Kristen is a licensed attorney who writes short stories and flash fiction, and is currently working on a story collection about women who want more. Her work has been recognized in the 2020 Wigleaf Top 50, 2020 Best Small Fictions, and 2019 Best Microfiction anthologies, among others. She graduated from Lesley University’s low-residency MFA program for creative writing (fiction) in January 2024. Additionally, from 2018-2020, she served as Creative Nonfiction Editor for Atlas + Alice. She is actively seeking agents for her collection.

She graduated from Clark University with a B.A. in Biology, and earned her J.D. from New England Law (evening division) where she served as a Technical Editor for the New England Law Review and graduated cum laude. Kristen clerked for The Honorable Alexander H. Sands, III, in the Massachusetts Land Court before entering private practice in Boston for several years where her focus was land use and zoning litigation. After practicing law for several years, she switched gears to focus solely on other endeavors like writing, but recently returned to the legal field in a new practice area: family law. 

Kristen lives in Quincy, Massachusetts. In addition to writing, her volunteer work has included assisting with selecting and packaging books requested by incarcerated individuals via The Prison Book Program, occasional pro bono legal research for Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, and she served on the Board of Directors for Boston Area Gleaners (2012-2015). She is a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, is new to playing (and loving) tennis, and can’t believe she has a daughter now old enough to drive.  

You can reach her via email: kristen (at) kristenploetz (dot) com.