Karen Kingsbury (born June 8, 1963) is an American Christian novelist born in Fairfax, Virginia. She was a sports writer for the Los Angeles Times and later wrote for the Los Angeles Daily News. Her first book, Missy's Murder (1991), was based on a murder story that she covered in Los Angeles. During this time, she had an article published in People Magazine. She has written or co-written almost 100 novels or short stories, and (as of 2008) has nearly 13 million copies of her novels in print. She is a #1 New York Times and USA Today best selling novelist with the last dozen books published topping bestseller lists. Some of her novels are being developed into movies by The Hallmark Channel, including The Bridge, A Time to Dance (2015), and Maggie's Christmas Miracle (2017). Her Baxter Family series was adapted into a television series. Lightworkers Media and Roma Downey have the rights to develop the series. Kingsbury also does public speaking, and through national events she reaches more than 100,000 people each year.

Personal life

Karen Kingsbury is the oldest of five children born to Ted and Anne Kingsbury. Her family moved around a lot because of her father's job with IBM; ultimately the family would finally settle down in the San Fernando Valley (relocating from Michigan) when Karen was ten. She graduated with a degree in journalism from California State University Northridge in 1986. After she graduated she worked for the Los Angeles Times as a sports writer and also reported on the crime beat. She lost on the September 4, 1985 episode of the $25,000 Pyramid She married her husband, Don Russell, on July 23, 1989. They have three children and later adopted three boys from Haiti. In conjunction with Kingsbury, Liberty University announced in November 2017 the opening of the Karen Kingsbury Center for Creative Writing as part of its College of Arts and Sciences, where students can obtain a minor in Creative Writing. Kingsbury herself will teach several of the courses, both in residence at Liberty and online. Karen Kingsbury's father died due to complications from diabetes. She chose to start eating healthier and to cut out sugar and as a result lost 70 pounds between January and November in 2007.

Books

(*) denotes a book that is not yet released (if known the release date is shown).

Series involving the Baxter Family

These sets of series is by far her most popular, and comprise nearly a quarter of her work. The Baxters are either the main characters, or play key roles, in each of the books. The series is set mainly in and around Bloomington, Indiana (where the Baxters grew up and some of them still live in the series).

Redemption series (with Gary Smalley)

Firstborn series

Sunrise series

Above the Line series

Bailey Flanigan series

Coming Home, The Baxter Family (a standalone work originally planned to end the series)

Baxter Family Collection

Baxter Family Children series (with Tyler Russell, for ages 8-12)

Other series

Angels Walking series

Heart of the Story Series

9/11 Series

Lost Love series

Red Gloves series

Forever Faithful series

Timeless Love series

Cody Gunner series

Treasury of Miracles Books

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Other works

True crime

These four books were Kingsbury's first novels. They were re-released in 2014 and included a letter from Kingsbury to her readers, explaining how writing these types of stories became too much for her to handle emotionally due to the darkness associated with them, and thus she changed genres to writing more general fiction with a Christian emphasis (which she titled, and has trademarked, as "Life-Changing Fiction").

Standalone novels

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Children's books

Gift books

E-shorts

Music

Karen Kingsbury co-wrote her first song, "Walls" with Gary Baker and Richie McDonald; it appeared on McDonald's inspirational album, I Turn to You and hit Christian and Country radio in January 2009. She wrote the song, "Tell Me to Breathe", that was included on the album I Can Do This by Marie Osmond. Kingsbury also wrote "Miracles Happen", a Christmas song sung by country musician Richie McDonald, which now appears on McDonald's CD, If Every Day Could Be Christmas.

Filmography