Karen Kao

Karen Kao is a writer of Shanghai noir. As a child of Chinese immigrants who settled in the United States in the 1950's, she grew up listening to her father's tales of Old Shanghai. Her debut novel The Dancing Girl and the Turtle is the result.

The Dancing Girl and the Turtle is the first volume in a quartet of interlocking novels set in Shanghai. When she's not hard at work on one of these novels, Karen writes essays and short stories. This year's crop includes an essay for The Common, a short story in the 2019 NUNUM anthology, and nominations for the Pushcart Prize, the VERA and Best of the Net. You can read more at her website at http://www.inkstonepress.com.