Celine Kiernan is an award-winning author of fantasy novels for young adults. Her critically acclaimed work beautifully combines fantasy elements with the exploration of political, humanitarian, and philosophical themes.

Best Known For: She is best recognized for The Moorehawke Trilogy, a dark, complex series of fantasy YA books set in an alternative Renaissance Europe. First published in her native Ireland in 2008, this trilogy has been published in 15 different territories and translated into 10 different languages.

Accolades: The first book of the Moorehawke Trilogy, The Poison Throne, won the Readers’ Association of Ireland Award for best book in 2009, was included in the White Raven Collection, and was shortlisted for the 2009 Irish Book Awards in two categories (Best Newcomer and Best Children’s Book senior category). Her fourth novel, Into the Grey (aka Taken Away), a YA ghost story set in 1970s Ireland, won the 2012 CBI Book of the Year and the CBI Children’s Choice Award, making it the first book to win both categories. It won the RAI Book of the Year 2013 and was shortlisted for the Sakura Medal 2014.

Background: Born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1967, Celine spent the majority of her early career in the film industry as a classical feature character animator before becoming a full-time writer.