Karen Simpson Nikakis, known commonly as K. S. Nikakis, is an Australian fantasy author, writer and poet who lives at Melton,[1] who has written the fantasy novel The Whisper of Leaves (2007).

She has since written a number of published academic essays on myth and fantasy writing.

[2][3] She completed a Master in Education in young adult literature with her thesis being on The Purpose of Dragons in Selected Children’s Literature in the Twentieth Century at Charles Sturt University[4] and went on to complete a PhD in 1997 in fantasy fiction from Victoria University with her thesis on The Use of Narrative in Order to Break the Masculine Domination of the Hero Quest.

[1][7] In 2008, she was appointed the foundation head of the bachelor's degree in Writing and Publishing for Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE.

[9] The same year her book I Heard the Wolf Call My Name was nominated for a Aurealis Awards for Young Adult Novel and her short story Glass-Heart was nominated for the Young Adult Short Story award.