Shannon Hale

Shannon Hale

Shannon and Dean Hale at the 2016 Texas Book Festival.
Born Shannon Bryner
(1974-01-26) January 26, 1974
Salt Lake City, Utah
Occupation Novelist
Nationality American
Period 2003-present
Genre Young adult, Fantasy
Notable works The Goose Girl
Princess Academy
Book of a Thousand Days
Spouse Dean Hale
Children 4
Website
www.squeetus.com

Shannon Hale (née Shannon Bryner;[1] born January 26, 1974 in Salt Lake City, Utah) is an American author of young adult fantasy and adult fiction, including the Newbery Honor book Princess Academy, the Books of Bayern series, two adult novels, and two graphic novels that she co-wrote with her husband, Dean.

Early life

Shannon Bryner[2] was born in Salt Lake City, where she attended elementary school. She had two older sisters and a younger sister and brother.[1] She began writing at the age of 10.[3] In junior high, she participated on the school literary magazine.[1] She attended West High School, where she cultivated passions for English and drama.[1]

She earned a Bachelor's Degree in English from the University of Utah[4] and a Master's Degree in Creative Writing from the University of Montana. She took an 18-month hiatus while in college to serve a volunteer mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Paraguay.[1]

Career

Before writing professionally, she wrote while pursuing acting in television, stage, and improvisational comedy, as well as studying in Mexico and the United Kingdom. She spent a year and a half as an unpaid missionary in Paraguay, then returned to the United States to earn her bachelor's degree in English from the University of Utah and a master's in creative writing from the University of Montana. Hale also worked as an instructional designer, developing web-based training for Avaltus and Allen Communication before becoming a full-time writer.

Her first published book, The Goose Girl, met with numerous rejections until it was finally published in 2003.[3] In 2004, her second novel, Enna Burning, which follows Enna, a minor character from The Goose Girl, was published. The third installment in the Bayern series, River Secrets, was released in September 2006, followed by a fourth book, Forest Born, in 2009. By the time River Secrets was released, Hale had earned numerous awards for her 2005 release, Princess Academy, including the prestigious Newbery Honor. A sequel to Princess Academy came out in 2012, subtitled Palace of Stone, followed by a third book, The Forgotten Sisters, in 2015.

She has published three adult novels: Austenland, The Actor and the Housewife and Midnight in Austenland (a sequel to Austenland). She and her husband Dean Hale have also published a graphic novel, Rapunzel's Revenge, with its sequel, entitled Calamity Jack, published in 2010.

She and her husband have also published three books in the Princess in Black series. They were illustrated by LeUyen Pham.

Personal life

Shannon has four children with husband Dean Hale: son Max (b. 2003), daughter Magnolia (b. 2006), and twin girls Dinah and Wren (b. 2010). The family resides in South Jordan, Utah.[5] She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[6]

Works

The Books of Bayern series

Princess Academy series

Austenland series

Rapunzel's Revenge series
Co-authored with Dean Hale, and illustrated by Nathan Hale

Ever After High series

Princess in Black series
Co-authored with Dean Hale, and illustrated by LeUYEN PHAM

Standalone novels

Other

Awards

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Official Site of Shannon Hale". www.squeetus.com. Retrieved 2016-05-03.
  2. ↑ "Author Profile - Shannon Hale". Utah Children's Writers and Illustrators Newsletter. Utah Children's Writers and Illustrators. Retrieved 2007-07-10.
  3. 1 2 Walquist, Tammy (2007-07-06). "Author's tales: Writers recount struggle to get published". Deseret Morning News. Retrieved 2007-07-10.
  4. ↑ "Alumni Post-it Notes". U-News & Views. University of Utah Alumni Association. April 2006. Retrieved 2007-07-10.
  5. ↑ Lythgoe, Dennis (July 8, 2007). "Life is hectic for novelist". Deseret News. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
  6. ↑ Lehnardt, Michelle (June 13, 2009). "Writer's challenge: infusing religion". Deseret News. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
  7. ↑ "Past Award Winners (1943-2006)". The Children's Book Committee Bank Street College of Education. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
  8. ↑ "2006 Newbery Medal and Honor Books". American Library Association. 2006. Retrieved 2007-05-09.
  9. ↑ "First Annual Whitney Awards Highlights". Meridian Magazine. 2007. Retrieved 2010-04-17.
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