"one of the most important writers of the beginning of this century"
(Gérard Collard, books commentator on France TV)
About
Karen Viggers is an author, veterinarian and podcaster. She is the author of five novels: The Stranding (2008), The Lightkeeper’s Wife (2011), The Grass Castle (2014), The Orchardist’s Daughter (2019) and Sidelines (2024).
Her work is set in Australian landscapes and communities, and explores contentious issues, such as dying with dignity, displacement of First Peoples, wildlife conservation, clear-felling of native forests, and now, modern parenting and junior sport.
She is co-host of the Secrets From the Green Room podcast in which she interviews writers and other book industry colleagues about books and writing.
Her novels have been translated into several languages and have enjoyed great success in France where she is a bestselling author and has won a literary award.
Karen is the mother of two adult children. She lives on Ngunnawal and Ngambri land in Canberra with her ecologist husband.
She was a Bundanon Trust Artist-In-Residence in 2018 and 2019, and a Resident at Varuna, The National Writer’s House in 2021 and 2023.
Karenis currently a Visiting Fellow at the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences.