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Frances Hardinge

Frances Hardinge is a British author born in the year of 1973 best known for her novel Fly By Night which in 2006 won the Branford Boase Award and was listed as one of the School Library Journal's Best Books. She has also been shortlisted and achieved a number of other awards for both her novels as well as some of her short stories. Hardinge is often seen wearing a black hat and enjoys dressing in old fashioned clothing.

Frances Hardinge was born and grew up in Kent, England and dreamed of writing at the age of four. She studied English at Oxford University and was the founder member of a writers' workshop there.

Her writing career started after she won a short story magazine competition. Shortly after winning she wrote Fly By Night in her spare time and showed it to Macmillan Publishers after pressure from a friend.

Hardinge is best known for her compelling and intricate storytelling, with time travel, mystery and subversive elements all thrown into the mix. Her stories often touch on dark themes such as death, betrayal, loss, and the power of memory. Hardinge's fantasy novels The Lie Tree and Cuckoo Song are particularly well-known.

Before beginning her writing career, Hardinge wrote for the British role-playing game company Games Workshop. During her time there, she created Cthulhu Britannica, a game based in the world of H. P. Lovecraft's literary work.

Hardinge has also written a number of children's books, including A Face Like Glass and The Boy in the Tower. Her work has been praised for its strong female characters and the ways that her stories delve into themes of feminism, oppression, and power.

Hardinge has also been heavily involved in politics and activism. In 2012, she organised a petition to raise money for aid to Syrian refugees and is a strong advocate of refugees' rights. She is a member of Amnesty International and a vocal supporter of LGBTQ+ rights. She is also a firm believer in protecting the environment, and has written about issues such as deforestation and animal welfare.

Frances Hardinge is a prolific author and her work has been described as both "beautiful" and "daring". She is one of the most talented and admired fantasy authors of the 21st century and her books have won numerous awards. Her stories are inspiring, uplifting, and hauntingly perfect, and her activism work reflects the depth of her beliefs and character.

Bibliography

Novels

• Fly By Night (2005)
• Verdigris Deep (2007)
• Gullstruck Island (2009)
• The Lie Tree (2015)
• A Face Like Glass (2012)
• Cuckoo Song (2014)
• The Departure (2018)
• A Skinful of Shadows (2019)
• A Plague of Gulls (2019)
• Godsgrave (2020)

While Fly By Night was being finalised for publication, Hardinge signed a deal with Macmillan Publishers to produce three further novels.

Short Stories

Hardinge has written a number of short stories for magazines:

• Shining Man (In The Dream Zone, 2001)
• Communion (In 'Wordplay Vol. 1, 2002)
• Captive Audience (In Piffle Issue 7, 2002)
• Bengal Rose (In Scribble No. 20, 2003)
• Black Grass (In All Hallows, 2005)
• Halfway House (In Alchemy, 2006)
• Behind The Mirror (Serialised in First News, 2007)