Karen Jennings is a South African author whose novel An Island was longlisted for the Booker Prize in 2021, leading to the novel being translated into 17 different languages and being published around the world. Her most recent novel, Crooked Seeds, came out in 2024 to high acclaim, and is currently longlisted for the Women’s Prize and the Republic of Consciousness Prize. She is temporarily chair of Creative Writing at North-West University, Potchefstroom. Karen is also co-founder of The Island Prize for Debut African Novels and co-author of the free-to-download Words on the Page: Workbook for African Writers [ Clamshell Press Workbook | Holland House Books ] dedicated to encouraging writers from the continent, and assisting them in honing their skills and gaining recognition both at home and abroad.