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Karen Palmer

@karenpalmer.bsky.social

1.4K followers 1K following 1.7K posts

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

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Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · Nov 13

Reintroducing myself. I'm a diehard leftie, an editor & teacher @ Lighthouse Writers. I've published 2 novels. A memoir that took abso-effen-lutely forever to complete (SHE'S UNDER HERE) is coming next fall from Algonquin Books. Looking forward to meeting more lit community folks.

Publishers Marketplace announcement of the sale of a memoir, SHE'S UNDER HERE, to Algonquin Books.

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Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 10h

You're one of my kind.

Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 11h

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.

Me and Erin sitting in yellow chairs facing the audience at People's Book in Takoma Park, MD.

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Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 1d

Heard Hannah read a story from this last night. It was terrific.

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Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 1d

Dusk in Washington, DC

Gray clouds, and purple and pink sky above houses.

Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 3d

My DC granddaughter, Pizza.

Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 3d

He is utterly ridiculous.

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Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 4d

jfc

Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 4d

Trains and trams.

Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 5d

I have to fly back to LA early on the 14th or I'd be at your DC reading for sure, Amber. Will console myself with the book.

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Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 5d

So soothing, ty.

Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 5d

Lisa, we don't know each other at all, but I just wanted to jump in and say that often, when I'm scrolling, I'll read a post that just hits in all the right ways, prose-wise, and it quite frequently turns out to be one of yours.

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Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 5d

Hi Hannah! Looking forward to meeting you (and hearing you read) on Saturday night at Andrew's thing.

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Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 5d

Me too.

Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 5d

Beings is an incredible novel.

You Are Good @youaregood.bsky.social · 5d

NEW EPISODE! In which @ilanaslightly.bsky.social, author of Beings, joins us to discuss empathy, aliens and nonbinary icon E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. @riverbutcher.bsky.social co-hosts!

a dinosaur is drinking milk out of a bottle in a kitchen .

Alt: an alien is drinking a brewski in front of an open fridge in a 1980s kitchen

media.tenor.com

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Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 5d

lololol aaaacccck

Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 5d

This event is on Sun at @peoplesbooktakoma.com. My daughter @erinpalmerdc.bsky.social will be my conversation partner. She lived the story of our harrowing disappearance, as well, and I suspect the questions will be fire. Come join us!

peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/shes-u...

Karen Palmer for She’s Under Here

“Once upon a time, I disappeared.” So begins Karen Palmer’s harrowing and redemptive memoir, She’s Under Here. In 1989, shortly after her second marriage, Palmer and her new husband quit their jobs…

peoplesbooktakoma.com

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Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 6d

Well, this was awfully nice to hear. Thank you, Ann!

Ann Douglas @anndouglas.bsky.social · 6d

Stayed up until 3:30 AM reading this book. Not only is it psychologically and emotionally gripping: the writing is beautiful. You should be incredibly proud of this book, @karenpalmer.bsky.social. 💗

A copy of the book She's Under Here: A Love Story, A Horror Story, A Reckoning by Karen Palmer. The book is on a kitchen counter.

Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 6d

It boggles the mind.

Reposted by Karen Palmer

Robbie Maakestad @robbiemaakestad.bsky.social · 6d

FYI, @therumpus.net is still open for essay submissions! If you want to get an idea of what we publish, check out the #RumpusEssays threads below.
therumpus.submittable.com/submit

The Rumpus Submission Manager

We have paused submissions for fiction and poetry, so we can catch up. We'll re-open for these categories on 10/15/2025.The Rumpus publishes original fiction, poetry, literary humor writing, comics, e...

therumpus.submittable.com

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Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 6d

I was today years old when I learned that MJs "Smooth Criminal" is not about gangsters but personal violence, and (I think?) a murder.

Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 7d

My last was out after 9/11.

Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 7d

Yes indeed. Champagne for us all.

Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 7d

Thank you. What a mess.

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Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 7d

I've missed all this. What is going on with the mods? (I too so rarely see or have conversations on here — it's kinda depressing.)

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Karen Palmer @karenpalmer.bsky.social · 7d

I loved that novel.