Jan Karon, born Janice Meredith Wilson in the foothills of North Carolina, was named after the title of a popular novel, Janice Meredith.
Jan wrote her first novel at the age of ten. “ The manuscript was written on Blue Horse notebook paper, and was, for good reason, kept hidden from my sister. When she found it, she discovered the one curse word I had, with pounding heart, included in someone’ s speech. For Pete’ s sake, hadn’ t Rhett Butler used that very same word and gotten away with it? After my grandmother’ s exceedingly focused reproof, I’ ve written books without cussin’ ever since. ”
Several years ago, Karon left a successful career in advertising to move to the mountain village of Blowing Rock, North Carolina, and write books. “ I stepped out on faith to follow my lifelong dream of being an author, ” she says. “ I made real sacrifices and took big risks. But living, it seems to me, is largely about risk. ”
Enthusiastic booksellers across the country have introduced readers of all ages to Karon’ s heartwarming books. At Home in Mitford, Karon’ s first book in the Mitford series, was nominated for an ABBY by the American Booksellers Association in 1996 and again in 1997. Bookstore owner, Shirley Sprinkle, says, “ The Mitford Books have been our all-time fiction bestsellers since we went in business twenty-five years ago. We’ ve sold 10, 000 of Jan’ s books and don’ t see any end to the Mitford phenomenon. ”