Ursula Vernon

Ursula Vernon
Vernon in 2025
Born	Ursula Vernon (1977-05-28) May 28, 1977 (age 48) Japan [1]
Nationality	American
Area(s)	Writer, artist, webcomics creator
Pseudonym	T. Kingfisher
Notable works	Digger , Dragonbreath series, Nettle & Bone
Awards	Ursa Major Award, Hugo Award, Nebula Award, Mythopoeic Award, WSFA Small Press Award, Locus Award

Ursula Vernon at Worldcon 75, Helsinki, 2017

Ursula Vernon (born May 28, 1977) is an American writer, artist, and illustrator. She has won numerous awards for her work in various mediums, including Hugo Awards for her graphic novel Digger , fantasy novel Nettle & Bone , and fantasy novella Thornhedge ; the Nebula Award for her short story "Jackalope Wives"; and Mythopoeic Awards for adult and children's literature. Vernon's books for children include Hamster Princess and Dragonbreath. Under the name T. Kingfisher, she is also the author of books for older audiences. She writes short fiction under both names.

Life and career

Ursula Vernon was born in Japan to a military family and grew up in Oregon and Arizona. ^{[2] [3]} She studied anthropology at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where she first took art classes. ^[2]

She first became known for her webcomics and as a freelance artist, particularly for her works containing anthropomorphic animals. She then moved into writing and illustrating children's books, her first being published in 2008, and then books for adults under the pseudonym T. Kingfisher. ^[3] She started using the pseudonym in order to avoid confusion for parents who were only familiar with her as a children's book author. ^[4] She chose it both because she loves kingfishers and as an homage to Ursula K. Le Guin, who once joked that the initials "U.K." could stand for "Ulysses Kingfisher". ^[5] Vernon has published short fiction under both names, and has won a number of awards for them including the Hugo Award and Nebula Award. ^[3]

She regularly attends conventions to exhibit and sell her work. She was a guest of honor at Midwest FurFest 2004 and 2009, ^{[6] [7]} and the Artist Guest of Honor at Further Confusion 2010.^{[ citation needed ]} In August 2014, Vernon was the Author Guest of Honor for Mythcon 45 ^[8] and a Guest of Honor at Eurofurence 20. ^[9] She was the Author Guest of Honor at Arisia 2017. ^[10]

The game Black Sheep designed by Reiner Knizia and published by Fantasy Flight Games uses art by Vernon on its playing cards. ^[11] Her artwork titled The Biting Pear of Salamanca became an internet meme in the form of the "LOL WUT pear". ^[12]

In June 2023, Vernon announced she had been diagnosed with breast cancer; ^[13] by December of that year, she announced that her treatment had been successful and she was cancer-free. ^[14]

Works

Books for younger audiences

Dragonbreath series

• Dragonbreath. Dial Books. June 11, 2009. ISBN   978-0-8037-3363-3.
• Dragonbreath: Attack of the Ninja Frogs. Dial Books. January 1, 2010. ISBN   978-0-8037-3365-7.
• Dragonbreath: Curse of the Were-Weiner. Dial Books. September 16, 2010. ISBN   978-0-8037-3469-2.
• Dragonbreath: Lair of the Bat Monster. Dial Books. March 17, 2011. ISBN   978-0-8037-3525-5.
• Dragonbreath: No Such Thing as Ghosts. Dial Books. July 11, 2011. ISBN   978-0-8037-3527-9.
• Dragonbreath: Revenge of the Horned Bunnies. Dial Books. January 10, 2012. ISBN   978-0-8037-3677-1.
• Dragonbreath: When Fairies Go Bad. Dial Books. September 13, 2012. ISBN   978-0-8037-3678-8.
• Dragonbreath: Nightmare of the Iguana. Dial Books. January 29, 2013. ISBN   978-0-8037-3846-1.
• Dragonbreath: The Case of the Toxic Mutants. Dial Books. August 29, 2013. ISBN   978-0-8037-3847-8.
• Dragonbreath: Knight-napped!. Dial Books. January 6, 2015. ISBN   978-0-8037-3849-2.
• Dragonbreath: The Frozen Menace. Dial Books. January 12, 2016. ISBN   978-0-8037-3986-4.

