Publishing Books by Karen GoatKeeper and Dr. Richard E. Rintz

Home of karengoatkeeper.com

Site News

For now all of Dr. Rintz’s botany books, Exploring the Ozark Hills, My Ozark Hills, The Pumpkin Project, Love of Goats, Waiting for Fairies, The Little Spider (listed by a bookseller), City Water Project and Goat Games must be requested through my Contact Page. It is working as far as I know. Payment arrangements are through PayPal.

Horseradish contribute to too many projects — The Garden. For years, the horseradish was content in its little patch. No longer. Now I have to enlarge the patch or start moving plants elsewhere. Just one of the too many projects on the never ending to do list.

Books published through Kindle (Amazon) are still available through Amazon. This includes all of my novels and Ducks Love Hats. The eBooks are still available as well.

The Buy Print buttons now link you to the Contact GKP page.

visiting conservation areas like ShawneeMac Lakes — Walking along one trail around a lake, The distant dam creating the lake is visible. One of the parking areas where picnic tables are available is in the distance as well. Sometimes there are others walking the trails here at ShawneeMac Lakes Conservation Area, but not on this day.

One of the other booths at the Rendezvous at the River was letting people know about the upcoming Proposition 1 to renew the Conservation sales tax. This amounts to one penny on eight dollars, but supports the many wonderful conservation areas and state parks in Missouri. It needs your support and your vote.

My Substack account has run into the wall of time. I was hoping to do posts twice a week. There is one for last Tuesday. It will go up tomorrow – Saturday. Too Many Projects. Too Little Time!

comparing sizes of two Savoy cabbages — Alcosa Savoy cabbage (right) is not that small. When I pick some to take to Farmers Market, I have trouble getting it into a plastic bag. Violacea is on the left, or rather, a leaf that dwarfs the Alcosa next to it.

It’s easy to think that, once a book is done, it is done. In this era of self publishing, that isn’t the case. As I look forward to having more books printed, I find the books need work. “Exploring the Ozark Hills” is getting worked on now.

I’m wondering now how many writing projects I can juggle and still keep them separate. I am now up to three to read through – edit, get back into the story, redo photographs – with other projects clamoring for attention.

Each project is important. Each takes time. And the hills are calling. The garden needs attention.

Mule Bonita going over the barrier — A clean jump at the mule jumping competition is one that does not knock the barrier pole down. Bonita has cleared it with her front feet. Now she is tucking her back feet up to get over the jump.

My Writing

Why do other writing projects become so distracting? Perhaps photographs are more fun to do than sit at the computer and read.

Ship Eighteen is too familiar, although I find I am finding several things needing changing. Life’s Rules feel familiar, but I do have some distance from it.

Alcosa cabbage makes a nice little head surrounded by crinkled leaves. In hot weather the cabbage can become bitter and the heads can rot.

Then there are the weekly posts to do. And the monthly library review. Each takes time to write and more time to post.

Sleep is important. It’s hard to do anything when the eyes refuse to stay open and the brain is filled with fog.

The truck and the people left. The goats wandered down into the barn. everything was back to normal in the morning when sun basking and napping are the best occupations.

General Comments

This is a strange time in the garden. Spring crops needing cool weather are finishing up. Summer crops are planted, but not producing yet.

Rabbits keep nibbling on plants. My fences need work. Perhaps I will get to them sometime this summer.

Tomatoes are growing and need cages up. Okra is putting up leaves. Peppers are trying to grow. Squash is coming up.

Now comes the battle of the insects. I need to get things covered to keep the squash bugs away.

Spring is still making me wait for her kids. I am getting anxious. She keeps chewing her cud.

I have several writing deadlines. My 2026 goals are to finish Life’s Rules, Ship 18, Ship 19, the gardening essays and two Opal and Agate picture books. Is this doable? At least, I will try.

Walking fern likes to grow on big rocks tucked among the mosses. Even though the fronds aren’t lacy, it has the usual fiddleheads. The fronds have long tips that reach out across the rock. Where they touch down, they root thus ‘walking’ the fern across the rock.

I am presently reading “65560” and “?” . There are more picture books, “A Box of Butterflies” and “A Seed Is Sleepy” this week.

You can keep up with my reading and reviews on Goodreads. As I finish each book, I take the time to write a review on Goodreads. Picture book reviews are on my new Goodreads page. Many reviews remain on the blog as I transfer only a few each week. It would be nice if those reading my books would do the same.

Finding My Picture Book Reviews

The picture book Goodreads page is under karengoatkeeper. As I get it more organized, I will add a link to it here.

I am very hesitant to add any outside links to my website. So you can find me on Goodreads under Karen GoatKeeper.

Indian Paintbrush is a new Dent County Flora entry. It was a surprise find. Like poinsettias and dogwood, the brightly colored flower parts are not really flower parts, bu fancy leaves called bracts. The green tube sticking out of the bracts is the real flower.

About GKP Books

I normally sell books through Kindle and Smashwords as their sites are secure. Some books are only available through me for the time being. Please use the Contact GKP page.

Some eBooks (notably “Pumpkin Project and “Exploring the Ozark Hills”) are too large or complicated for the other sites. These are available as PDFs from me. Please use the Contact Me page.

All of the links should be working. If you find one has decided to go on vacation, you can contact me through the Contact Page.

Thank you for Stopping By

Keep checking back as the topics on the two posts change every week, weather permitting. Impassable roads can delay things.

Nubian buck Kingpin is now a teenage goat and totally girl crazy. He is big enough for the girls to notice.

Visiting Conservation Areas
This year I have been visiting conservation areas looking for new plants for my Dent County Flora project. Missouri is… Read more: Visiting Conservation Areas
Too Many Projects
Especially during the summer, time seems to melt away. Too many projects need attention. Now there are more writing projects… Read more: Too Many Projects
Two Savoy Cabbages
I loved the picture, so I ordered the seeds. Alcosa Savoy cabbage is a nice, petite head with crinkly leaves.… Read more: Two Savoy Cabbages
Joining Substack
Joining Substack is a bit out of character for me. I’m not much of a joiner and definitely not a… Read more: Joining Substack
Mule Jumping Competition
People love to compete. Who is better? Whose car or horse is faster. The mule jumping competition tries to determine… Read more: Mule Jumping Competition