Karla K. Morton

Hurry … ticket sales will end soon! Karla will be in Austin this Thursday, Feb 8 to read from her award-winning book, The National Parks: A Century of Grace during the Bookwoman 2nd Thursday Hybrid Poetry Reading and Open Mic.

The event is free and you can attend in person or virtually.
Location; 5501 North Lamar -105

For more details and to register, visit https://bit.ly/48v4QfK.

Karla is excited to share her love of poetry at the Bookwoman 2nd Thursday Hybrid Poetry Reading and Open Mic on February 8, 2024 from 7:15 pm to 9:00 pm.

Karla will be reading from her award-winning book, The National Parks: A Century of Grace. This event is FREE and you can attend in person or virtually.

Location Address: 5501 North Lamar -105, Austin, TX 87751

For more details and to register, visit https://bit.ly/48v4QfK.

Throwing it back to 7 years ago when Karla and Alan Birkelbach visited the Channel Islands National Park during their Words of Preservation National Park tour. This gorgeous archipelago of five islands is located off the coast of California, between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles and was designated a national park on March 5, 1980.

There is a particular way the waves gently recede over the large rocks on the shore to create a soothing sound, making this a perfect spot to unwind and absorb the profound wisdom that nature imparts.

Sharing a little motivation and inspiration for this new year!

Start by doing what’s necessary;
Then do what’s possible;
and suddenly you are doing the impossible.
~ Francis of Assisi

Photo taken of Karla sharing her 42nd national park visit (Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks) during her Words of Preservation: A Poet Laureates National Park Tour. Sequoia NP is incredibly beautiful in the winter. The snow can stack up over fifteen feet high.

Cheers to a Happy New Year where every day is a tiny celebration of life! Hugs ... Karla

Wishing you joy, love and laughter this festive season. May your hearts be light, and your days merry and bright! Hugs …. Karla

Throwing it back to 2017 when Karla visited Acadia National Park during her Words of Preservation national park tour. There is no other park like Acadia.
It has an impressive coastline with over forty miles of shoreline among its fifty thousand acres.

Hey Poetry and Nature Lovers! Have you had the chance to dive into the magic of the National Parks featured in National Parks: A Century of Grace, co-written by Karla and Texas Poet Laureate Alan Birkelbach?

As a writer who finds inspiration in the beauty of words and the world around them, Karla wants to share some of her all-time favorite books that have influenced her poetic journey and would also be a great gift for your loved ones.

Check them out:

“Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel” by Carl Safina
“Out of My Later Years” by Albert Einstein
“Tender Spot” by Naomi Shihab Nye
“One Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
“Completely MAD: A History of the Comic Book and Magazine” by Maria Reidelbach

Dive into ALL of these masterpieces and join Karla on a literary adventure! If you're ready to explore the magic of the National Parks, grab your copy of National Parks: Century of Grace today - bit.ly/kmnp!

Dive into the beauty of the National Parks with this enchanting book, The National Parks: A Century of Grace, that captures the essence of the natural wonders and majestic landscapes.

Don’t miss the chance to gift or bring the magic of the National Parks into your home - visit bit.ly/kmnp.

Great photo of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park. Karla and Alan Birkelbach visited this park back in October of 2017 as part of their Words of Preservation National Park tour.

Did you know Cadillac Mountain has the highest point on the northern seaboard and is the first place (seasonally) in the US to see the sunrise?

Visit Karla’s website for more information about her and Alan’s award-winning book (now in its second printing), The National Parks: A Century of Grace.
https://www.kkmorton.com/books/ -NATIONAL-PARKS

This Black Friday, embark on a literary and photographic journey that transports you through America’s most breathtaking landscapes. Each poem is a love letter to the unparalleled beauty found within our National Parks.

The National Parks: A Century of Grace makes for a thoughtful and inspiring gift for all ages PLUS it is currently ON SALE - bit.ly/KMBlackFriday23!

Share the combined love for poetry and nature with your friends and family this holiday season.

Wishing everyone blessings and love on this Thanksgiving Day!

