Karen Albright Lin


Karen Albright Lin is an editor for published and yet-to-be published writers of fiction, nonfiction, and book proposals. She is an award-winning writer and author of numerous screenplays, novels, and short stories. She is a travel writer and food scholar, showcased in her literary cookbook: Cooking In Leaves.

Karen writes in many genres including mainstream, creative nonfiction, romantic and dark comedy, paranormal suspense, SF, and supernatural thrillers.

Sought out to ghost write a young-adult novel that was published several years ago, Karen also recently saw one of her co-written screenplays produced. Her writing and interviews have been featured in national, international, and web publications. Karen also presents writing workshops.



American Moon - A Chinese Immigrant Story
Semi-finals Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award 2008
1st place 2005 Paul Gillette Memorial Writing Contest
Finalist 2005 Colorado Gold Contest

"This hard-luck story about a determined family battling, poverty, communism, corruption and their own fateful decisions, makes for an emotional, and uplifting read." - Publishers Weekly

Inspired by the unjust incarceration in Taiwan of my father-in-law and the family’s subsequent struggles. American Moon honors a man whose integrity outweighs his shortcomings and celebrates the unflappable spirit of his surviving wife and children.



Mu Shu Mac-N-Cheese

Mainstream - Upmarket Women's Fiction
2nd place 2008 Paul Gillette Memorial Writing Contest
Quarter Finals Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award 2010

With her household the focus of a TV reality show, food writer Elaine’s professional dreams are about to come true. But her dominating Chinese mother-in-law's unexpected arrival blends the filming with more than a dash of culture clash. All too soon, Ma wants to chaperone Elaine’s son to prom and otherwise brings the household's pot to a full boil.

Mu Shu Mac & Cheese explores how far a corn-grown foodie will go to save her family's happy life from being sliced and diced. It’s Julia Child meets My Big Fat CHINESE Wedding.



Other Publications Include:

Longmont Ledger (October 22, 2010): "Longmont Author Multitasks Her Way to Success"

Be Magazine (Fall 2010): "Janet Fogg: The Butterfly Emerges"

Alternative Medicine Magazine (Oct 2005) -Magazine now called Natural Solutions- "Start Your Day Warm and Healthy."

Food article and recipes for web magazine: hearthealthyforlife(dot)com

Plus Poems, Short Stories and Articles for:  Better Homes and Gardens, Paris/Atlantic, MovieBytes Magazine (interview), Envy's Sting, New Wind, Agapae, Number One, Northwest Poetry Review, and Wish Women


Non-Ficton Manuscripts Include:

Dancing With John Wayne
Book-length Nonfiction
Honorable Mention 2005 Writer's Digest Writing Competition - excerpt entered in personal essay category. Humorous Essays from the perspective of a White-bread Midwest woman marrying into a Chinese family.

Cooking in Leaves
Literary Cookbook
Food cooked in leaves around the world as well as folktales and legends from the regions where the leaves are grown and used in recipes.


Karen's Screenplays:

Contest honors for feature length and short screenplays (solo and collaborative, finals to first place) include: Moondance Film Festival, BlueCat, All She Wrote, Lighthouse Writers, Boulder Asian Film Festival, SouthWest Writers Contest, and Pikes Peak Writers Contest. Through a former agent, her work was considered by directors James Cameron and Barry Sonnenfeld, HBO and the Sci Fi Channel. Her work was sought out by independent producer Ellisa Kannon. She co-wrote scripts with independent director Erich Toll, one of which was recently produced.

KNOCK ON WOOD (romantic comedy)
1st place winner 2005 Paul Gillette Memorial Contest
Doug calls off his marriage proposal to Lynn when he discovers she’s superstitious. Having been adopted and raised by overly superstitious Chinese parents, he’s had enough of that hocus pocus…but will that magic ironically be what brings them back together? (with Christian M. Lyons)

EATING A HEARSE (comedic drama)
2nd place 2002 Paul Gillette Memorial Contest
Semi-finals BlueCat Screenplay Competition 2008
When a lounge lizard, a techno-geek, and a car enthusiast buy into a life insurance scheme, each tries to cheat death in his own way, threatening the friendship.

HOT FLASH (or THE LAST TABOO) (broad comedy)
When menopause descends upon Sophie Brennan, bursting into flames and leaving puddles in her wake are only the beginning.

HEADHUNTERS (SF farce)
1st place winner 2000 Paul Gillette Memorial Contest
Year 2046. Ozone gone, the world is parched. The future depends on who wields the power of Dr. Harrolson’s discovery. Mallory’s Grandpa's cryogenically preserved head must be found and fought for to help create an artificial ozone and save the world. (with Janet Fogg)

NO ONE ASKED THE RIVER (supernatural thriller)
2nd place 2001 Paul Gillette Memorial Contest
Top 100, 2001 ALL SHE WROTE Contest
Semi-finals, 2000-2001 Moondance Festival screenplay contest
Finalist, 2000 Southwest Writers Contest
An American archeologist unearths an artifact from 300BC, releasing an ancient water god and the vengeance of the Yangtze River. (with Janet Fogg)

DARK SIDE OF MORNING LIGHT (paranormal suspense)
3rd place 1999 Paul Gillette Memorial Writing Contest
A mother wades through Chinese mythical culture to free her son from a hunger striker who possesses him.

THE SPACE BETWEEN BREATHS (paranormal suspense)
A family dealing with a sordid past, moves into a brownstone apartment marked by a disreputable history and inhabited by a centuries-old evil spirit. (with Christian M. Lyons)