Holly Black

Black was born in West Long Branch, New Jersey[1] in 1971, and during her early years her family lived in a "decrepit Victorian house."[3] Black graduated with a B.A. in English from The College of New Jersey in 1994. She worked as a production editor on medical journals including The Journal of Pain while studying at Rutgers University. She considered becoming a librarian as a backup career, but writing drew her away. She edited and contributed to the role-playing culture magazine d8 in 1996.

In 1999 she married her high school sweetheart, Theo Black, an illustrator and web designer.[1] In 2008 she was described as residing in Amherst, Massachusetts.[4]

Modern Faerie Tales

Black's first novel, Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale, was published by Simon & Schuster in 2002. There have been two sequels set in the same universe. The first, Valiant (2005), won the inaugural Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy. By vote of Locus readers for the Locus Awards, Valiant and Ironside (2007) ranked fourth and sixth among the year's young-adult books.

The Spiderwick Chronicles

In 2003, Black published the first two books of The Spiderwick Chronicles, a collaboration with artist Tony DiTerlizzi. The fifth and last book in the series reached the top of the New York Times Bestseller list in 2004. A film adaptation of the series was released in 2008.[5]

The Curse Workers

White Cat, the first in her Curse Workers Series, was published in 2010. White Cat was followed by Red Glove (2011) and the trilogy concluded with Black Heart in 2012.

Magisterium

In 2012, Scholastic acquired a five-book series written by Black and Cassandra Clare to be called Magisterium. Its first volume, The Iron Trial, was published on September 9, 2014.[6] The final book in the series, The Golden Tower, was published in 2018.

The Folk of the Air

The Cruel Prince published in 2017. The first book of The Folk of the Air was critically acclaimed and nominated for the Locus Award[7] and the Lodestar Award.[8] The sequel, The Wicked King (2018) debuted at the #1 position of the New York Times Bestseller List.[9] The Wicked King was also nominated for the Lodestar Award.[10] The Queen of Nothing released in November 2019. With that release the series debuted at #3 on the New York Times Bestseller List. [11]

Standalones

A standalone novel, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, was released by Little, Brown in September 2013.[12] Black published a short story of the same name in the vampire anthology The Eternal Kiss: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown was a Nebula Finalist in 2013.[13]

Doll Bones was published in May 2013, and was awarded a Newbery Honor[14][15] and a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award.[16]

The Darkest Part of the Forest was published in 2015.

Black has also written dozens of short works and co-edited at least three anthologies of speculative fiction.

Black is co-executive producer of the film adaptation of The Spiderwick Chronicles, released in February 2008. The film covers the entirety of the novel series. The Spiderwick Chronicles has also been released as a video game from Stormfront Studios.

In 2011, Black stated that the Curse Workers books had been optioned by Vertigo Pictures and producer Mark Morgan.[17]

• 2006: Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy, Valiant: A Modern Tale of Faerie
• 2014: Mythopoeic Fantasy Award in Children's Literature, Doll Bones[16]
• 2014: Newbery Medal honor book, Doll Bones
• 2015: Indies Choice Book Award—Young Adult, The Darkest Part of the Forest

• Official website