Karla loves Halloween and always finds a creative way to celebrate! Wishing everyone a safe and fun Trick or Treat this year!!

Another great picture from the First Christian Church Arlington, TX Book Club in September. Pictured here is Karla signing a copy of her book, “Accidental Origami” for Yvonne Adcock.

What fun Karla had last month presenting her book, “Accidental Origami” for the First Christian Church Arlington, TX Book Club.

Pictured here from left to right is Nona Matthews, Michele Rothschild, Ron Kline, Brandon Matthews, Dan Casto, and Karla making PB&J sandwiches for clients of the Arlington Life Shelter This group makes 240 lunches once a month for the shelter.

What a great bunch of folks! Special thanks from Karla!!!

If you or someone you know is going through breast cancer, or cancer of any kind, Karla’s 2010 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Winner may be a source of comfort and support through the journey. Now in its THIRD PRINTING, “Redefining Beauty” is a book of powerful poetry arising out of Karla’s personal experience with breast cancer.

Excerpt from “Redefining Beauty”:
“You could drive yourself crazy wondering why things happen … they just do. You say your prayers and shave your head. You pull on your boots, and you kick ass.”

Help support Breast Cancer here:
https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-awareness-month/

To learn more about “Redefining Beauty” and how to order a copy, visit Karla’s website at https://www.kkmorton.com/books/ -Beauty.

- Throwing it back this Thursday to October 2017 when Karla and Alan Birkelbach performed a reading at the Jesup Memorial Library during their visit to Acadia National Park, park #16 of their Words of Preservation National Park tour.

“There is no other park like Acadia”, says Karla. “It feels old world the moment you walk onto the 1913 broken-stone carriage roads lined with the simmering jeweled leaves of late October.”

Visit Karla’s website for more information about her and Alan’s award-winning (now in second printing) book, The National Parks: A Century of Grace.
https://www.kkmorton.com/books/ -NATIONAL-PARKS

Karla’s Words of Preservation National Park Tour continues!

Karla and fellow Texas Poet Laureate Alan Birkelbach will be hitting the road once again to tour the newest US National Park - the New River Gorge (park #63) in beautiful Southern West Virginia!

Established in 1978, New River Gorge National River was recently redesignated as New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. The park encompasses over 70,000 acres of land along 53 miles of the New River from Bluestone Dam to Hawk's Nest Lake.

Stay tuned for dates and details about Karla and Alan's upcoming adventures in this new National Park! https://www.kkmorton.com

EXCITING NEWS … "Turbulence & Fluids" just won the top award for Poetry in the 2023 Paris Book Festival AND received a 5-star review from Literary Titan!

Special thanks to the Paris Book Festival! Karla is thrilled and honored to receive this prestigious award!

"Turbulence & Fluids is a poetic expedition guiding readers through the depths of emotion, history, and connection. Morton's evocative language and relatable themes create a tapestry of human experience, offering moments of both solace and inspiration. This collection is a reminder that, despite life's challenges and losses, our stories continue to flow, and we find meaning by embracing them."
Read the full review here: bit.ly/46jXRp3

Visit Karla's website at https://www.kkmorton.com for more information and to order a copy.

&Fluids

Turbulence & Fluids Turbulence & Fluids by Karla K Morton is a wonderfully unique collection of poetry. The author’s almost spiritual connection to the surrounding world is evident in every poem. The opening poems…

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month!

If you or someone in your life is going through the effects of cancer (of any kind), Karla’s award-winning book “Redefining Beauty” may be a support through the journey.

“Redefining Beauty” is a book of powerful poetry arising out of Karla’s personal experience with breast cancer.

Now in its THIRD PRINTING, this 2010 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Winner in the Women’s Issues category, can be a powerful source of comfort, humor and fuel.

To learn more about Redefining Beauty and how to order a copy, visit Karla’s website at https://www.kkmorton.com/books/ -Beauty.

What a stunning photo of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park taken in July 2017 during Karla and Alan Birkelbach’s (2005 Texas Poet Laureate) Words of Preservation National Park tour.