Hamster Princess series

• Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invincible. Dial Books. August 18, 2015. ISBN   978-0-8037-3983-3.
• Hamster Princess: Of Mice and Magic. Dial Books. March 15, 2016. ISBN   978-0-8037-3984-0.
• Hamster Princess: Ratpunzel. Dial Books. October 18, 2016. ISBN   978-0-8037-3985-7.
• Hamster Princess: Giant Trouble. Dial Books. May 9, 2017. ISBN   978-0-399-18652-3.
• Hamster Princess: Whiskerella. Dial Books. January 23, 2018. ISBN   978-0-399-18655-4.
• Hamster Princess: Little Red Rodent Hood. Dial Books. September 25, 2018. ISBN   978-0-399-18658-5.

Other children's books

• Nurk: The Strange Surprising Adventures Of A (Somewhat) Brave Shrew. Clarion Books. June 1, 2008. ISBN   978-0-15-206375-7.
• Castle Hangnail. Dial Books. April 21, 2015. ISBN   978-0-8037-4129-4.)

Adult books

World of the White Rat ^[15]

• Clockwork Boys. Clocktaur War #1. Red Wombat Tea Company. November 21, 2017. ISBN   978-1-61450-406-1.
• The Wonder Engine. Clocktaur War #2. Red Wombat Tea Company. February 27, 2018. ISBN   978-1-61450-417-7.
• Swordheart . Swordheart #1. Argyll Productions. November 27, 2018. ISBN   978-1-61450-463-4.
• Daggerbound. Swordheart #2. Tor Bramble. August 25, 2026. ISBN   978-1-250-40008-6.
• Paladin's Grace. The Saint of Steel #1. Red Wombat Studio. February 11, 2020. ISBN   978-1-61450-521-1.
• Paladin's Strength. The Saint of Steel #2. Red Wombat Studio. February 28, 2021. ISBN   978-1-61450-530-3.
• Paladin's Hope. The Saint of Steel #3. Red Wombat Studio. October 9, 2021. ISBN   978-1-61450-551-8.
• Paladin's Faith. The Saint of Steel #4. Red Wombat Studio. December 5, 2023. ISBN   978-1-61450-609-6.

The Sworn Soldier series

• What Moves The Dead . Tor Nightfire. July 12, 2022. ISBN   978-1-250-83075-3.
• What Feasts at Night . Tor Nightfire. February 13, 2024. ISBN   978-1-250-83085-2.
• What Stalks the Deep . Tor Nightfire. September 30, 2025. ISBN   978-1-250-35492-1.

Collections

• Jackalope Wives and Other Stories. Argyll Productions. September 12, 2017. ISBN   978-1-61450-403-0.

Other books for older audiences

As Ursula Vernon:

• It Made Sense at the Time: Selected Sketches. Sofawolf Press. November 18, 2004. ISBN   978-0-9712670-6-0.
• Black Dogs Part 1: The House of Diamond. Sofawolf Press. March 1, 2007. ISBN   978-0-9769212-4-0.
• Black Dogs Part 2: The Mountain of Iron. Sofawolf Press. January 1, 2011. ISBN   978-1-936689-03-3.

As T. Kingfisher:

