Karen Palmer
@karenpalmer.bsky.social
Writer, editor, teacher, karenpalmer.com. Memoir coming in 2025 from Algonquin Books. NEA, Best American Essays, Pushcart Prize. If I had to choose between reading and eating, I'd be dead in a week. She/her
Convincing you to read SHE'S UNDER HERE by *also* sharing (almost) two paragraphs instead of one sentence. Because I'm a giver.
Share yours.
Share yours.
November 11, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Convincing you to read SHE'S UNDER HERE by *also* sharing (almost) two paragraphs instead of one sentence. Because I'm a giver.
Share yours.
Share yours.
Oxymoronic headline on the NYT homepage.
November 10, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Oxymoronic headline on the NYT homepage.
Currently reading Laura van den Berg's STATE OF PARADISE, which for some reason I missed last year. Her voice is so distinct. Clean, affecting. Off-kilter in the best way. Highly recommended.
November 10, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Currently reading Laura van den Berg's STATE OF PARADISE, which for some reason I missed last year. Her voice is so distinct. Clean, affecting. Off-kilter in the best way. Highly recommended.
I've long been a fan of Brian Kiteley's THE 3 A.M. EPIPHANY. Picked it up today to look for some inspiration for a class I'm teaching, and it struck me that a fun project would be to write an entire novel based on all the prompts, using the same set of characters and adjusting things accordingly.
November 10, 2025 at 5:33 PM
I've long been a fan of Brian Kiteley's THE 3 A.M. EPIPHANY. Picked it up today to look for some inspiration for a class I'm teaching, and it struck me that a fun project would be to write an entire novel based on all the prompts, using the same set of characters and adjusting things accordingly.
From NBC News, a sickening example of sane-washing.
November 9, 2025 at 2:10 PM
From NBC News, a sickening example of sane-washing.
I have interviews w/3 excellent podcasts this week: every time I think attention for the memoir is running out, there's another bump. Whether this translates to sales is anyone's guess, but, ya know, it can't hurt. Meanwhile, I left biz cards in weird places all over SF during a quickie trip north.
November 1, 2025 at 6:55 PM
I have interviews w/3 excellent podcasts this week: every time I think attention for the memoir is running out, there's another bump. Whether this translates to sales is anyone's guess, but, ya know, it can't hurt. Meanwhile, I left biz cards in weird places all over SF during a quickie trip north.
Vinnie (aka the husband), c. 1990
November 1, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Vinnie (aka the husband), c. 1990
The Lost Boys train trestle in Santa Cruz (which is not really the one they used in the movie, though for 30 years I thought it was). I lived here 1988-89 and used to cross it to get to the boardwalk with my young kids all the time.
October 30, 2025 at 11:56 PM
The Lost Boys train trestle in Santa Cruz (which is not really the one they used in the movie, though for 30 years I thought it was). I lived here 1988-89 and used to cross it to get to the boardwalk with my young kids all the time.
Hi everyone—All is dire, and I feel so weird talking about my memoir SHE'S UNDER HERE, but if you've read it I'd be deeply grateful for a review on the evil Amazon (can be stars only—no need to write anything) or Goodreads. Midlist books can disappear fast & this would be help keep momentum. TIA ❤️
October 26, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Hi everyone—All is dire, and I feel so weird talking about my memoir SHE'S UNDER HERE, but if you've read it I'd be deeply grateful for a review on the evil Amazon (can be stars only—no need to write anything) or Goodreads. Midlist books can disappear fast & this would be help keep momentum. TIA ❤️
Treble clef banister at San Juan Bautista church, Boquete, Panama.
October 23, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Treble clef banister at San Juan Bautista church, Boquete, Panama.
Treble clef banister at San Juan Bautista church, Boquete, Panama.
October 23, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Treble clef banister at San Juan Bautista church, Boquete, Panama.
My Bookish interview with the delightful Samantha Dunn is up on YouTube. It was a good one.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3s_...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3s_...
October 22, 2025 at 2:11 PM
My Bookish interview with the delightful Samantha Dunn is up on YouTube. It was a good one.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3s_...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3s_...
Panamanian cat disapproves.
October 21, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Panamanian cat disapproves.
Who robbed the Louvre? (Right answers only)
October 19, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Who robbed the Louvre? (Right answers only)
Came across Palmer Alley in DC. The husband's last name is Scarelli, and when the girls were small, we called ourselves the Palmerellis.
October 16, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Came across Palmer Alley in DC. The husband's last name is Scarelli, and when the girls were small, we called ourselves the Palmerellis.
My episode of TOTALLY BOOKED is up. Zibby and I talked about disappearance, identity, the difference forms domestic violence can take, and why it took me 13 f***ing years to write She's Under Here. Available at Apple Podcasts.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/k...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/k...
October 16, 2025 at 4:13 PM
My episode of TOTALLY BOOKED is up. Zibby and I talked about disappearance, identity, the difference forms domestic violence can take, and why it took me 13 f***ing years to write She's Under Here. Available at Apple Podcasts.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/k...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/k...
Before the reading at People's Book. All dressed up in Writer Black.
October 15, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Before the reading at People's Book. All dressed up in Writer Black.
Photo from my People's Book reading in Takoma Park, MD. (Back of that gray head is me.) Our daughter Erin (to the left) was my conversation partner. Answering her questions about She's Under Here was very emotional, and such a privilege. What an evening.
October 13, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Photo from my People's Book reading in Takoma Park, MD. (Back of that gray head is me.) Our daughter Erin (to the left) was my conversation partner. Answering her questions about She's Under Here was very emotional, and such a privilege. What an evening.
Dusk in Washington, DC
October 12, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Dusk in Washington, DC
My DC granddaughter, Pizza.
October 10, 2025 at 8:06 PM
My DC granddaughter, Pizza.
I threatened to throw out the husband's T-shirt, so the T-shirt left me a note.
October 6, 2025 at 12:48 PM
I threatened to throw out the husband's T-shirt, so the T-shirt left me a note.
Working on the Panama novel today to escape the news. Here's a photo of a coffee form in the highlands of Boquete, a small finca I toured when I visited the country last November. I spoke to the owner afterward—his insight provided a serendipitous plot point.
October 1, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Working on the Panama novel today to escape the news. Here's a photo of a coffee form in the highlands of Boquete, a small finca I toured when I visited the country last November. I spoke to the owner afterward—his insight provided a serendipitous plot point.
Samantha Dunn & me at yesterday afternoon's event for She's Under Here at Diesel Bookstore. A friendly crowd, with lots of books and support from Diesel. Sam and I had a great conversation. It feels so strange to do this publicly, but here I am doing it.
September 29, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Samantha Dunn & me at yesterday afternoon's event for She's Under Here at Diesel Bookstore. A friendly crowd, with lots of books and support from Diesel. Sam and I had a great conversation. It feels so strange to do this publicly, but here I am doing it.
Who knew I'd ever share a promo page with the great Walter Mosley? Thank you to Diesel Bookstore for hosting this event, in which I'll be in conversation with my pal, Samantha Dunn. For L.A. folks, It's TOMORROW, Sunday, Sept 28, at 3:00 p.m. Please come!
September 27, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Who knew I'd ever share a promo page with the great Walter Mosley? Thank you to Diesel Bookstore for hosting this event, in which I'll be in conversation with my pal, Samantha Dunn. For L.A. folks, It's TOMORROW, Sunday, Sept 28, at 3:00 p.m. Please come!