About Karen deBlieck

My Story

SHORT VERSION:
Karen deBlieck’s writing reflects the tension of identity and the sense of belonging she struggled with as a black American born in Japan and adopted by white Canadian missionaries. From a very young age she found solace in putting her thoughts and feelings down on the page.  Writing in poem, short story and novel form her pieces are uplifting while also being emotionally and conflict charged.

LONGER VERSION:
Karen deBlieck has seen a lot of darkness in her time on earth. Writing has always been a way to decipher the world around her. Karen’s books have themes of found family, Black Canadian history, and finding roots.

Karen’s poems, short stories and non-fiction pieces have been published in various anthologies. Most recently in August 2023, her piece “O, My Loves” came out in the anthology Merciless Mermaids: Tails from the Deep. In September 2023 her short non-fiction piece “Fractured Rainbows” won an award. While working on her project in the Humber School of Writers Creative Writing Graduate Certificate Program in 2023 under the mentorship of Olive Senior (poet laureate of Jamaica) she earned a Letter of Distinction for superior writing merit for my novel in verse Harmony of Differences. Currently, She’s enrolled in the University of King’s College MFA program in Fiction (’26 grad).

Living in the great Canadian north with her husband and four young adults she does not, in fact, like the cold or snow. She’s a firm believer that people’s hearts open to change when they hear the words “Once Upon a Time”.

Karen loves chatting to writers and readers so be sure to find her on Instagram, Substack, or Facebook. Or you can always send her a message.

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