My name is Karlene Browning.
I was the owner, operator and chief bottle washer of Rosehaven Publishing & Distribution, Inc. from 2000 through 2006.
I am still in the industry, doing freelance editing, typesetting, cover design, web design and e-book creation for self-publishers and small presses. My company is LibrisPro. (Go check out my newly designed website.)
And yes, I am the LDS Book Geek over at NewLDSFiction.com.
I also am Miles Ahead Learning Resources, which sells educational curriculum products and games. And I’m LDSeBookstore.com where I sell some of the e-books I’ve coded.
So I’m curious. Were you right?
Or did you really think I was Angela Eschler? Or maybe you thought I was Stacy Whitman? Or Lisa Mangum? (Those were the three women I was most often mis-guessed as over the years.)
No matter who you thought I was, I hope you’ll still be my friend over on NewLDSFiction.com.
And for those of you who don’t really care who I am but wanted to win the $25 Amazon Gift Card, I’ll be announcing that first thing in the morning. Today is the last day to enter to win!
Ha! I knew it. 🙂
And I thought I wouldn’t know you.
Yay! I was right!!
I was right!
I had guessed before the hints 🙂 I still have a very nice rejection letter from Rosehaven written by you, Karlene. I treasure it. Good luck with your new website! Great idea!
Thank you, Karen. I tried very hard to be kind even when I had to reject things.
Until a year-ish ago, I was convinced you were Angela Eschler. I even emailed her insisting she was you. Then a friend who won one of your short story contests got a copy of the compilation sent to her with your name on the shipping slip, and that’s when we decided it was you. But I wasn’t totally sure until today. Well . . . hello! And thanks for answering so many of my questions over the years. I spent hours on your site when I first decided to publish in the LDS market, reading through your archives and following your links to discover your other blogs. It was Ally Condie who told me, “Read this blog. This is what I wish I had known when I was starting out.” So I went from reading “how-to” posts from LDS Publisher to becoming a four-time Whitney finalist. And you were a MASSIVE part of the journey at the beginning especially. So thanks!
That is exactly why I started blogging on this site. I’ve read your books. Cute, fun romance. 🙂
It’s good to finally meet you 🙂 I’ve loved your posts for a long time. And I really like your new site at newLDSfiction.com. It’s really nice to see what other LDS authors are putting out there, and to cheer them on. Thanks for doing all this, it’s been a huge help.
Karlene, you have done amazing things for the industry these past few years and you are way awesome. Also, I would like to state for the record that although I found out who you are by accident some time ago, I never ever once gave away your true identity. 🙂
I don’t know if I’ve ever met you! I’ve loved your websites these past years though. You’ve done an amazing job and it’s nice to finally “meet” you! 😀
Gotta admit I was leaning toward Angela Eschler the whole time. Glad you’re out of the closet–so to speak. 🙂
I KNEW it was you! I’ve enjoyed this blog over the years and am excited about the new one 🙂
Karlene, you make for an awesome reveal. Great pic, too! 🙂
I was right. I suspected it was you a few years ago, but it has been fun to read your clues.
Stephanie, your blog was a great help when I first started spotlighting the new releases. I know I checked your lost often before authors started telling me themselves. Thanks.
I’ve suspected it was you for a very long time. Thanks for all you’ve done over the years.
I admit to wondering if you were one of those three women, but your voice didn’t match the writing from any of their blogs. So, I am completely surprised. It probably helps that I am a new author and so everyone is new to me. Thanks so much for your invaluable help in getting published. I scoured your archives every step of the way. Thank you!
I’m glad the site helped.
Yay! You were on my list of suspects, so I’m feeling very smart right now. Thanks for all of your great advice over the years. I have enjoyed following your blog. We will miss LDSPublisher, but we know right where to find you!
Thank you. 🙂
I sat by you at the Whitney banquet one year, and I am blushing at some of the things I remember saying to you–you knew everything and I was just beginning to follow LDS lit, but you didn’t let on and were patient with me. What a great resource you’ve provided with this blog and the new LDS fiction site. I always check with your site when I’m trying to find out what the latest in LDS-authored fiction is, and I’m glad you’re starting the new site. Thank you for the time you’ve put into this.
Hi, Emily! I remember chatting with you at the banquet. I don’t remember you saying anything to blush about. 🙂
Very nice to meet you, Karlene. While most of your followers are female, I am happy to say I visited this site many times and even though I posted only occasionally I learned alot. I enjoyed participating in your Chirstmas story contests. You’ve done yeoman work for LDS authors and you should be well pleased with your efforts. I will visit your new site often.
I’ve thought it was you for a while, although I forget if I came up with it myself, or if somebody else had tipped me off. Once I thought it was you, then little things always seemed to line up at the right time to confirm my suspicion. Still, you did a great job hiding it, and throwing us off the scent. Just your ability to keep your extreme Twilight love out of LDS Publisher was almost enough to make me doubt! Thanks for this great blog, and all the work, it is a great resource. Several times I have sent aspiring writers to your blog to find writing and publishing tips.
Actually, Charlie, it’s not that most of my followers are female, but that they are the ones who comment most often. I’ve had a lot of men e-mail me over the years too.
I’ve known for years. You slipped once and used the same phrase as LDSP that you had said to me in person a couple of months before. Did I do good keeping your secret? I’m surprised you let the cat out of the bag though – how come?
Yes, you did a great job keeping the secret. I never even suspected that you knew. I “uncloaked” because it was just becoming way too hard to keep the secret. And because I’m moving on and wanted to say goodbye.
Andrew, I had to laugh at your comment. Everyone thinks I have an extreme Twilight love but actually, I don’t. I liked it okay. It was a fun story, but I thought Bella was sort of whiny. I liked The Host about 200% more.
But what I DO have is an extreme “let’s jump on the current trend and have some fun with it” love.
So nice to meet the real you. I have to admit I’ve suspected all those you mentioned at least a time or two. I’ve used and loved your site for years. What a great service you’ve provided to so many of us. I’m looking forward to your new site. Have a great summer and thanks again.
Welcome to the onymous world of Mormon lit blogging, Karlene!
I have to admit, I didn’t suspect you until I reread your about page, and realized none of those three women (I’ll admit, I’ve wondered if you were Angela) have 30 years of experience (except combined, of course). Then I thought it must either be you or Jennie Hansen.
Nice to put a face with the LDSP name 😉 .
I am SO glad I found you. Well, actually, I’m praising my husband for researching and finding you. 🙂 Yes, so often I just want a great book to read, but it’s so hard to find the right thing out there. A lot of books usually end up being too explicit in language, romantic scenes or even violence. Thank you for providing a website that let’s me browse and learn about something I’m not afraid to delve into.