• Nine Goblins. Red Wombat Tea Company. October 27, 2013. ISBN   978-1-310-50576-8.
• The Seventh Bride. Red Wombat Tea Company. November 11, 2014. ISBN   978-1-5039-4975-1.
• Bryony & Roses. Red Wombat Tea Company. May 18, 2015. ISBN   978-1-61450-399-6.
• The Raven & The Reindeer. Red Wombat Tea Company. February 7, 2016. ISBN   978-1-61450-389-7.
• Summer in Orcus. Red Wombat Tea Company. September 2016. ISBN   978-1-936689-60-6.
• The Halcyon Fairy Book. NESFA Press. January 19, 2017. ISBN   978-1-61037-326-5.
• Minor Mage. Argyll Productions. July 29, 2019. ISBN   978-1-61450-500-6.
• The Twisted Ones . Simon & Schuster. October 1, 2019. ISBN   978-1-5344-2957-4.
• A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking . Argyll Productions. July 21, 2020. ISBN   978-1-61450-524-2.
• The Hollow Places. Simon & Schuster. October 6, 2020. ISBN   978-1-5344-5112-4.
• Nettle & Bone . Tor Books. April 26, 2022. ISBN   978-1-250-24404-8.
• Illuminations. Argyll Productions. November 25, 2022. ISBN   978-1-61450-577-8.
• A House with Good Bones . Tor Nightfire. March 28, 2023. ISBN   978-1-250-82979-5.
• Thornhedge . Tor Books. August 15, 2023. ISBN   978-1-250-24409-3.
• A Sorceress Comes to Call . Tor Books. August 6, 2024. ISBN   978-1-250-24407-9.
• Hemlock & Silver. Tor Books. August 19, 2025. ISBN   978-1-250-34203-4.
• Snake-Eater. 47North. December 1, 2025. ISBN   978-1-6625-2509-4.

Webcomics

• Digger ^{[16] [2] [17]}
  • Vol. 1 ( ISBN   978-0-9769212-2-6)
  • Vol. 2 ( ISBN   978-0-9769212-6-4)
  • Vol. 3 ( ISBN   978-0-9791496-3-4)
  • Vol. 4 ( ISBN   978-0-9819883-3-7)
  • Vol. 5 ( ISBN   978-0-9819883-9-9)
  • Vol. 6 ( ISBN   978-1-936689-06-4)
  • Digger: The Complete Omnibus Edition ( ISBN   978-1-936689-32-3)

• Irrational Fears
• "Little Creature"
  • "Little Creature and the Redcap"

