Karen is an Author, Writer & Photographer.
Karen Walrond is the author of the bestselling books The Lightmaker’s Manifesto and The Beauty of Different, and a contributing author to the books Disquiet Time and Expressive Photography. In addition, her writings have also appeared on Huffington Post, Sheryl Sandberg's LeanIn.org, and Wondertime, Good Housekeeping and Redbook magazines. Her words are always positive, encouraging readers to tap into their own superpowers.
Her new book, Radiant Rebellion, is available now for preorder!
Radiant Rebellion
Reclaim Aging. Practice Joy. Raise a little hell.
What if aging is something to aspire to, not dread? What if together we could forge a radiant rebellion against the idea of aging as a season of decline?
Join Karen Walrond, author of The Lightmaker's Manifesto, in this intriguing investigation into how we can reclaim aging, cultivate joy, and resist ageism.
During her own year of transition--a milestone birthday, a wedding anniversary, the emptying of the nest--Walrond, in the buoyant and luminous style her readers have come to love, does a deep dive into dimensions of getting older, including health, beauty, spirituality, connection, adventure, and meaning and purpose. Through conversations with social workers and neurologists, activists and clergy, Walrond satisfies her curiosity--and ours--about why the dominant culture treats aging as a time of dwindling capacity. She also embarks on a series of experiments that help her rebel against convention: letting her hair go naturally gray, going on a silent retreat, revamping her health practices, and plotting her next adventure.
With wisdom from luminaries who light our way, Walrond helps us radiantly rebel against the fads and assumptions that hold us back, redefine the adventure of getting older, and create a shining future of expanded potential.
We might even raise a little hell.
THE LIGHTMAKER’S MANIFESTO:
HOW TO WORK FOR CHANGE WITHOUT LOSING YOUR JOY
Many of us have strong convictions. We want to advocate for causes we care about--but which ones? We want to work for change--but will the emotional toll lead to burn out?
Leadership coach, lawyer, photographer, and activist Karen Walrond knows that when you care deeply about the world, light can seem hard to find. But when your activism grows out of your joy--and vice versa--you begin to see light everywhere.
In The Lightmaker's Manifesto, Walrond helps us name the skills, values, and actions that bring us joy; identify the causes that spark our empathy and concern; and then put it all together to change the world. Creative and practical exercises, including journaling, daily intention-setting, and mindful self-compassion, are complemented by lively conversations with activists and thought leaders such as Valarie Kaur, Brené Brown, Tarana Burke, and Zuri Adele. With stories from around the world and wisdom from those leading movements for change, Walrond beckons readers toward lives of integrity, advocacy, conviction, and joy.
By unearthing our passions and gifts, we learn how to joyfully advocate for justice, peace, and liberation. We learn how to become makers of light.
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the beauty of different:
observations of a confident misfit
Constantly bombarded with messages on how to think, how to feel, how to look, it can be very easy to fall into the mindset that we somehow fail as individuals, that we are not enough. But the truth is, those aspects of ourselves that make us individuals are actually the source of our own beauty, our super power.
The Beauty of Different explores beauty in nine fresh ways and challenges the reader to revel in her own uniqueness. Combining beautiful imagery, portraiture, insightful commentary, essays, and interviews, this multi-sensory exploration of what is really beautiful provokes deeper self-discovery, and encourages the reader to reframe her differences, not as shortcomings, but as characteristics of distinction—maybe even superpowers.
The Beauty of Different contains intimate portraits of men and women who have discovered what makes them beautifully different. Spend time leafing through the pages, and you'll discover a whole new way of seeing yourself.
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“Through her writing and photography, Karen inspires us to claim our voices and own the parts of us that make us authentic, beautiful and strong. What makes Karen’s work so compelling is that she walks the talk — she lives the principles that she shares with us.”
— Brené Brown
New York Times bestselling author of Daring Greatly, Rising Strong & Dare to Lead
disquiet time:
rants and reflections on the good book by the skeptical, the faithful & a few scoundrels
Disquiet Time is an engaging and hilarious collection that encourages readers to tackle those strange, awkward, worrying, yet endlessly compelling passages of the Bible. The Bible is full of not-so-precious moments, from murder and mayhem, to sex and slavery. Now, an incredible cast of contributors tackles the parts of the Bible that most excite, frustrate, or comfort, like:
What the heck is the book of Revelation really about? (The answer will surprise you.)
How do we come to grips with the Bible's troubling (or seemingly troubling) passages about the role of women?
Why did the artist of the oldest known picture of Jesus intentionally paint him with a wonky eye--and what does it tell us about beauty?
Disquiet Time was written by and for Bible-loving Christians, agnostics, skeptics, none-of-the-aboves, and people who aren't afraid to dig deep spiritually, ask hard questions, and have some fun along the way.
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expressive photography:
the shutter sisters' guide to shooting from the heart
When a photograph captivates you and stirs your soul, you know it instinctively. You not only see the image, you feel it. But how do you capture shots like that with your own camera? How do you make your photographs worth the proverbial thousand words? From portraits to landscapes, still-lifes to documentary shots, Expressive Photography will not only show you why certain images sing, it will also teach you how to create your own compelling photographic images--one click at a time.
Written by the immensely popular Shutter Sisters, Blogger's Choice Award nominees for best blog
Themed chapters containing the voices of several photographers give artistic insights into any shooting opportunity
Evocative imagery that captures the emotion of the moment
Compositional tips and recommendations throughout
Visually stunning and unique in its collaborative approach, this book brings the spirit of the immensely popular Shutter Sisters' blog to the printed page through the voice and photography of its founding members.