10/28/2026
Work may have taken this Jackson graduate to St. Louis, but her heart, future plans, and future chickens reside in the rolling hills of Southeast Missouri's Bollinger County, where she spends her weekends.
Local roots and daydreaming about chickens are not the most interesting things about Carin Thamke though. She also authors and publishes books for young adults and early chapter readers.
She spends months researching remarkable animals and interviewing the people who knew them best, to tell their story from their perspective. Her latest book, Mother of the Meadows, is based on a real-life Bollinger County guard dog named Delilah. Carin says, "If you like Where the Red Fern Grows, you'll like Mother of the Meadows." It's filled with the beauty (as well as the raw reality) of life on the ranch - from a puppy learning how to guard, to the connections sheep dogs build with their flock, and the tragedies inherent in ranch life.
Help us support this local author by following Thamke Tales. You can purchase her books or schedule an in-person author signing or classroom reading through ThamkeTales.com.