Awards and nominations

Year	Work	Award	Category	Result	Ref.
2005	Digger	Web Cartoonists' Choice Award	Outstanding Anthropomorphic Comic	Finalist	[18]
			Outstanding Black and White Art	Won	[18]
2006		Eisner Award	Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition	Finalist	[19]
2007		Web Cartoonists' Choice Award	Outstanding Anthropomorphic Comic	Finalist	[20]
2012		Hugo Award	Graphic Story	Won	[21]
2013		Mythopoeic Award	Adult Literature	Won	[22]
2014	"Jackalope Wives"	Nebula Award	Short Story	Won	[23]
2015		World Fantasy Award	Short Fiction	Finalist	[24]
		WSFA Small Press Award	—	Won	[25]
2016	Castle Hangnail	Mythopoeic Award	Children's Literature	Won	[26]
	"Pocosin"	Eugie Award	—	Finalist	[27]
2017	"The Tomato Thief"	Hugo Award	Novelette	Won	[28]
		WSFA Small Press Award	—	Won	[29]
2018	Summer in Orcus	Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book	—	Finalist	[30]
	"Sun, Moon, Dust"	Hugo Award	Short Story	Finalist	[30]
2019	"The Rose MacGregor Drinking and Admiration Society"	Hugo Award	Short Story	Finalist	[31]
2020	"Fisher-Bird"	Locus Award	Short Story	Finalist	[32]
	Minor Mage	Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book	—	Finalist	[33]
	The Twisted Ones	British Fantasy Award	Horror Novel	Shortlisted	[34]
		Dragon Award	Horror Novel	Won	[35]
		Locus Award	Horror Novel	Finalist	[32]
		RUSA Reading List	Horror	Won	[36]
	A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking	Andre Norton Award	—	Won	[37]
2021	The Hollow Places	British Fantasy Award	Horror Novel	Shortlisted	[38]
		Dragon Award	Horror Novel	Won	[39]
		Locus Award	Horror Novel	Finalist	[40]
		RUSA Reading List	Horror	Shortlisted	[36]
	"Metal Like Blood in the Dark"	Hugo Award	Short Story	Won	[41]
		WSFA Small Press Award	—	Won	[42]
	A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking	Dragon Award	Young Adult / Middle Grade Novel	Won	[39]
		Locus Award	Young Adult Book	Won	[40]
		Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book	—	Won	[41]
		Mythopoeic Award	Children's Literature	Won	[43]
2022	Illuminations	BSFA Award	Book for Younger Readers	Shortlisted	[44]
	Nettle & Bone	Dragon Award	Fantasy Novel	Finalist	[45]
		Nebula Award	Novel	Finalist	[46]
	Paladin's Strength	Locus Award	Fantasy Novel	Finalist	[47]
	What Moves the Dead	Goodreads Choice Awards	Horror	Finalist	[48]
	The World of the White Rat	Hugo Award	Series	Finalist	[49]
2023	A House with Good Bones	Dragon Award	Horror Novel	Won	[50]
	Nettle & Bone	Hugo Award	Novel	Won	[51]
		Locus Award	Fantasy Novel	Finalist	[52]
		RUSA Reading List	Fantasy	Won	[36]
	Thornhedge	Nebula Award	Novella	Finalist	[53]
	What Moves the Dead	Hugo Award	Novella	Finalist	[51]
		Locus Award	Horror Novel	Won	[52]
		RUSA Reading List	Horror	Shortlisted	[36]
2024	A House with Good Bones	British Fantasy Award	Horror Novel	Shortlisted	[54]
		Locus Award	Horror Novel	Won	[55]
	Paladin's Faith	Locus Award	Fantasy Novel	Finalist	[55]
	A Sorceress Comes to Call	Nebula Award	Novel	Finalist	[56]
	Thornhedge	British Fantasy Award	Best Novella	Shortlisted	[54]
		Hugo Award	Novella	Won	[57]
		Locus Award	Novella	Won	[55]
		RUSA Reading List	Fantasy	Shortlisted	[36]
		World Fantasy Award	Novella	Finalist	[58]
	What Feasts at Night	Goodreads Choice Awards	Horror	Finalist	[59]
2025	A Sorceress Comes to Call	Hugo Award	Novel	Finalist	[60]
		Locus Award	Fantasy Novel	Won	[61]
		RUSA Reading List	Fantasy	Shortlisted	[36]
	What Feasts at Night	British Fantasy Award	Best Novella	Shortlisted	[62]
		Hugo Award	Novella	Finalist	[60]
		Locus Award	Novella	Won	[61]

