Karol Nielsen is the author of  the memoirs Raising the Price of the House (Finishing Line Press, 2024), Walking A&P (Mascot Books, 2018), and Black Elephants (Bison Books, 2011). Her poetry chapbooks include Small Life (Finishing Line Press, 2022), Vietnam Made Me Who I Am (Finishing Line Press, 2020), and This Woman I Thought I'd Be (Finishing Line Press, 2012). She has contributed nonfiction and poetry to The Moment: Wild, Poignant, Life-changing Stories from 125 Writers and Artists Famous & Obscure (Harper Perennial, 2012) and many publications. Her first memoir was shortlisted for the 2012 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing in nonfiction and was selected as a 2011 Poets & Writers New and Noteworthy Book. Excerpts were honored as Notable Essays in The Best American Essays 2010 and 2005. Her full-length poetry collection was longlisted for the 2021 Terry J. Cox Poetry Award and was selected as a finalist for the 2007 Colorado Prize for Poetry. Her poem "This New Manhattan" was a finalist for the 2021 Ruth Stone Poetry Prize.