Award-winning author Karen B. Kurtz has published books, essays, poetry, and countless articles for readers of all ages. Karen's credits include DOLLS, Antique DOLL Collector, DOLL NEWS, Doll Reader, Doll World, Contemporary Doll Collector, Birmingham Arts Journal, Civil War Times, Alabama Heritage, AntiqueWeek, Highlights for Children, Cobblestone, Child Life, Scholastic, Daisy, Country Woman, Instructor, Lady's Circle, Farm Journal and many more. A Coleman Award from United Federation of Doll Clubs (UFDC) empowered Karen's research into American Civil War dolls with provenance. She met the captivating old china doll Grace Darling from Culpeper, Virginia, that was manufactured in the 1850s by Alt, Beck and Gottschalck in Thuringia, Germany. A casual turn of phrase in Grace Darling's provenance alerted Karen to Great Britain, where she learned about the doll's namesake, Grace Horsley Darling, the real British Victorian icon. UFDC officers praised Karen's work that "accomplishes much in trail blazing this area of doll research." Editors at Civil War Times said Karen's work "for the very first time, speaks to the everyday activities of women and children, not men and battles." A former elementary school teacher, college administrator, editor, publisher, and consultant, Karen holds a master's degree from Indiana University.