Who is Elisabeth Ovesen?

Elisabeth Ovesen is a three-time New York Times bestselling author, published by major publishers including HarperCollins and Hachette Book Group. Writing under the pen name Karrine Steffans, her groundbreaking memoirs sparked global conversations about gender, power, and the entertainment industry—years before the rise of the Me Too movement. Her work has been featured on major media outlets and programs hosted by Oprah Winfrey, Hoda Kotb, Paula Zahn, and others. Beyond publishing, Elisabeth has served as an adjunct professor and keynote speaker at institutions like California State University and Dillard University. With over twenty years in corporate marketing, she is also an accomplished senior copywriter who has led content and brand strategy in the tech, lifestyle, and education sectors.

Why did Elisabeth decide to write under her real name after publishing as Karrine Steffans?

For many years, Elisabeth used a pen name as both armor and amplifier—it protected her while allowing her work to reach millions. But as the world evolved and conversations around women’s voices deepened, it became time to reclaim her identity. Writing as Elisabeth Ovesen is about truth, ownership, and legacy. It’s about separating the woman from the myth and the gossip from the body of work. The woman who once broke the silence now uses its lessons to build something enduring.

What kind of books does she write now?

Elisabeth now writes articles and op-ed essays that examine the intersections of womanhood, truth, and transformation. While the Karrine Steffans pen name was retired in 2015, it will reemerge solely in the realm of fiction, where she continues to explore the emotional complexity of power, love, and survival through imagined lives.

How has Elisabeth’s work influenced modern conversations about women, power, and autonomy?

When her first book (Confessions of a Video Vixen, 2005 was released, it challenged how society viewed women’s experiences in industries built on exploitation. It sparked outrage and fascination, but it also cracked open a cultural dialogue about truth, power, and survival. Years later, movements like #MeToo validated much of what Elisabeth wrote (as Karrine Steffans). Her work didn’t just reflect a moment; it helped define one. One can see that influence today in the growing number of women who refuse to apologize for their truths.

What’s Elisabeth working on now?

Elisabeth has recently completed her first novel, marking a new chapter in a career long defined by truth-telling and reinvention. She continues to write with the same introspection and cultural awareness that have shaped her body of work. She lives a quiet life between New York City and Los Angeles, where she is a devoted patron of the arts and an advocate for stories that challenge, enlighten, and endure.