# Ursula Vernon

Ursula Vernon (born May 28, 1977) is an American freelance writer, artist and illustrator. She has won numerous awards for her work in various mediums, including Hugo Awards for her graphic novel Digger, fantasy novel Nettle & Bone, and fantasy novella Thornhedge, the Nebula Award for her short story "Jackalope Wives", and Mythopoeic Awards for adult and children's literature. Vernon's books for children include Hamster Princess and Dragonbreath. Under the name T. Kingfisher, she is also the author of books for older audiences. She writes short fiction under both names.

## Career

Ursula Vernon grew up in Oregon and Arizona. She studied anthropology at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where she first took art classes. She first became known for her webcomics and as a freelance artist, particularly for her works containing anthropomorphic animals. She then moved into writing and illustrating a number of children's books, her first being published in 2008, and then books for adults under the pseudonym T. Kingfisher. She decided to start using the pseudonym in order to avoid confusion amongst parents who were only familiar with her as a children's book author, and chose it because she loves kingfishers (and as an homage to Ursula K. LeGuin, who once joked that the initials "U.K." could stand for "Ulysses Kingfisher"). Vernon has published short fiction under both names, and has won a number of awards for them including the Hugo Award and Nebula Award.
She regularly attends conventions to exhibit and sell her work. She has been a guest of honor at Midwest FurFest 2004 and 2009, and the Artist Guest of Honor at Further Confusion 2010. Vernon was the Author Guest of Honor for Mythcon 45 and a Guest of Honor at Eurofurence 20, both in August 2014. In 2017, she was the Author Guest of Honor at Arisia '17.
Vernon podcasts with her husband, Kevin Sonney.
In June 2023, Vernon announced she had been diagnosed with breast cancer; however, by December of that year, she announced that her treatment had been successful and she was "cancer-free".

## Works
### Books for younger audiences

Vernon is the author and illustrator of the Dragonbreath and Hamster Princess children's book series, published by Dial Books:

#### Dragonbreath series

* Dragonbreath. (2009). ISBN 9780803733633
* Dragonbreath: Attack of the Ninja Frogs. (2010). ISBN 9780803733657
* Dragonbreath: Curse of the Were-Weiner. (2010). ISBN 9780803734692
* Dragonbreath: Lair of the Bat Monster. (2011). ISBN 9780803735255
* Dragonbreath: No Such Thing as Ghosts. (2011). ISBN 9780803735279
* Dragonbreath: Revenge of the Horned Bunnies. (2012). ISBN 9780803736771
* Dragonbreath: When Fairies Go Bad. (2012). ISBN 9780803736788
* Dragonbreath: Nightmare of the Iguana. (2013). ISBN 9780803738461
* Dragonbreath: The Case of the Toxic Mutants. (2013). ISBN 9780803738478
* Dragonbreath: Knight-napped!. (2015). ISBN 9780803738492
* Dragonbreath: The Frozen Menace. (2016). ISBN 9780803739864

#### Hamster Princess series

* Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invincible. (August 18, 2015). ISBN 9780803739833
* Hamster Princess: Of Mice and Magic. (March 15, 2016). ISBN 9780803739840
* Hamster Princess: Ratpunzel. (October 18, 2016). ISBN 9780803739857
* Hamster Princess: Giant Trouble. (May 9, 2017). ISBN 9780399186523
* Hamster Princess: Whiskerella. (January 23, 2018). ISBN 9780399186554
* Hamster Princess: Little Red Rodent Hood. (September 25, 2018). ISBN 9780399186585

#### Other children's books

* Nurk: The Strange Surprising Adventures Of A (Somewhat) Brave Shrew. (2008). Harcourt. ISBN 9780152063757
* Castle Hangnail. (April 21, 2015) Dial Books. ISBN 9780803741294)

