David M. Cornish (born 1972) is an illustrator and fantasy writer from

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

Biography

Cornish studied illustration at the

University of South Australia The University of South Australia (UniSA) is a public research university in the Australian state of South Australia. It is a founding member of the Australian Technology Network of universities, and is the largest university in South Australi ...

, 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

Publications

As writer

''Monster Blood Tattoo'' series

* ''

Foundling Foundling may refer to: * An abandoned child, see child abandonment * Foundling hospital, an institution where abandoned children were cared for ** Foundling Hospital, Dublin, founded 1704 ** Foundling Hospital, Cork, founded 1737 ** Foundling H ...

'' (2006, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers) * ''

Lamplighter A lamplighter is a person employed to light and maintain candle or, later, gas street lights. Very few exist today as most gas street lighting has long been replaced by electric lamps. Function Lights were lit each evening, generally by means ...

'' (2008) * ''Factotum'' (2010) * ''Tales from the Half-Continent'' (2014)

As illustrator

Standalone books

* ''Emily and the Dragon'', written by Lyn Lee (2005,

Scholastic Press Scholastic Corporation () is an American multinational publishing, education, and media company that publishes and distributes books, comics, and educational materials for schools, parents, and children. Products are distributed via retail and on ...

)

''The Sunken Kingdom'' series

Cornish illustrated ''The Sunken Kingdom'' series, which was written by

Kim Wilkins Kim Wilkins (born 22 December 1966) is an Australian writer of popular fiction based in Brisbane, Queensland. She is the author of more than twenty-five mass-market novels, including her debut horror fiction, horror novel, ''The Infernal'' (19 ...

. # ''Ghost Ship'' (2006,

Random House Random House is an American book publisher and the largest general-interest paperback publisher in the world. The company has several independently managed subsidiaries around the world. It is part of Penguin Random House, which is owned by Germ ...

) # ''Tide Stealers'' (2006,

) # ''Sorcerer of the Waves'' (2008,

) # ''The Star Queen'' (2008,

)

References

External links

Official blog

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cornish, D. M. 1972 births Australian fantasy writers Living people Writers from Adelaide University of South Australia alumni Australian male novelists