be read in minutes – in your lunch break; on the train, bus, subway or tube; or snatched moments between caring for loved ones. More tales to chill your spine or just provoke a shiver. Volume Two contains: The Hanging Room – a short piece of flash fiction to really get the tingles going. Susan – when an old ‘friend’ from her schooldays starts appearing in her dreams, Cathy has no idea of the discoveries it will lead her to. No 1 Acacia Place – a chilling tale of sibling rivalry. Will the evil twin get her revenge? Full Circle – originally published by World Wide Writers in 2000, this old-fashioned tale of the old man in the attic and his chilling intention was originally written for an RL Stevenson anniversary competition, and is written in a style similar to that of the original writers of ghost stories.

Horripilations Volume 1 (Horror)

1 chapters — updated Jan 10, 2014 03:46AM

Description: In this short collection of short stories, each designed to be read in a few minutes, you will find a selection of tales to chill you to the marrow, or just to send a shiver down your spine. The stories in Volume One are: The Voice in the Trees – a short piece of flash fiction to get you looking over your shoulder. The Spirit of the Loch – short-listed for the Annual Ghost Story competition by Writers’ Magazine in the late 1990s, the tension builds in this story of lovers parted by death until the final, satisfying ending. A Bit of Friendly Persuasion – an ordinary tale of ordinary greed, with a shiver at the end. The Cleansing – a young woman inherits something she did not expect when she buys a new home in which to bring up her unborn child. Death in the Nightmare – what does the recurring dream Kelly suffers from mean, and how can it help her?

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Karen is Currently Reading

Karen Tucker is currently reading

What Your Clutter Is Trying to Tell You: Uncover the Message in the Mess and Reclaim Your Life

by Kerri L. Richardson

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Feb 14, 2020 02:27AM

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Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender

by David R. Hawkins

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Nov 10, 2019 03:40AM

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Get Out of Your Own Way: A 31-Day Tarot Challenge for Writers and Other Creatives (Creative Tarot Book 1)

by Mariëlle S. Smith (Goodreads Author)

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Sep 21, 2019 02:52AM

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Karen’s Recent Updates

Karen Tucker is now following Liz Williams Author of Snake Agent (Detective Inspector Chen, #1)
Feb 16, 2020 04:14AM · like
Karen Tucker is currently reading What Your Clutter Is Trying to Tell You: Uncover the Message in the Mess and Reclaim Your Life by Kerri L. Richardson	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Karen Tucker finished reading The Year of Less: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings, and Discovered Life Is Worth More Than Anything You Can Buy in a Store by Cait Flanders (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Karen Tucker rated a book it was amazing Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
One of the most magical books I’ve ever read What can I say? Not many books have me sneaking even a few seconds of reading whenever I can, but this one did. An immersive and magical tale of mind-blowing imagination and originality. I can’t recommend ...more
Feb 07, 2020 12:50PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik <iframe id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Karen Tucker rated a book it was amazing Dawn Study (Study Series, Book 6) by Maria V. Snyder (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Unputdownable As with all the stories of these characters, I never wanted to put this book down until I finished it. The people are all very human and I love that several of them are very happily married - rare in novels of most genres. As always, a ...more
Jan 29, 2020 04:28AM · like · see review
Karen Tucker finished reading The Bear and the Nightingale (Winternight Trilogy, #1) by Katherine Arden (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Karen Tucker is currently reading The Bear and the Nightingale (Winternight Trilogy, #1) by Katherine Arden (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Karen’s Quotes

“But what if I make a mistake?' Will asked.

Gilan threw back his head and laughed. 'A mistake? One mistake? You should be so lucky. You'll make dozens! I made four or five on my first day alone! Of course you'll make mistakes. Just don't make any of them twice. If you do mess things up, don't try to hide it. Don't try to rationalize it. Recognize it and admit it and learn from it. We never stop learning, none of us.”
― John Flanagan, Erak's Ransom

tags: learning, mistakes, wisdom

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Karen Tucker's Favorite Authors

Kathy Reichs
author of
Déjà Dead

Stephen Fry
author of
Mythos: T...

Karen’s Year In Books

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