Check Out Karis Mcpherson’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Karis Mcpherson

Hi Karis, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Sure! It still surprises me that I’m here, living in Los Angeles, as I grew up in Wisconsin—home of beer, potatoes and cheese. Sports were a big part of my life back then, providing memorable friendships and a supportive community. I played everything from basketball to tennis to flag football. Which reminds me of how my persona as an athlete never matched how I presented myself. My friends often saw me as the quirky one, the wild card—not because I was outlandish, but because I had rainbow hair, loved System of a Down, and dreamed of being a chef and cooking beside legends like Wolfgang Puck or Emeril Lagasse. No matter what happened in my young life, I simply refused to let anyone, or anything, limit me. I would go on to live many years abroad before eventually settling in Los Angeles for more than a decade.
It was about two years ago; I started doing street interviews asking,”What book are your reading?” to document LA’s thriving literary scene. This was the foundation that led to the creation of Its Literally LA, a blog where we share weekly literary event announcements—celebrity book signings, author meet-and-greets, interviews and details about venues and times. Our coverage has helped grow awareness and attendance, turning small gatherings into sold out crowds. In LA, even 30 attendees at a book event is a success—and now, some events we cover draw hundreds of attendees, sluggish traffic and all!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Is there such a thing as a smooth road? I believe that no matter who you are life happens when the roads get a little bumpy and its the bumps that remind you that you’re moving in the first place. I was lucky to find love and start a family in Los Angeles and even realized my childhood dream of becoming a chef, some would argue that is a smooth road. However, my journey into the literary world was born from several near-fatal experiences, one of which left me bedridden for years. After many debilitating years my illness led me to publish my first children’s novel when I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be well again…and, in all honesty, it was a bit rushed. As soon as I have time, I definitely plan to revise and re-release my first novel sometime in the future. But I must be frank, it was that same perseverance that ultimately brought me here. Books truly saved me; I like to say, “fiction was my escape, and non-fiction became my education.” Everything I do now is rooted in my belief in the power of books. I know that if given the chance, books can heal, transform, and save lives—this miracle doesn’t just apply to me it also applies to anyone open minded enough to explore outside of their comfort zone.
For me, the path hasn’t always been easy, but I understand that without those experiences younger me would never arrive to my present. I tend to get philosophical when reflecting on my life and how dynamic it all is. I hope my story will inspire the many others who are beginning to emerge in this space. And if I could add a little caveat, I would remind the emerging and the established creators that the literary industry doesn’t belong to any one person or group; it is and will always be a collective effort involving writers, booksellers, librarians, parents, bloggers, publishers, and readers to push the collective forward. My dream as a small part in this great community is to work together and build bridges, not walls, that lead us to a stronger more united future. We must persist connecting and introducing more people to the wonders of books. I believe we’d all be better for it.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
One of my greatest passions is cooking, and in late 2018, as I transitioned from working long hours on my feet, I launched a “seed-to-table” podcast called Breakfast of Giants. It was a beautiful experience highlighting old and new friends, and though my last published episode featured the renowned chef Carla Hall, which was an absolute joy, the season abruptly ended with about ten unpublished episodes remaining. I honestly forgot about them until recently. I decided to give them a listen and I cried. Both the published and unpublished audio taught me something very important. It showed me that even in my absence, Breakfast of Giants was still downloaded, listened to, and appreciated as a resource for food lovers and enthusiasts and I’m proud of that. The hours spent documenting those stories wasn’t in vain and it was likely the impetus for the work I do in the literary space now. I founded a first-of-its-kind literary media and events organization called LIFTed UNITED. We’re like Time-out magazine but for storytelling. We host virtual panels with international authors and recently converted them into an audio podcast also known as, Its Literally LA. We have aspirations to introduce Its Literally NYC to cover the literary community on the east coast as well. Our greatest achievement was launching the LIFTed Literary Festival this year, held during the month of February, that featured 35 award winning authors locally and abroad.
I know that given the opportunity, LIFTed UNITED can create a space of possibilities—a place where stories and voices matter; where culture, class, and location matter less and where our focus is to simply share a good story for new readers to discover and lifelong readers to revisit. This dedication to documenting our present literary community is what we specialize in and, I believe, it’s what sets us apart.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
That’s easy! My family, better health, a good meal, warm weather, and a well-loved library are enough. I find joy in ordinary, everyday moments, and I make a point to appreciate those moments every single day. Because if I’m ungrateful for where I am, it would be difficult to prepare for where I’m headed. That is my foundation of happiness.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.liftedunited.com
• Instagram: @ liftedunited, @itsliterallyla, @authorkaris

Image Credits
all photo credit @authorkaris LUM Images