### Books for older audiences

Written as Ursula Vernon:
* It Made Sense at the Time: Selected Sketches. (November 18, 2004). Sofawolf Press. ISBN 9780971267060
* Black Dogs Part 1: The House of Diamond. (March 1, 2007). Sofawolf Press. ISBN 9780976921240
* Black Dogs Part 2: The Mountain of Iron. (January 1, 2011). Sofawolf Press. ISBN 9781936689033

#### Temple of the White Rat books

The following books were written under the name T. Kingfisher and take place in what Vernon calls "the Temple of the White Rat world."
* Clockwork Boys. Clocktaur War #1. (November 21, 2017). Red Wombat Tea Company. ISBN 9781614504061
* The Wonder Engine. Clocktaur War #2. (February 27, 2018). Red Wombat Tea Company ISBN 9781614504177
* Swordheart. (November 27, 2018). Argyll Productions. ISBN 9781614504634
* Paladin's Grace. The Saint of Steel #1. (February 11, 2020) Red Wombat Studio. ISBN 9781614505211
* Paladin's Strength. The Saint of Steel #2. (February 28, 2021). Red Wombat Studio. ISBN 9781614505303
* Paladin's Hope. The Saint of Steel #3. (October 9, 2021). Red Wombat Studio. ISBN 9781614505518
* Paladin's Faith. The Saint of Steel #4. (December 5, 2023). Red Wombat Studio. ISBN 9781614506096

#### The Sworn Soldier books

Under the pen name T. Kingfisher:
* What Moves The Dead. (July 12, 2022). Tor Nightfire. ISBN 9781250830753
* What Feasts at Night. (February 13, 2024). Tor Nightfire. ISBN 9781250830852

#### Other books for older audiences

Under the pen name T. Kingfisher:
* Nine Goblins. (October 27, 2013). Red Wombat Tea Company. ISBN 9781310505768
* The Seventh Bride. (November 11, 2014). Red Wombat Tea Company. ISBN 9781503949751
* Bryony & Roses. (May 18, 2015). Red Wombat Tea Company. ISBN 9781614503996
* The Raven & The Reindeer. (February 7, 2016). Red Wombat Tea Company. ISBN 9781614503897
* Summer in Orcus. (September 2016). Red Wombat Tea Company. ISBN 9781936689606
* The Halcyon Fairy Book. (January 19, 2017). NESFA Press. ISBN 9781610373265
* Swordheart. (November 27, 2018). Argyll Productions. ISBN 9781614504634
* Minor Mage. (July 29, 2019). Argyll Productions. ISBN 9781614505006
* The Twisted Ones. (October 1, 2019). Simon & Schuster. ISBN 9781534429574
* A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking. (July 21, 2020). Argyll Productions. ISBN 9781614505242
* The Hollow Places. (October 6, 2020). Simon & Schuster. ISBN 9781534451124
* Nettle & Bone. (April 26, 2022). Tor Books. ISBN 9781250244048
* Illuminations. (November 25, 2022). Argyll Productions. ISBN 9781614505778
* A House with Good Bones. (March 28, 2023). Tor Nightfire. ISBN 9781250829795
* Thornhedge. (August 15, 2023). Tor Books. ISBN 9781250244093
* A Sorceress Comes to Call. (August 6, 2024). Tor Books ISBN 9781250244079

### Webcomics

Vernon is the author of the Eisner Award-nominated and Hugo Award-winning webcomic Digger. A fantasy story featuring an anthropomorphic wombat, it is also available in six paperback books published between 2005 and 2011: Vol. 1 (ISBN 9780976921226), Vol. 2 (ISBN 0-9769212-6-X), Vol. 3 (ISBN 9780979149634), Vol. 4 (ISBN 9780981988337), Vol. 5 (ISBN 9780981988399), and Vol. 6 (ISBN 9781936689064), and as Digger: The Complete Omnibus Edition (ISBN 9781936689323), published in 2013. She is also the writer and illustrator of the webcomic Irrational Fears and the short stories "Little Creature" and "Little Creature and the Redcap".

