“ Nothing is more satisfying than knowing you've made a difference in the life of someone else. “
Quotes by Jan Karon
Introducing Jan Karon
Jan Karon, born Janice Meredith Wilson on March 14, 1937, in Lenoir, North Carolina, is a renowned American novelist best known for her Mitford series. Named after the novel "Janice Meredith," she spent her early years on her maternal grandparents' farm near Hudson, North Carolina. At the age of 12, she moved to Charlotte to live with her mother and stepfather. Demonstrating an early passion for writing, Karon won a short-story contest at ten. However, she left school at 14, married at 14, and had her daughter, Candace, at 15. By 18, she began working as a receptionist at the Walter J. Klein Company, a Charlotte advertising agency. Determined to advance, she submitted writing samples to her boss, leading to a successful 25-year career in advertising, during which she won the prestigious Stephen Kelly Award. At 50, Karon left her advertising career to pursue her dream of writing novels, relocating to Blowing Rock, North Carolina. There, she began writing the Mitford series, featuring Father Timothy Kavanagh, an Episcopal priest in the fictional village of Mitford. The series has achieved significant acclaim, with over 40 million copies of her books in print. In 2021, Karon founded The Mitford Museum in her former elementary school in Hudson, North Carolina, serving as a literary and artistic hub for the community.
