Karen Barbuscia, Freelance Writer and Editor

I am a long-time writer of fiction, exposition, articles, poetry, and song, and a dedicated editor with a critical eye. Interviews, research, and a broad perspective feed my non-fiction work, along with a background in marketing and branding that I bring to a piece when called for. Whether composing or editing, from books to magazines to web content, my first goal is to reflect the heart of the subject and draw in readers with a unique voice and connection that holds their interest. I believe in the power of tone and voice, and original ideas and content. Communication, respect, appreciation, humor, human and animal rights, and honesty are at the core of my belief system.

When not at my desk I am busy running, cooking, practicing yoga, drinking wine, and enjoying food, nature, true friendships, bright colors, subtlety, dark edgy humor, literature, and my family. I'm a music lover, diehard flower photographer, film junkie, book nerd, grammar enthusiast, and secret introvert, with lifelong roots in suburban Philadelphia.

Story Samples

To sample my work, please read my stories on health and wellness, environmental awareness, and family matters. You'll also find school, company, and community profiles, and more.

Main Line Parent Magazine •

Give, Receive, Reduce, Reuse, and Buy Nothing: How the Buy Nothing Project Teaches Kindness and Changes Communities

In July of 2013, friends Liesl Clark and Rebecca Rockefeller of Bainbridge Island, Washington, came together to start the inaugural group that would give rise to the Buy Nothing Project. An experiment at first, launched as a local Facebook group limited to a specific community, this first Buy Nothing group quickly spawned a worldwide movement with groups in more than thirty nations. “We offer people a way to give and receive, share, lend, and express gratitude through a worldwide network of hyp
Main Line Parent Magazine •

Let’s Do Lunch, Responsibly: Sustainable, Earth-loving, Kid-loving Lunches

Each snack and dessert and dinner out and grocery shopping experience was infused with choices and meaning. But did they really mean to teach us the secrets of the ages via a bowl of corn flakes? Maybe they didn’t mean to. But these subliminal messages happened anyway, during lazy weekend breakfasts and the bunches of bananas on the counter and the secret stash of Grandma’s brownies in the freezer. Through food, we came to understand what it means, not just to be nourished, but to be nurtured.
Main Line Parent Magazine •

Grandmom’s Wisdom – Hygiene for Health, Handwashing for the Win

My grandmother, an excellent cook, meticulous house-keeper, and passionate feeder, held great power in her hands: the power to soothe my stomach aches and cut my bangs and create miracles out of a few simple ingredients. The woman who hand-knitted sweaters (for me and my doll,) who laid dough made from scratch across the floured surface of her kitchen table for kreplach, who filled her basement freezer with soups, brownies, and entire frosted cakes, all made in her own kitchen, with her own hand
Main Line Parent Magazine •

A Positive Outlook: Why Breast Cancer Screening and Early Detection Matters

For most of us, this staggering statistic hits close to home as we consider our families, friends, colleagues, even ourselves. Almost none of us can say, “I don’t know anybody who’s had breast cancer.” Thanks to the constant evolution of modern medicine and unbelievable perseverance and bravery in the face of the unthinkable, many of the women we know who have been diagnosed are now breast cancer survivors – our grandmothers, mothers, wives, sisters, friends – who fought the battle and won – ac
Main Line Parent Magazine •

Riding the Brain Wave: When Childhood Epilepsy Appears

In 2016, eight-year-old Michael Madaio was a fun, quirky, curious kid with a natural love of learning. He started third grade as a playful, outgoing Lego aficionado and an expert in lightsaber battles. Then with no warning, seemingly overnight, he lost his spark and turned inward. Michael became withdrawn and didn’t want to leave the house or even his mother’s side. Suddenly he was no longer the happy-go-lucky kid who loved to ask questions and pipe up with answers. His parents worried his shift
Main Line Parent Magazine •

Partnering in Pregnancy – What Your Pregnant Partner Needs from You

Along with the excitement and anticipation, a pregnancy brings so many new and unfamiliar conditions to a woman’s body and mental state. Shifting hormones may render her exhausted, nauseated, and emotional. Her body may become unfamiliar and strange, suddenly populated with aches, odd colorations, and swellings, along with the expected weight gain and growing baby bump. Soon there are obstetrician appointments, tests, maternity clothes and baby gear to purchase, baby-proofing to install, and so
Philadelphia Family Magazine •

How to Handle THE TALK with Little Ones: Broaching the Subject of Sex

Of the many difficult topics parents are responsible for introducing to children, sex and sexuality are at the top of the list of subjects we wrestle with most in our culture, and even avoid. Why? Our physical bodies, inclusive of sex organs, hormones, and pleasure receptors, are the most basic aspects of who we are. Our brains, home of gender and orientation identifiers, guide our bodies. Every body with a brain has the capacity to be a sexual being, and we’re all born out of the functional bio
Main Line Parent Magazine •

The Fabric of Life: Back to Basics at The Handwork Studio

“My 6-year-old took a Creature Creation workshop via the Girl Scouts, it was cool! I helped with tying the thread and holding her project steady, but she did the rest. I was impressed! The instructor was great.” Since the dawn of humankind, survival has depended on the handmade: shelter, clothing, and tools of all kinds, crafted with human ingenuity. Even just centuries ago, in harmony with the advent of industrialization, handworking skills continued to be passed from generation to generati
Main Line Parent Magazine •

Animal Magic: The Alchemy of Accessibility at Elmwood Park Zoo

In childhood, a visit to the zoo is iconic, thrilling beyond measure, and for many of us, stamped permanently in our memories. With the excitement of discovery, we get close to wild and exotic creatures for the first time. And each zoo experience, as we grow, educates and stimulates and broadens our understanding of the richly inhabited world we live in and the interconnectedness of all living things. We carry that feeling of awe and wonder home with us each time, and if we’re lucky, it stays wi
Main Line Parent Magazine •