### Illustrations and art

Before becoming a published children's book author Vernon was primarily a freelance artist and illustrator, and she still regularly produces new works of art. Her work includes the creation of digital art as well as the use of more traditional mediums such as watercolour and acrylics, with much of her more recent work being mixed media. Most of her art work is available as prints. Vernon has also taken commercial commissions such as book covers and game art.
The game Black Sheep designed by Reiner Knizia and published by Fantasy Flight Games uses art by Vernon on its playing cards.
Her artwork titled The Biting Pear of Salamanca became an internet meme in the form of the "LOL WUT pear" and has been made into a resin figurine due to its popularity. She has also designed labels for a series of tea and soap products.

## Awards and nominations

| Award | Category | Year | Work | Result |
| British Fantasy Award | Horror Novel | 2020 | The Twisted Ones | Nominated |
| British Fantasy Award | Horror Novel | 2021 | The Hollow Places | Nominated |
| Dragon Award | Horror Novel | 2020 | The Twisted Ones | Won |
| Dragon Award | Horror Novel | 2021 | The Hollow Places | Won |
| Dragon Award | YA / Middle Grade Novel | 2021 | A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking | Won |
| Hugo Award | Graphic Story | 2012 | Digger | Won |
| Hugo Award | Novelette | 2017 | "The Tomato Thief" | Won |
| Hugo Award | Short Story | 2018 | "Sun, Moon, Dust" | Nominated |
| Hugo Award | Short Story | 2019 | “The Rose MacGregor Drinking and Admiration Society” | Nominated |
| Hugo Award | Short Story | 2021 | “Metal Like Blood in the Dark” | Won |
| Hugo Award | Series | 2022 | The World of the White Rat | Nominated |
| Hugo Award | Novella | 2023 | What Moves the Dead | Won |
| Hugo Award | Novel | 2023 | Nettle & Bone | Won |
| Hugo Award | Novella | 2024 | Thornhedge | Won |
| Locus Award | Fantasy Novel | 2017 | The Wonder Engine | Nominated |
| Locus Award | Fantasy Novel | 2022 | Paladin's Strength | Nominated |
| Locus Award | Horror Novel | 2020 | The Twisted Ones | Nominated |
| Locus Award | Horror Novel | 2021 | The Hollow Places | Nominated |
| Locus Award | Horror Novel | 2023 | What Moves the Dead | Won |
| Locus Award | Short Story | 2021 | "Fisher-Bird" | Nominated |
| Locus Award | Young Adult Book | 2021 | A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking | Won |
| Lodestar Award | Young Adult Book | 2018 | Summer in Orcus | Nominated |
| Lodestar Award | Young Adult Book | 2020 | Minor Mage | Nominated |
| Lodestar Award | Young Adult Book | 2021 | A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking | Won |
| Mythopoeic Award | Adult Literature | 2012 | Digger | Won |
| Mythopoeic Award | Children's Literature | 2017 | Castle Hangnail | Won |
| Mythopoeic Award | Children's Literature | 2021 | A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking | Won |
| Nebula Award | Novel | 2023 | Nettle and Bone | Nominated |
| Nebula Award | Andre Norton Award | 2021 | A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking | Won |
| Nebula Award | Short Story | 2015 | "Jackalope Wives" | Won |
| World Fantasy Award | Short Fiction | 2015 | "Jackalope Wives" | Nominated |
Vernon has also received the following accolades:
* Her cover for Best in Show won the 2003 Ursa Major Award for Best Anthropomorphic Published Illustration.
* For her work on Digger, Vernon was nominated for the 2006 Eisner Awards in the category "Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition", and won the 2005 Web Cartoonists' Choice Award for "Outstanding Black and White Art". Digger has also been nominated in the "Outstanding Anthropomorphic Comic" category.
* "Jackalope Wives" (2014), "The Tomato Thief" (2016) and "Metal Like Blood in the Dark" (2020) won the WSFA Small Press Award.