Did you know there are two main entrances to the park, a south end and a north end but there is no direct connection between the two? Though the drive between can easily take 2-plus hours, views are spectacular regardless of the entrance you choose.

Throwing it back to 2017 when Karla and 2005 Texas Poet Alan Birkelbach performed a reading of their previous collections at the Black Canyon Amphitheater inside the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park during their Words of Preservation National Park tour. Black Canyon NP was the 12th park they visited during their NP tour.
The canyon was formed by the slow erosion of the Gunnison river through ancient rock, and the canyon gets deeper at the rate of a hair’s thickness each year.
For more information about her and Alan’s award-winning (now in second printing) book, The National Parks: A Century of Grace visit: https://bit.ly/PoetryNationalParksBook

Can you guess which park they are headed to next?

Karla is looking forward to visiting the First Christian Church Arlington, TX monthly book club meeting today!

She will be reading from a selection of poems from her book, Accidental Origami, published by TRP: The University Press of SHSU. This book features Karla’s best work from her first ten collections.

The poems capture each universal emotion, delving into our desire to know our place in this world - the reason for our very being. Another MUST read book of Karla’s!

Accidental Origami is available at:
TAMU Press: bit.ly/44mpHyM
Amazon: bit.ly/3qKYCrx

The Texas Association of Creative Writing Teachers - TACWT 2023 Annual Conference is quickly approaching and Karla is excited to be a part of it again this year!

The conference takes place at Texas Tech University September 21-23. Karla will be reading at the McKenzie-Merket Alumni Center on Saturday, September 23 along with three other poets from 9:45 AM-11:00 AM.

For more information and to register visit:
https://www.tacwtgroup.com/conference

Karla is excited to be the FIRST EVER featured author/speaker for the First Christian Church Arlington, TX Monthly Book Club meeting on September 20, 2023. She will be reading from Accidental Origami, published by TRP: The University Press of SHSU. This book features Karla’s best work from her first ten collections. Her poems capture each universal emotion, delving into our desire to know our place in this world.

Accidental Origami is available at:
TAMU Press: https://bit.ly/44mpHyM
Amazon: https://bit.ly/3qKYCrx

Karla and Alan had such fun at the Escape to Create and Seaside Institute’s After Hours Writing Workshop in Seaside, Florida earlier this month, presenting and promoting their award-winning book, The National Parks: A Century of Grace, published by TCU Press.

Special thanks to E2C, Seaside Institute and Emerald Coast Storytellers for their warm welcome and hospitality.

The National Parks: A Century of Grace is available at:
TCU Press - https://bit.ly/3YKVb0w
Amazon - https://bit.ly/3YOPIpp

Today marks 107 years since our country’s National Park Service was born! Take a moment today to celebrate our Parks -- they are treasures for all of us to enjoy.

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/nps-birthday.htm

Happy Poets Day! Today, we celebrate the mesmerizing power of words and the lyrical souls who weave magic with their pens!

Please enjoy this excerpt from karla’s poem, “A Little Flower” featured in her book, Constant State of Leaping.

I was told not to plant her -
her life, frail and fast;
but she is the brazen one -
the first bud, first blossom,
first plaything of the wind,
first desire of young bees;
laughing as winter beats his chest;
the girl with the longest summer;
her ruffling skirts of green.

To learn more about Constant State of Leaping or to get your own copy, visit kkmorton.com/books/ -State-of-Leaping.

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/poets-day/

Don’t miss Karla and Alan tonight (6pm) at the Seaside Assembly Hall located at 168 Smolian Circle in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.

For more information, visit seasideinstitute.org/.../after-hours-writing.../

Don't miss Karla and Alan Birkelbach tomorrow evening at the Seaside Assembly Hall in Seaside, Florida for an "After Hours Writing Workshop" hosted by Escape to Create & Seaside Institute, in partnership with Emerald Coast Storytellers.

6-7PM (wine and small bites)
7PM (poetry reading)
8PM (writers workshop)

RSVP at: https://seasideinstitute.org/.../after-hours-writing.../