Karen F. Riley

It has been said that we spend most of our lives at our job and to be able to work at something we love is a true joy.

I have been writing and creating stories for as long as I can remember. Growing up in the streets of Brooklyn, NY, I spent every week at the library, reading everything that I could get my hands on. Writing proved to be a catharsis, as well as a creative outlet. This is true of most people in the arts.

The Jackson Writers Group has been a great sounding board and incredible source of inspiration and encouragement for its members. When I return home from a meeting, I write for hours, motivated by the great stories I have just heard. If you are considering a career in writing, or would just like to develop your craft, join a local writers group. The right group can take your writing to new heights. And please, continue to visit us here. We hope that through features like our monthly contests, we can inspire and kindle the flame that burns within.

I have been professionally freelance writing for over 30 years now. I am always looking for the next story waiting to be told, or an established tale ready to be spun in a new direction. I see writing as not only a challenge, but a responsbility to the reader. Writers yield a great power with their pen or next keystoke, and it is important to be ever mindful of our duty to entertain, educate or inform our readership.

My first book, Whispers in the Pines: The Secrets of Colliers Mills, was initially published by Cloonfad Press and came out in May of 2005. Since Cloonfad has gone out of business, we have brought it back out with a fresh new cover, illustrations and updated text. For more information, click here.

My second book, Voices in the Pines: True Stories from the New Jersey Pine Barrens, gives first person accounts of people who live and work in the Pine Barrens - a way of bringing and keeping that history alive. It has been published by Plexus Publishing with illustrations and cover design by Andrew Gioulis. Click here to purchase or for more information.

Recently, I have found a way to mix my undying love for the written word with my experience in the technology field. As the owner of KFR Communications, LLC. I offer all types of commerical writing and graphic services - logos, business cards, brochures, advertising copy, trade show displays and website services (website creation and redesign, domain name registration, hosting, content writing and more).

I can be reached at 609.758.1304 or by email.