Jan Karon is an accomplished American author, best known for her Mitford series. Born Janice Meredith Wilson in 1937, she was raised on a farm in North Carolina and discovered her passion for writing at a young age. After working in advertising for many years and receiving recognition with awards such as the Stephen Kelly Award, Karon decided to pursue her childhood dream of becoming an author. She moved to Blowing Rock, North Carolina, and began writing about a character who came to her in a dream - Father Tim, an Episcopal priest in the fictional village of Mitford.
Karon's first Mitford novel, At Home in Mitford, was published in 1994 and was a success. The series, set in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, features Father Tim and the colorful characters of Mitford. The books have been well-received, with several of them becoming New York Times bestsellers and winning prestigious awards such as the Christy and Gold Medallion awards for outstanding contemporary fiction. Karon has also expanded her writing to include children's books and other themed books based on the Mitford series, such as cookbooks and collections of wit and wisdom.
In addition to the Mitford series, Karon has also written two novels in the Father Tim series, Home to Holly Springs and In the Company of Others, set in County Sligo, Ireland. With over 40 million Mitford and Father Tim novels, children's books, and CDs in print, Karon has built a large and dedicated fanbase. She continues to write and connect with her readers, who have come to love and cherish the characters and world she has created.