Karen studied illustration at Falmouth College of Arts, graduating in 2004. In her previous career she worked as a dancer abroad, and this has influenced her work, which has theatrical and international themes. At one point she worked in a circus, and this has led her to create The Travelling Circus, a three-dimensional toy circus for children. Soon to be published by Tango books, The Travelling Circus also contains a smaller book called My True Story, which is an account of her experiences in the circus. Karen has been studying for a Master’s Degree in Children’s Book Illustration at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, and is busy developing new ideas for novelty and picture books, and writing her own stories.