Karen Spafford-Fitz

Karen Spafford-Fitz grew up in an old limestone farmhouse near Kingston, Ontario where her early training as a writer involved reading thousands of books. It was impossible to walk across her bedroom without stubbing a toe on Anne of Green Gables, Little House on the Prairie, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, and Trixie Belden.

Eager to read more, Karen went on to study English Literature and Education at Queen’s University. She taught elementary and junior-high students in Toronto and Edmonton for eight years before she began writing her own stories. She is the author of one young adult novel, Saving Grad (Lorimer Books), and two middle-grade novels, Vanish and Dog Walker (Orca Book Publishers).

When she is not writing in her Edmonton studio, Karen is often training for her next half marathon. Karen also enjoys speaking to students about the inspiration for her books, the joys and challenges of being an author, and how to craft stories from students’ interests and experiences.