David M. Cornish (born 1972) is an illustrator and fantasy writer from Adelaide, South Australia.
Biography
Cornish studied illustration at the University of South Australia, where in 1993 he began to compile a series of notebooks: over the next ten years he filled 23 journals with his pictures, definitions, ideas and histories of his world, the "Half-Continent".
It was not until 2003 that a chance encounter with a children's publisher gave him an opportunity to develop these ideas further. Learning of his journals, she urged him to write a story from his world. Cornish was sent away with the task of delivering 1,000 words the following week and each week thereafter. Abandoning all other paid work, he spent the next two years propped up with one small advance after another.
Awards and honours +Awards for Cornish's writingYearTitleAwardResultRef.2006FoundlingAurealis Award for Best Young Adult NovelWinner2007Children's Book Council of Australia Older Readers Book of the YearHonour2008LamplighterAurealis Award for Best Young Adult NovelFinalistThorn Castle, Giant’s Lair, Black Crypt, Wizardry CragAurealis Award for Best Children's FictionFinalist2009LamplighterAndre Norton AwardFinalist2014Aurealis Award for Best Young Adult Short StoryFinalist
Publications
As writer
Monster Blood Tattoo series
Foundling (2006, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers) Lamplighter (2008) Factotum (2010) Tales from the Half-Continent (2014)
As illustrator
Standalone books
Emily and the Dragon, written by Lyn Lee (2005, Scholastic Press)
The Sunken Kingdom series Cornish illustrated The Sunken Kingdom series, which was written by Kim Wilkins.
Ghost Ship (2006, Random House) Tide Stealers (2006, Random House) Sorcerer of the Waves (2008, Random House) The Star Queen (2008, Random House)
References
External links
Official blog Miss Erin Interview with Mr. Cornish