Kristin Cashore (born 1976) is an American

young adult In medicine and the social sciences, a young adult is generally a person in the years following adolescence, sometimes with some overlap. Definitions and opinions on what qualifies as a young adult vary, with works such as Erik Erikson's stages ...

and

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...

writer, best known for the Graceling Realm series.

Early life

Cashore grew up in the

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

countryside, the second of four daughters. She has a bachelor's degree from

Williams College Williams College is a Private college, private liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established as a men's college in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim ...

. She received her master's degree in Children's Literature from the Center for the Study of Children's Literature at

Simmons College Institutions of learning called Simmons College or Simmons University include: * Simmons University Simmons University (previously Simmons College) is a private university in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1899 by ...

in 2003. She has worked as a dog runner, a packer in a candy factory, an editorial assistant, a legal assistant, and a freelance writer. She writes her novels by hand.

Literary career

Her

debut novel A debut novel is the first novel a novelist publishes. Debut novels are often the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to pu ...

, '' Graceling'', was published in October 2008. The book was nominated for the

Andre Norton Andre Alice Norton (born Alice Mary Norton, February 17, 1912 – March 17, 2005) was an American writer of science fiction and fantasy, who also wrote works of historical and contemporary fiction. She wrote primarily under the pen na ...

and William C. Morris awards and earned a place on the

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...

Best Books of the Year for 2008. Her second book, ''

Fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a fuel in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. Flames, the most visible portion of the fire, are produced in the combustion re ...

'', was released in October 2009, and is described as being a 'prequel-ish companion book' to ''Graceling''. ''Fire'' received the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Book Award. ''

Bitterblue ''Bitterblue'' is the eighth studio album by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler. It was released on 11 November 1991, through Hansa Records. ''Bitterblue'' is a pop rock album, described by Dieter Bohlen as "more commercial" than her previous albums. Bohl ...

'', the third book of the Graceling Realm series, was released in May 2012. As of 2017, the Graceling Realm series had sold more than 1.5 million copies and been translated into 33 languages. Cashore's fourth book, ''Jane, Unlimited'', was released in September 2017. ''Jane, Unlimited'' is her first published novel that takes a step away from the Graceling Realm, and is told in multiple genres. Cashore returned to the Graceling Realm series with ''Winterkeep'', which was released in January 2021. ''Seasparrow'', released in November 2022, was the fifth book in the series. Cashore has also written professionally for textbooks, and teacher editions, as well as for The Horn Book Guide. Her latest book, ''There Is a Door in this Darkness'', was released on June 11, 2024.

Publications

Graceling Realm series

* '' Graceling'' (October 1, 2008) * ''

'' (October 5, 2009) * ''

'' (May 1, 2012) * ''Winterkeep'' (January 19, 2021) * ''Seasparrow'' (November 1, 2022)

Standalone novels

* ''Jane, Unlimited'' (September 19, 2017) * ''There Is a Door in This Darkness'' (June 11, 2024)

Graphic novels

* ''Graceling: Graphic Novel'' (November 16, 2021)

References

External links

Official website
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cashore, Kristin Living people 1976 births 21st-century American novelists American fantasy writers American women novelists Novelists from Pennsylvania Williams College alumni American women science fiction and fantasy writers 21st-century American women writers