• About Karen

    Karen Schreck headshot
    Karen Halvorsen Schreck’s 2014 novel Sing For Me received a starred review in Publishers Weekly. Her previous novels include While He Was Away, a Finalist for the 2012 Oklahoma Young Adult Book Award, and Dream Journal, a 2006 Young Adult BookSense Pick. Her short stories have received various awards, including a Pushcart Prize and an Illinois State Arts Council Grant. Karen received her doctorate in English and Creative Writing from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She lives with her family in Wheaton, Illinois.

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Art  / Broken Ground  / Fiction  / Sing For Me  / sites to see  / While He Was Away
Newsletter news!
August 2, 2016

Remember that contest I launched some weeks ago? Well, I was thrilled and honored by the responses—a whole bunch of folks were kind enough to sign up for my newsletter and …


Broken Ground  / Fiction  / good talk  / sites to see  / Travel
Thank you, Hypertext Magazine & Christine Maul Rice
July 6, 2016

My family and I are vacationing with dear friends in the upper reaches of lower Michigan this week. It's been a wonderful restful time during which we celebrated the 4th with …


Broken Ground  / Fiction  / good talk  / Lifestyle  / sites to see  / wherefore art
USA TODAY said “BRAVA!” to BROKEN GROUND!
June 8, 2016

Woke up today to some terrific news! USA TODAY reviewed Broken Ground. Now that's a dream come true for me right there. But then, gosh darn, if they didn't like it! …


at table  / Broken Ground  / Fiction  / good talk  / Lifestyle  / sites to see  / wherefore art
Printers Row Lit Fest = Chicago Book Love
June 6, 2016

I am super excited to be a part of a panel of wonderful writers at the Chicago Tribune Printers Row Lit Fest this coming weekend! Renee Rosen, Mary Kay Andrews, Stacy …


Broken Ground  / Fiction  / growing season  / growing, older  / Music
Morning Morgantown
May 22, 2016

I'm in the backyard on a sunny Sunday morning. I can't get that Joni Mitchell song out of my head. You know the one. When morning comes to Morgantown The merchants roll …


Broken Ground  / Fiction  / wherefore art
Talk about a wild coincidence . . .
May 6, 2016

Today a post of mine went live on the wonderful blog, Fresh Fiction. (There's also a giveaway of Broken Ground going on, which you should feel free to enter.) I've written a …


Broken Ground  / Fiction  / Lifestyle  / sites to see
Broken Ground Released! And I have pictures to prove it!
May 6, 2016

May 3 was the official day! Two days ago. 48 hours ago. Time has, as they say, flown, and I've been busy at the library and at the College of DuPage …


Broken Ground  / Fiction  / good talk  / Short Stories  / sites to see
Things I’m celebrating . . .
April 30, 2016

Oh, friends, not one, but two things to celebrate over here in my heart. 1st: Yesterday Broken Ground received a lovely review from Publisher's Weekly. Here is best bit, minus a …


Broken Ground  / Fiction
Goodreads Book Giveaway for BROKEN GROUND!
April 22, 2016

Happy Friday! Thanks to Goodreads—the world's largest site for readers and book recommendations--today begins a book giveaway for Broken Ground. In fact, the event is scheduled to open for entries at midnight on Friday, April …


Broken Ground  / Fiction  / Library
RT Book Review . . . & the Real Deal
April 4, 2016

My husband and son spent this past weekend together at Starved Rock State Park. It turned out to be bitterly cold and windy. With snow here in Wheaton, and similar harsh winds, I had …