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Karen, an Author??

Posted by Karen & Gerard Posted on: 02/23/08

Karen, an Author??

I just wrote my first book last year about my dad and me right after he died called "My Funny Dad, Harry." I am married to Gerard, a wonderful husband, and have a cat, Spunky Doodle. I love teaching a 5th grade boys Sunday School class and am on the puppet team at Parma Heights Baptist Church. I like playing tennis, bowling, watching sports on TV, playing games on www.pogo.com, participating in forums on My Space (www.myspace.com/kzemek), Shelfari (www.shelfari.com/kzemek), Goodreads (www.goodreads.com/kzemek) and obviously judging by my book shelf on here, reading. I also like taking pictures and have some posted on viewbug.com and photobucket.com. Sometimes I sell items on eBay.

I never planned to become an author, but here I am! Please be kind. I just wrote "My Funny Dad, Harry" as a memorial to my dad after he died this past February. I just had so many thoughts about him racing through my head at night that I couldn't sleep, so decided to write about him. I realized what a wonderful dad he really was and how amazing as well as funny. Growing up, I always thought my parents were funny (as do most kids, I expect), and often said they should have a TV comedy show called the "Mom and Pop" show.

Here's a quick, entertaining way to find out what made my dad, Harry, such a wonderful father and an amazing, very unique person:

Check out a short video about my dad at with link below:

http://www.fliptrack.com/watch/hBExbNdFKP

By writing this book, I thought it would be a great way to share my dad with others and keep his memory alive. I also thought it could be an encouragement to others who are caring for aging parents as well as giving some tips on being a good, caring person. I enjoyed writing this book very much because it helped me work through my grief.

In the end I include an epilogue that tells how God helped me through the really tough days after my dad's death when I just felt so overwhelmed with everything that needed to be taken care of. Included at the very end of the book are several appendices which list names of people mentioned, all his cats because there were a lot to keep straight, list of places mentioned and one that gives some spiritual help for those seeking a personal relationship with God. This part can be easily skipped if it is of no interest to you; however, I felt compelled to include it for those who may find it helpful.

I was thrilled to hear from one of my co-workers who purchased this book that her two girls saw it on the car seat when she picked them up from school and started looking at it. The cat pictures caught their attention because they love cats and they started reading it before mom even got the chance to read it herself. I think that's great. My dad would be pleased too! He always liked kids and enjoyed watching the neighbor children play.

Check out my webpage at http://www.outskirtspress.com/myfunnydadharry for more about "My Funny Dad, Harry". You can listen to an audio clip from me and read an excerpt from the book.

To order directly from me instead of online, email me a request for the book at: myfunnydadharry@sbcglobal.net and I'll send you my address where you can mail me a check for $15 (incl. postage and tax) and I'll mail you an autographed copy.

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Charming! by Carol Denbow

Karen Arlettaz Zemek expresses her lifetime remembrances of her father "Harry" through this charming little journal. Harry was a unique character, loving father, cat lover, and an excessive "pack rat" (like many of us). Through her book, Karen shows us all how journaling and a strong faith in God can help us work through our grief after the death of a loved one.

-Carol Denbow, 3-time author and editor A Book Inside online

(order "My Funny Dad, Harry" on www.amazon.com, www.bn.com or www.outskirtspress.com/myfunnydadharry)

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HEARTWARMING by Jacqueline Carr

My Funny Dad, Harry is a heart warming book about
Karen Arlettaz Zemek's struggles of being a caregiver
to her father, while dealing with the pressures of
juggling duties as a wife and working woman.

Detail accounts in the book include the struggle of
taking care of Harry until his death and the
pressures of dealing with her father's death.

Anyone who has ever been a caregiver or soon to be
caregiver, need to read this book! They would
appreciate this book, My Funny Dad, Harry. I give the
book four stars.

Jacqueline Carr

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How I found a publisher

Posted by Karen & Gerard Posted on: 02/27/08

How I found a publisher

Some of my friends have asked me how I found a publisher so I thought I'd post it on here. I had no clue how to get a book published. On Sunday, February 25 which was the first Sunday after dad's funeral and just two days after I decided to write this book (the day of a big ice storm that caused our church to cancel services), I went on the computer to see if I could find anything about how to get a book published. Since I was familiar with Torey Hayden's website (author of many good books), I just wanted to see if anything was on there about how to publish books, and up came a bunch of stuff on book publishing! I never saw this stuff before! I looked on Outskirts Press because it listed a lot of information on how to start, helpful suggestions, sample agreements, things to look for in publishing contracts, and e-books, self-publishing. AWESOME! This was a definite confirmation to me that writing this book was something God wanted me to do. I never had any inclination to write any book.

Would you like to get published too? Check out Outskirts Press at: www.outskirtspress.com/agent.php?key=42327

--Karen Arlettaz Zemek, author of "My Funny Dad, Harry"

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