Writing Journey

Updates, insights, and behind-the-scenes looks at her path as a debut author.

A cat lounges on a fluffy gray blanket in a cozy room. The cat has a relaxed expression, surrounded by books and soft colors.

Thanks for Nothing, Marilyn: A Wild Friendship and the Texas Trash Chex Mix Recipe That Survived It All

Marilyn is an original, I’ll give her that. More than outspoken, more than verbose. She is one of a kind, when they made her, they threw away the key. When she was around, if you heard laughter, it was coming from somewhere in her vicinity. She was funny, but I liked to tell her she was funny looking. I hurried across campus, taking the stairs two at a time to Old Red, also known as the Ashbel Smith Building, on the University of Texas Medical Branch Campus in Galveston, Texa

Karen Hand Allen

Oct 1510 min read

Statues of Paul Bunyan in a red plaid shirt and blue pants standing next to Babe the Blue Ox in Bemidji, Minnesota.

Paul, Babe, and Me: A Tale of Imaginary Friends

Karen Hand Allen has always had an active imagination. When she lived in the orphanage, her only companions seemed to be Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox!

Karen Hand Allen

Sep 54 min read

How Growing Up at a Fishing Camp Shaped My Life

It was 1962, the world was expanding, everything from retail to outer space was growing, people were going places, more connected to each...

Karen Hand Allen

Sep 37 min read

Ornate greenhouse with a teal glass roof, surrounded by tall cypress trees and lush greenery. A serene, sunny garden scene.

When the Bryan Wasn’t a Museum…It Was My Home

Life at the Galveston Children’s Home wasn’t easy for Karen Hand Allen, but it was full of imagination and small joys. From quiet moments of reflection to adventures sparked by her vivid imagination, this is the story of a childhood shaped by resilience and wonder.

Karen Hand Allen

Aug 316 min read