(as of 2014)
Many of Karen Mains creative works have been birthed out of personal experience. Her first best-selling book Open Heart, Open Home, is considered a classic and deals with the theology of Christian hospitality. It has sold over 600,000 copies. Mains' three books for children, The Kingdom Tales Trilogy, was awarded the Gold Medallion by the Evangelical Press Association These stories are frequently used by pastors as sermon material, have been endlessly adapted in dramatic form for churches and Christian schools, and have been regularly employed for the purposes of deep therapy by Christian counselors. Her book, With My Whole Heart: Disciplines for the Inner Life, was also awarded EPA's Gold Medallion. The Fragile Curtain: A Moving Affirmation of Family Life about the refugee crisis in the world, won The Christopher Award, given to recognize works that uphold the highest in moral values. Mains often offers conference courses in memoir writing and is now involved in developing sustainable income projects with displaced friends in the States and colleagues in Africa seeking to lift themselves out of poverty. She says that the book she hated to write the most, Child Sexual Abuse, co-written with Maxine Hancock, is one about she is most proud.