Every once in a long while I come across someone who truly is blissfully unaware of how awesome they really are. Karen Ingram is one of those people. She has a level of brilliance and unrivaled sense of comedic timing that can make her a joy to be around or even just be a fly on the wall.
At times she can be very crass or a frustrating contrarian. She’s definitely rough around the edges, but she’s a Kare Bear on the inside. (She’ll probably accuse me of ruining her street cred because of this post.)
More often than not I find her to be an amazing sounding board and excellent friend. Her insights have been really helpful for me as I work to improve my writing and my outlook on life. (Karen having a completely differing outlook than anyone I’ve ever met.) She often jokes that my life will be spared when her species takes over the planet. I like to tell her to “Trek herself before she wrecks herself.”
Karen and I at the spring Collegian pub crawl. The back of our shirts say “Wizard Emeritus.” Don’t ask.
Karen in my opinion is a very accomplished writer. She was recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists for a piece she wrote about zombies. As an editor she has made an excellent writing coach to many budding journalists. I’ve watched her make time for virtually anyone who walked into the newsroom in Kedzie Hall. This all being true, Karen will be the first to tell you that she wants to be a writer, not a journalist.
Recently Karen was recognized by the Department of English at K-State for her fiction writing. “The Suicide Artist,” tells the story of woman named Verity who makes a career out of committing suicide over and over again. In my opinion it’s the first of many works I’ve yet to read from Ms. Ingram. Good luck Karen, I wish you the best.
Follow Karen’s ramblings on twitter: @nerak1138.
Tim Schrag 