Born and raised in County Durham in the Northeast of England, Karen emigrated to New Zealand at 16 and went to school and university there, before taking a job teaching History and English in a remote school in Central Otago. Karen returned to England to study for a Master’s degree at Newcastle University. She taught in comprehensive schools in the Northeast until she took early retirement to travel with her husband and to lecture on cruise ships. She has one daughter, Katy, and a grandson, Jack.