Karen Jean Matsko Hood was born and raised in Great Falls

A photo of Author Karen Jean Matsko Hood ,author, poet, writer, researcher, advocate

Karen Jean Matsko Hood was born and raised in Great Falls, Montana. Upon completion of her primary education in Great Falls she went on to receive a Bachelor's degree in Natural Science and minor in Secondary Education and Psychology from The College of St. Benedict/St. John's University in Minnesota.

After graduating, Karen spent a year teaching science and math in the U.S. Virgin Islands on the island of St. Croix. She then moved back to the United States mainland and continued her education at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa from. During that time, she also taught disabled students and worked as a research assistant at the University of Iowa. Karen has been working as a business writer and photographer since 1980. She began writing children's books and stories in 1999.

Along with freelance writing and photography, Karen is currently enrolled in the Master's degree program at Gonzaga University in Spokane Washington where she plans to eventually go on to earn her Ph.D. Her interest in writing children's books began unexpectedly while searching for books to read to her nine children. She found she liked books that would be both educational and entertaining, yet relay good moral messages to the children. She quickly learned that this was not an easy task. Karen's goal is to provide individuals with good uplifting text that promote imagination, education, creativity, and self esteem with a sense of humor. Strong family values are extremely important to Karen and she tries to emphasize this in her writing.

Currently you can find Karen living in Greenacres, Washington, just outside of Spokane, with her husband, Dr. James Hood and their nine children and some foster children. Among Karen's many hobbies, Karen enjoys caring for the many horses, dogs and cats on the family farm.

c/o Whispering Pine Press, Inc.