The Power of Amor: The Gift of Language at Mi Casita Preschool

“You can never understand one language until you understand at least two.” Did you know that, through focus on the element of language, we can multiply the world’s opportunities for our children from infancy? Did you know that it is possible, through bilingualism, to instill a finely developed, multi-layered worldview in a toddler? Welcome to the Spanish-immersion experience of Melissa Peter’s Mi Casita Preschool, where a child’s perspective and cognitive growth can be expanded in every directi
Main Line Parent Magazine •

The Amenra Family Finds Peace of Mind at Friends School Haverford

“I realized that Jordan was a different kind of learner early on,” says Jordan’s mother, Kim. As a seasoned, dedicated public school teacher and a Southwest Philly native, considering a suburban private school for her children had never been in Kim Amenra’s purview. But when Jordan started performing two or three levels above his grade, she knew he needed a change. “That was a really hard decision, because I love teaching in a public school,” she says. “I was very apprehensive. I visited so man
Philadelphia Family Magazine •

The Philadelphia School: Progressive Attention to the Whole Child

“We chose TPS for many reasons but mostly the progressive education. We loved that traditional desks and chairs were nowhere to be found, even in the higher grades. We also loved that the kids spend one day a week outdoors outside of the city. It was important to us that our city kids have regular exposure to nature.” – Leah Stolker Jordan, The Philadelphia School parent of two In 1972, a small group of parents seeking out a more progressive, holistic approach to early education than could be
Main Line Parent Magazine •

Teaching Campers to Soar: How Camp Pegasus Got its Wings

“It gives me great joy to see our campers grow socially, gain more confidence, and engage with the world.” says Mike Fogel, founder and executive and clinical director of Camp Pegasus, Haverford, PA. While all parents are invested in their children’s social development and engagement with peers, not all children find it easy to interact with the people and the world around them. Some are so shy, they find approaching another child terrifying. Some are afraid to join or begin conversations. Inte
Main Line Parent Magazine •

Julian Krinsky Camps & Programs: 2020 Vision Through A First Person View

I thought I knew all there was to know about what Julian Krinsky Camps & Programs had to offer. Intellectual expansion. Applicable real-life experience. Maturity, growth, and ventures into the unexpected. The discovery and development of passions that launch kids along any chosen trajectory into the future. Add academics, art, fun, new skills, and long-lasting friendships. This was JKCP as I knew it, one of the most renowned, trusted, and well-attended camps in our region, a legendary fixture on
Main Line Parent Magazine •

Winter is Coming: Protect Against Ice, Fire, and Other Cold-Weather Dangers with Farryn Electric

But is a safe, secure interior what you’re actually living in? Or could the potential dangers of cold-weather electrical emergencies be lurking behind, or just outside, your walls? Here’s a shocking assertion: “At least once a week every winter somebody calls us saying, ‘My outlet caught on fire.’” So states Dan Namerow, Master Electrician, educator on electrical theory, and owner of Farryn Electric, a local full-service provider and installer of everything electric: indoor and outdoor lightin
Main Line Parent Magazine •

Easing the Way Home: Helping Kids Transition from House to House, Presented by Realtor Nicole Klein

Moving is stressful. Nobody looks forward to weeding through an entire household’s worth of belongings, wrapping every teeny breakable in bubble wrap, packing it all up, tripping over boxes, and trying to live life while undertaking the enormous project of a location change, only to reverse the process elsewhere. And all of that says nothing about the sometimes arduous, emotional, disappointing, but possibly exhilarating process of finding a new home and selling the one you live in. It’s a lot.
Main Line Parent Magazine •

Get to Know Rutter Roofing: A Company Culture of Community

Cory Rutter started his roofing business a decade ago with plans for the future, a strong work ethic, and one truck. After ten years on the job, Cory’s thriving company has earned an excellent reputation and covers a 1200 square mile service area, with his wife Ashley managing operations. But the biggest, most significant impact to Rutter Roofing and all of its team members was never part of Cory’s business plan. Back in 2014, Ashley and Cory were focused on building Rutter Roofing. They were a
Main Line Parent Magazine •

Accent Your Assets! How Home Improvement Turns Up the Volume on Value – Presented by Erica Deuschle

As homeowners, we spend a lot of time managing all of the moving parts necessary to keep a household running smoothly – from family schedules to chores and errands, from home improvement projects to budgets and bills. We expend so much energy to keep our houses in order that when we’re at rest, we’re all the more grateful for a safe, comfortable place to land. But for homeowners, your living space is also a financial asset. And whether you plan to spend two, five, or ten more years in your curr
Main Line Parent Magazine •

Reinforced and Rejuvenated: Safe, Strong, and Stunning Homes by AMDG Contracting

Your home is your sanctuary. To feel as comfortable as possible at home, you need to know that both your house – and your investment in it – are secure. For the best protection from the elements, fortify your home’s value, curb appeal, and construction by making sure your exterior is as safe, solid, and beautiful as it can be. With the help of AMDG Exterior Contracting, you’ll revive the look of your home’s exterior while simultaneously reinforcing it against weather, wear, and age. Most of us
Main Line Parent Magazine •

Main Line Parent Neighborhood Guide: Havertown

This sprawling suburb is rich in history, community, and family-friendly everything. Just nine miles west of Center City, Havertown is a widespread suburb of thriving local businesses, parks, playgrounds, schools, and proud neighborhoods, each with its own feel and identity. From Brookline to Oakmont to Westgate Hills, Havertown is a family-strong Delaware County commonwealth belonging to the high-ranking Haverford Township School District. Adjacent to the Main Line and with easy access to Phil