Elaine Cunningham

Last updated

Elaine Cunningham
Born (1957-08-12) August 12, 1957 (age 67)
New York City, U.S.
OccupationNovelist
Period1991–present
GenreFantasy, Science fiction
Notable works Forgotten Realms, Starlight & Shadows, and The New Jedi Order novels
Website
elainecunningham.com

Elaine Cunningham (born August 12, 1957 in New York City) [1] is an American fantasy and science fiction author, especially known for her contributions to the Dungeons & Dragons role playing game campaign setting of Forgotten Realms. [2] [3]

Contents

Biography

Cunningham was born in New York City, and grew up in New York state and New England. [2] A voracious reader since childhood, she earned a degree in music education with a minor in history. [2]

She started writing in 1987, after her older son was born. [2] A lifelong fascination with folklore and mythology led her to the fantasy genre, [4] [5] and her background in music and history [2] [5] [4] gave her an affinity for bards such as Danilo Thann, [4] created for her first novel, Elfshadow (1991). [2] Many of her stories focus on elves, [3] [2] which she attributes to her excessive fondness for cats. [2] [4]

Elves suddenly clicked for me when I realized they're essentially bipedal cats with localized fur. They possess a decidedly feline grace, beauty, and dexterity, not to mention 110% of a cat's attitude.

Elaine Cunningham

Cunningham is also the New York Times bestselling author of Dark Journey , [1] book 10 from the Star Wars New Jedi Order saga. [5] Shadows in the Starlight (2006), the second book the Changeling Detective series, was named to the 2006 Kirkus Reviews list “Ten Best SciFi Novels." [6]

Personal life

Now a full-time arts administrator, Cunningham continues to write, albeit mostly in the early morning hours. She lives in coastal Rhode Island. [4]

Bibliography

Dungeons & Dragons

Other

Quotes

References

  1. 1 2 "Cunningham, Elaine 1957-". Contemporary Authors . January 1, 2007. Archived from the original on March 16, 2016. Retrieved October 18, 2012 via HighBeam Research.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Varney, Allen (April 1998). "ProFiles: Elaine Cunningham". Dragon (#246). Renton, Washington: Wizards of the Coast: 120.
  3. 1 2 Buker, Derek M. (2002). The science fiction and fantasy readers' advisory: the librarian's guide to cyborgs, aliens, and sorcerers . ALA readers' advisory series. ALA Editions. pp.  127–128. ISBN   0-8389-0831-4.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Elaine Cunningham's website
  5. 1 2 3 "Elaine Cunningham". Archived from the original on May 11, 2009.
  6. SF Signal magazine "Kirkus Best Books of 2006"
  7. 1 2 3 Bassingthwaite, Don. "A Conversation With Elaine Cunningham". SF Site. Retrieved January 23, 2010.