Karen Simpson Nikakis, known commonly as K. S. Nikakis, is an Australian fantasy author, writer and poet who lives at Melton,[1] who has written the fantasy novel The Whisper of Leaves (2007). She was nominated for an Aurealis Awards twice in 2020.
Karen Simpson Nikakis | |
|---|---|
 Nikakis, far left, 2017 | |
| Born | Mansfield, Victoria, Australia[citation needed] |
| Occupation | Novelist, lecturer in writing |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Period | 2007–present |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Notable awards | Australian Shadows Awards (2020 runner up, poetry) Aurealis Awards (2020, two nominations) |
| Website | |
| www | |
Early life
Nikakis was raised in the central Victorian town of Mansfield, surrounded by the mountains of the Victorian Alps.[citation needed] Her interest in fantasy occurred at age 19, when she read Tolkien's fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings. She has since written a number of published academic essays on myth and fantasy writing.
She has worked as a secondary teacher, a technical and further education teacher, and as a lecturer in business communications at Deakin University.[2][3] She completed a Master in Education in young adult literature with her thesis being on The Purpose of Dragons in Selected Children’s Literature in the Twentieth Century at Charles Sturt University[4] and went on to complete a PhD in 1997 in fantasy fiction from Victoria University with her thesis on The Use of Narrative in Order to Break the Masculine Domination of the Hero Quest.[5][6]
Writing
During the 1980s, she started writing picture story books, which she also illustrated. Her first fantasy novel was published by Allen & Unwin in 2007 as The Whisper of Leaves, the first book in a fantasy series: the Kira Chronicles. A second book The Song of the Silvercades was released in July 2008.[1][7]
In 2008, she was appointed the foundation head of the bachelor's degree in Writing and Publishing for Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE.[1][8]
In 2020, she was a runner up for Australian Shadows Awards poetry award.[9] The same year her book I Heard the Wolf Call My Name was nominated for a Aurealis Awards for Young Adult Novel and her short story Glass-Heart was nominated for the Young Adult Short Story award.[10]
Works
Novels
- The Whisper of Leaves: Book 1 of the Kira Chronicles (2007) Allen & Unwin, ISBN 0-8093-2480-6[11][12][13]
- The Song of the Silvercades: Book 2 of the Kira Chronicles (2008) Allen & Unwin[14]
- The Cry of the Marwing: Book 3 of the Kira Chronicles (July 2009) Allen & Unwin[15]
Short stories
- The gift in Aurealis #40, Chimaera Publications, Australia, 2008
- Redemption in Moondance – E-zine: USA[16]
- Lovers in Smokelong Quarterly – E-zine: USA[17]
- Song of the frog prince in Zahir #4: USA
References
External links
- Official website
- Interview: Smoking With Karen Simpson Nikakis, Smokelong Quarterly, Issue 5, August 2004.
- K. S. Nikakis at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
