Karin Schimke was a political writer for The Star and The Cape Times before turning to freelancing in 2000. She has written columns and feature articles for a variety of mainstream newspapers and magazines, and also publishes short stories and poetry. She reviews books for the Cape Times and has a regular column on Parent24.com.

Karin has written two non-fiction books: Fabulously 40 and beyond (with Margie Orford), and Mother Country due for publication in 2010. Her children’s picture book Layla had a lovely dad is due for publication late in 2009. She also edited Open, a collection of literary erotic short stories by South African women writers.

Karin mentors and tutors young writers at a publishing house, and is currently working on a novel and a collection of her poems for possible publication. She hosts a regular weekly poetry happening called Off The Wall in Observatory, Cape Town.