After being raised in Tacoma, Washington, Karen spent many years in San Jose, California, where she was a member of the prestigious California Writers Club.  She also served twelve years on the steering committee of Santa Clara Valley Christian Writers.  In 1990 she returned to her home state in the northwest, where she founded a writer’s critique group called Capital Christian Writers.

Writing Experience

       Karen’s articles and poems have appeared in a wide variety of both Christian and secular publications including Writer's digest, Moody Magazine, Today's Christian Woman, Focus on the Family, Decision, Mature Living, Woman's World and Lady's Circle.
       Strand's first book, "Escape From The Fowler's Snare" was published in March 2000. In addition, she has contributed to nine devotional books.
       She is former Health Editor and reporter for Times Media, Inc. a newspaper published in San Jose, California.  Over 100 of her articles, poems and editorials have been published.

Television and Radio

       Strand's first book prompted a television interview on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. This book, and her articles, have prompted radio interviews with Moody Broadcasting and other stations nationwide.

Awards and Honors

      At a luncheon held by the National League of American Penwomen, Inc. Strand was honored for her proficiency in article writing. She won the San Jose Mercury News Silver Pen Award for excellence in letter writing.  She also won a national Guidepost's Writers Contest, qualifying her for a one-week workshop in New York. Only 15 of 6500 entrants were chosen for this honor.
       In 2003 she won the national Writer’s Digest Chronicle Contest.  She also won Honorable Mention in the poetry category of Personal Journaling’s “Joy of Writing” Contest.