References

1. "Ursula Vernon: Shiny New Idea". Locus Online. April 12, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
2. Keith, Patrick (September 2004). "Featured Artist Interview". Epilogue.net. Archived from the original on August 10, 2004.
3. "Ursula Vernon: Shiny New Idea". Locus Online. April 12, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
4. Johnson, Andrea (January 6, 2015). "Interview with Ursula Vernon". Apex Magazine . Retrieved February 28, 2021.
5. Deo, Annie (October 1, 2020). "Q&A: T. Kingfisher, Author of 'The Hollow Places'". The Nerd Daily.
6. Hauschild, Dan R. (April 22, 2004). "Midwest FurFest Announces Third Guest of Honor". Flayrah. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
7. "Midwest FurFest 2009 Information". FanCons.com. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
8. "Mythcon 45". The Mythopoeic Society. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
9. "Guests of Honor". archive.eurofurence.org. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
10. "GoH Bios". Arisia 2017. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
11. "Sheep Thrills". Fantasy Flight Games. October 5, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
12. "LOLWUT". Know Your Meme. December 30, 2008. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
13. Glyer, Mike (June 18, 2023). "Pixel Scroll 6/17/23 Whoever Lives in Glass Pixels Should Not Throw Scrolls". File 770.
14. Glyer, Mike (December 29, 2023). "Pixel Scroll 12/30/23 Always Cool To See A Reference To Big Pixel And The Scrolling Company". File 770.
15. Harris, Marlene (February 24, 2025). "Series: World of the White Rat". Escape Reality, Read Fiction!. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
16. Cruz, Larry (July 16, 2010). "The Webcomic Overlook #127: Digger". Archived from the original on February 18, 2011.
17. Boxer, Sarah (August 17, 2005). "Comics Escape a Paper Box, and Electronic Questions Pop Out". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved March 13, 2026.
18. "2005 Results". Web Cartoonists' Choice Awards. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016.
19. "Master Nominee List 2006 Eisner Awards". San Diego Comic-Con International . Archived from the original on June 14, 2006.
20. "2007 Results". Web Cartoonists' Choice Awards. Archived from the original on February 4, 2010.
21. "2012 Hugo and Campbell Awards Winners". Locus. September 2, 2012. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
22. "2013 Mythopoeic Award Winners". Locus. July 15, 2013. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
23. "2013 Nebula Awards Winners". Locus. June 6, 2015. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
24. "World Fantasy Awards Winners 2015". Locus. November 8, 2015. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
25. "2015 WSFA Small Press Award Winner". Locus. October 12, 2015. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
26. "2016 Mythopoeic Awards Winners". Locus. August 10, 2016. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
27. "Valente Wins Eugie Award". Locus. September 6, 2016. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
28. "Announcing the 2017 Hugo Award Winners!". Reactor. August 11, 2017. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
29. Glyer, Mike (October 10, 2017). "The%20Tomato%20Thief%2C"%20by,at%20Capclave%20on%20October%207. "2017 WSFA Small Press Award". File 770 . Retrieved July 13, 2025.
30. "2018 Hugo and Campbell Awards Winners". Locus. August 19, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
31. "2019 Hugo and Campbell Awards Winners". Locus. August 18, 2019. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
32. "2020 Locus Awards Winners". Locus. June 27, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
33. "2020 Hugo, Lodestar, and Astounding Awards Winners". Locus. August 31, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
34. "2020 British Fantasy Awards Winners". Locus. February 22, 2021. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
35. Andrew Liptak (September 6, 2020). "Announcing the 2020 Dragon Awards Winners!". Reactor . Retrieved July 13, 2025.
36. "The Reading List". RUSA Update. March 19, 2019. Retrieved August 6, 2025.
37. "2020 Nebula Awards Winners". Locus. June 5, 2021. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
38. Liptak, Andrew (September 27, 2021). "Here Are the Winners of the 2021 British Fantasy Awards!". Reactor . Retrieved July 13, 2025.
39. "2021 Dragon Awards Winners". Locus. September 7, 2021. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
40. "2021 Locus Awards Winners". Locus. June 26, 2021. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
41. "2021 Hugo, Astounding, and Lodestar Awards Winners". Locus. December 18, 2021. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
42. "Kingfisher Wins 2021 WSFA Small Press Award". Locus. October 4, 2021. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
43. "2021 Mythopoeic Awards Winners". Locus. October 19, 2021. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
44. "2022 BSFA Awards Winners". Locus. April 10, 2023. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
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48. "Readers' Favorite Horror 2022". Goodreads . Retrieved August 6, 2025.
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50. "2023 Dragon Awards, Julie Award, and Mike Resnick Memorial Award Winners". September 6, 2023. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
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59. "Readers' Favorite Horror 2024". Goodreads. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
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61. "2025 Locus Awards Winners". Locus. June 21, 2025. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
62. "2025 British Fantasy Awards Winners". Locus. November 3, 2025. Retrieved November 30, 2025.

External links

Personal websites

• RedWombatStudio.com
• Bark Like a Fish, Damnit!, public Livejournal blog (last updated 2017)
• Digger webcomic

Socials

• Interview and profile at Armed With A Book, 2025
• tkingfisher.com Ursula Vernon on Bluesky
• Ursula Vernon on Goodreads
• Ursula Vernon on DeviantArt (last updated 2017)

Catalogs

• Ursula Vernon at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• Ursula Vernon at Library of Congress
• Ursula Vernon at Fantastic Fiction
• Free Speculative Fiction Online, accessed March 4, 2022,

Publishers

• Ursula Vernon at Penguin Random
• Ursula Vernon at Argyll
• Ursula Vernon on Uncanny Mag
• Ursula Vernon on Audible