{{short description|Canadian writer}} {{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see :Template:Infobox writer/doc --> | name = Karyn Monk | image = | imagesize = | caption = | pseudonym = Karyn Monk | birth_name = Karyn Monk | birth_date = 1960 | birth_place = Ottawa, Ontario | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Novelist | nationality = Canadian | ethnicity = | citizenship = | education = University of Toronto | alma_mater = | period = 1994 - 2005 | genre = Romance | subject = | movement = | notableworks = | spouse = | partner = Scott | children = 3 | relatives = Lorraine Monk (mother) | influences = | influenced = | awards = | website = {{URL|http://www.KarynMonk.com}} | portaldisp = }} '''Karyn Monk''' is a Canadian author of historical romance novels. Her books have appeared on the ''USA Today'' Bestseller List, and have won numerous awards.
==Biography==
===Personal life=== Monk is the fourth child of John and Lorraine (Spurrell) Monk. Because her parents had expected a boy, they had not chosen a girl's name, and decided to name their new daughter after the delivery room nurse. Neither parent was sure how to spell the name "Karen," though, leading to the unique spelling they chose.<ref name="bio">{{cite web | last= | first = | title = Karyn's Biography | pages = | language = | publisher = Karyn Monk official website | date = | url =http://www.karynmonk.com/bio.htm | accessdate = 2007-04-03}}</ref>
Monk graduated from university with a degree in history. She planned to work in advertising and in her spare time perform in local musicals. While auditioning for a part in an original musical called "Last Tango in Fargo North Dakota," she met her future husband, Philip, who was that show's music director.<ref name="bio"/> The marriage produced three children: Genevieve (b 1998), Carson (b 2001), and Adelaide (b 2005). The family lives in Toronto, Ontario.<ref name="bio"/>
===Writing career=== With her husband's support, Monk soon left her job in fashion advertising to pursue her dream of writing.<ref name="hyat"/> After two years of work on her first manuscript, she obtained an agent, who eventually sold her book, "Surrender to a Stranger," to Bantam. The novel was later nominated for Best First Book by ''Romantic Times''.<ref name="bio"/> A ''USAToday'' bestselling author, Monk has received critical acclaim for her sensual, powerful novels. She has been awarded many honors, including the Aspen Gold, Barclay Gold, the National Readers' Choice Award,<ref name="hyat">{{cite web | last = Hyat | first = Leena | title = Writerspace Interview with Karyn Monk | publisher = Writerspace | date = March 2003 | url = http://www.writerspace.com/interviews/monk0303.html | accessdate = 2007-04-03 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20061112025551/http://www.writerspace.com/interviews/monk0303.html | archivedate = 2006-11-12 }}</ref> and a ''Romantic Times'' Career Achievement Award.<ref name="rt">{{cite web| title =Karyn Monk| publisher =Romantic Times| url =http://www.romantictimes.com/authors_profile.php?author=318| accessdate =2007-04-03| url-status =dead| archiveurl =https://archive.today/20070629171458/http://www.romantictimes.com/authors_profile.php?author=318| archivedate =2007-06-29}}</ref>
Monk took a break from writing, beginning in 2005, to spend time with her three young children.<ref name="bio"/>
==Awards and recognition== *1995 - Romantic Times nominee for Best First Historical Romance, ''Surrender to a Stranger''<ref name="rt"/> *1998 - Romantic times nominee for ''The Witch and the Warrior''<ref name="rt"/> *2003 - Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Historical Adventure<ref name="rt"/> *2004 - Daphne du Maurier Award winner for Mystery/Suspense for ''My Favorite Thief'' *2004 - Second place in the Barclay Gold Award for ''My Favorite Thief'' *2004 - Romance Writers of America RITA Award finalist for ''My Favorite Thief'' *2004 - Golden Quill Award finalist for ''My Favorite Thief'' *2004 - Aspen Gold Award finalist for ''My Favorite Thief'' *2004 - Orange Rose Award finalist for ''My Favorite Thief'' *2004 - Booksellers' Best Award finalist for ''My Favorite Thief'' *2005 - Aspen Gold Award winner for ''Every Whispered Word'' *2005 - Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense winner for ''Every Whispered Word'' *2005 - Romantic Times Nominee, ''Every Whispered Word''<ref name="rt"/>
==Bibliography==
===Single novels=== *''Surrender to a Stranger'', 1994 *''The Rebel and the Redcoat'', 1996
===Warriors Series=== #''Once a Warrior'', 1997 #''The Witch and the Warrior'', 1998 #''The Rose and the Warrior'', 2000
===Kent Family Saga Series=== #''The Prisoner'', 2001 #''The Wedding Escape'', 2003 #''My Favorite Thief'', 2004 #''Every Whispered Word'', 2005
===Anthologies in collaboration=== *"Saving Celeste" in the anthology ''MY GUARDIAN ANGEL'', 1995 (with Sandra Chastain, Kay Hooper, Susan Krinard and Elizabeth Thornton)
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.karynmonk.com/ Karyn Monk Official website]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Monk, Karyn}} Category:Living people Category:Canadian romantic fiction writers Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:Canadian women romantic fiction writers Category:20th-century Canadian novelists Category:21st-century Canadian novelists Category:20th-century Canadian women novelists Category:21st-century Canadian women novelists Category:1960 births