About the Author
Welcome!

I'm so glad and honored that you have visited my author page.

I have been writing plays and short stories for many years, some of which were published in various college literary magazines. More recently, my short story "The Recollections of Rosabelle Raines," was published in the mystery anthology Chesapeake Crimes: They Had it Comin' available at Amazon.com.

But I had always wanted to write a novel. I found that more difficult. Finally, a few years ago I became inspired to write my first novel, Take the Monkeys and Run, a comedy-mystery, inspired, to some degree by a true monkey sighting in my own neighborhood. Because I love to laugh as well as make other people laugh, I have the most fun imagineable writing the character Barbara Marr along with her friends and adversaries. When I set out to write this book, I knew I wanted to write something that readers would say, "Now that was FUN." I HOPE I have achieved that goal. And if I did, please feel free to drop me a line at and let me know! I love to hear from readers. (especially if they LIKE the book!)

These days, I can be found pecking away at my laptop, conjuring the second Barbara Marr novel, Citizen Insane. When I'm not doing that, I'm probably hanging with my kids, enjoying them while they're still not embarrassed to be seen with me!

 
Where can you find me?

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TAKE THE MONKEYS AND RUN by Karen Cantwell
Film lover Barbara Marr is a typical suburban mom living the typical suburban life in her sleepy little town of Rustic Woods, Virginia. Typical, that is until she sets out to find the missing link between a bizarre monkey sighting in her yard and the bone chilling middle-of-the-night fright fest at the strangely vacant house next door. When Barb talks her two friends into some seemingly innocent Charlie’s Angels-like sleuthing, they stumble upon way more than they bargained for and uncover a piece of neighborhood history that certain people would kill to keep on the cutting room floor.

Enter sexy PI Colt Baron, Barb’s ex-boyfriend who would love to be cast as new leading man, filling the role just vacated by her recently estranged husband, Howard. When Colt flies in from out of town to help Barb, events careen out of control and suddenly this mini-van driving mother of three becomes a major player in a treacherous and potentially deadly FBI undercover operation. It’s up to her now. With little time to spare, she and she alone, must summon the inner strength necessary to become a true action heroine and save the lives of those she loves. The question is can she get them out alive before the credits roll?


THE CHRONICLES OF MARR-NIA by Karen Cantwell
Four funny and touching short stories featuring soccer mom and movie lover, Barbara Marr who made her debut appearance in the hilarious murder mystery, Take the Monkeys and Run. Also, just for fun, the author has included two BONUS shorts with different themes. All-in-all - a collection sure to entertain.
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