Karen Kay
Encyclopedia
Karen Kay is the pen name for Karen Kay Elstner, an American
author
of historical
romance novels. All of her novels feature Native Americans.
tribe. After this discovery she began researching the Native American culture to find more about this lost part of her heritage. At the same time, she was working towards her dream of becoming a writer by working on several contemporary romance manuscripts. After seeing the movie Dances With Wolves, however, Kay decided to switch her focus and write romances that featured the Native American culture.
Her first historical romance novel attempt, Lakota Surrender, was purchased in 1994 by Avon Books, who were impressed enough with the work to sign Kay to a three-book contract. The book also received a four-and-a-half star "Exceptional" rating from Romantic Times Magazine.
Before becoming a publishing sensation, Kay worked as a realtor. She has been a Scientologist since 1967. She is also a self-proclaimed libertarian
. Kay is a supporter of the World Literacy Crusade
, an organization linked to the Church of Scientology
as well as to Blackfeet Literacy, and the Hollywood Education and Literacy Project.
Kay and her husband, Paul, were married on the Blackfeet
reservation in Montana
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of historical
Historical romance
Historical romance is a subgenre of two literary genres, the romance novel and the historical novel.-Definition:Historical romance is set before World War II...
romance novels. All of her novels feature Native Americans.
Biography
Karen Kay, who prefers to be known as Kay, discovered as an adult that she is of Native American descent, as her great-great-grandmother was a member of the ChoctawChoctaw
The Choctaw are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States...
tribe. After this discovery she began researching the Native American culture to find more about this lost part of her heritage. At the same time, she was working towards her dream of becoming a writer by working on several contemporary romance manuscripts. After seeing the movie Dances With Wolves, however, Kay decided to switch her focus and write romances that featured the Native American culture.
Her first historical romance novel attempt, Lakota Surrender, was purchased in 1994 by Avon Books, who were impressed enough with the work to sign Kay to a three-book contract. The book also received a four-and-a-half star "Exceptional" rating from Romantic Times Magazine.
Before becoming a publishing sensation, Kay worked as a realtor. She has been a Scientologist since 1967. She is also a self-proclaimed libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
. Kay is a supporter of the World Literacy Crusade
World Literacy Crusade
World Literacy Crusade is a non-profit group fighting illiteracy formed in 1992 by the Rev. Alfreddie Johnson. The group utilizes "study technologies" and "drug rehabilitation technologies" developed by L. Ron Hubbard, the science fiction author and founder of the Church of Scientology...
, an organization linked to the Church of Scientology
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
as well as to Blackfeet Literacy, and the Hollywood Education and Literacy Project.
Kay and her husband, Paul, were married on the Blackfeet
Blackfeet
The Piegan Blackfeet are a tribe of Native Americans of the Algonquian language family based in Montana, having lived in this area since around 6,500 BC. Many members of the tribe live as part of the Blackfeet Nation in northwestern Montana, with population centered in Browning...
reservation in Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
.
Novels
- Lakota Surrender (1994)
- Lakota Princess (1995)
- Proud Wolf's Woman (1996)
- Night Thunder's Bride (1999)
- Wolf Shadow's Promise (2000)
- War Cloud's Passion (2001)
- Lone Arrow's Pride (2002)
- Soaring Eagle's Embrace (2003)
- The Princess and the Wolf (2004)
- The Angel and the Warrior (2005)
- The Spirit of the Wolf (2006)
- Red Hawk's Woman (2007)
- Black Eagle (2009)