Kristen Britain is an American author. She wrote ''
Green Rider'' (which was nominated for the
Crawford Award
:::''See also'' Crawford Medal
The IAFA William L. Crawford Fantasy Award (short: Crawford award) is a literary award given to a writer whose first fantasy book was published during the preceding 18 months. It's one of several awards presented by ...
), ''
First Rider's Call'', ''
The High King's Tomb'', ''
Blackveil'' (which was nominated for the
David Gemmell Legend Award The David Gemmell Awards for Fantasy, established in memory of David Gemmell, were awarded from 2009 to 2018. In 2009, only the Legend Award for best fantasy novel was awarded. Beginning in 2010 the Morningstar Award for Best Fantasy Newcomer and th ...
), and ''Mirror Sight''. The sixth book in the Green Rider series, ''Firebrand'', was released February 28, 2017. The seventh book "Winterlight" was released September 2021.
Early life and education
Britain grew up in the
Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes are a group of eleven long, narrow, roughly north–south lakes located south of Lake Ontario in an area called the ''Finger Lakes region'' in New York, in the United States. This region straddles the northern and transitional ...
region of
New York State
New York, officially the State of New York, is a state in the Northeastern United States. It is often called New York State to distinguish it from its largest city, New York City. With a total area of , New York is the 27th-largest U.S. stat ...
, where she started her first novel — an undersea fantasy featuring herself and her friends — at the age of nine. She published her first book, a cartoon collection called ''Horses and Horsepeople'', at the age of thirteen.
[Kristen Britain Biography](_blank)
After completing her degree in film production, with a minor in writing,
[Fantasy-writing alumna to give storytelling tips]
," ''The Ithacan'', 2009-04-16 at
Ithaca College
Ithaca College is a private college in Ithaca, New York. It was founded by William Egbert in 1892 as a conservatory of music and is set against the backdrop of the city of Ithaca (which is separate from the town), Cayuga Lake, waterfalls, and go ...
in 1987, she went to work for the
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propert ...
in 1988
after a conversation with a park ranger during a visit to
Women's Rights National Historical Park
Women's Rights National Historical Park was established in 1980, and covers a total of of land in Seneca Falls and nearby Waterloo, New York, United States.
The park consists of four major historical properties including the Wesleyan Methodi ...
.
Career
Her first ranger job was a seasonal position at
Clara Barton National Historic Site in Maryland.
[Kristen Britain Interview](_blank)
Future Fiction
At the time of the publication of her first novel, ''
Green Rider'', she was working full-time as a park ranger at
Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park is an American national park located along the mid-section of the Maine coast, southwest of Bar Harbor. The park preserves about half of Mount Desert Island, part of the Isle au Haut, the tip of the Schoodic Peninsula, an ...
, and she drew much of the inspiration for the landscape of Sacoridia from the park. Her many years as a park ranger enabled her to work in a variety of natural and historical settings, from 300 feet below the surface of the Earth to 13,000 feet above sea level on the
Continental Divide; and from the textile mills of the
American Industrial Revolution
The technological and industrial history of the United States describes the United States' emergence as one of the most technologically advanced nations in the world. The availability of land and literate labor, the absence of a landed arist ...
to the homes of Americans who changed the course of history.
Personal life
She lives in
Maine
Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and ...
.
Literary career
Kristen Britain's first novel, "
Green Rider", was published by
DAW Books in November 1998. It was nominated in 1999 for both the
Locus Award for Best First Novel
The Locus Award for Best First Novel is one of the annual Locus Awards presented by the science fiction and fantasy magazine '' Locus''. Awards presented in a given year are for works published in the previous calendar year. The award for Best Fi ...
and the William L. Crawford - IAFA Fantasy Award, short
Crawford Award
:::''See also'' Crawford Medal
The IAFA William L. Crawford Fantasy Award (short: Crawford award) is a literary award given to a writer whose first fantasy book was published during the preceding 18 months. It's one of several awards presented by ...
.
The fourth novel in her Green Rider series, "
Blackveil", was nominated for the 2011
Goodreads Fantasy Award.
Published works
''Green Rider'' Series
*''
Green Rider'' (1998, US paperback; UK paperback)
*''
First Rider's Call'' (2003, US paperback; UK paperback) (initial working title was ''Mirror of the Moon'')
*''
The High King's Tomb'' (2007, )
*''
Blackveil'' (2011, , hardcover)
*''
Mirror Sight
Mirror Sight by Kristen Britain is a fantasy novel from 2014, the fifth book in the Green Rider series.
Plot
In the heart of Blackveil in the castle Argenthyne, Karigan is confronted by a mysterious figure wearing a mirrored looking mask. To pre ...
'' (2014, , hardcover)
*''
Firebrand'' (2017, , hardcover)
*''
The Dream Gatherer'' (2018, , hardcover); collection of ''Green Rider'' short fiction
*''Winterlight'' (2021, , hardcover)
Short stories
*''Linked, on the Lake of Souls'' in DAW 30th Anniversary Anthology: Fantasy 2003
*''Avalonia'' Out Of Avalon 2001
*''Justine and the Mountie'' in Imaginary Friends 2008
*''Chafing the Bogey Man'' in Misspelled 2008
References
External links
Kristen Britain's official websiteSciFan pagea
SFFWorld.com*
The story behind the Green Rider Series - Online Essay by Kristen Britainat Upcoming4.me
{{DEFAULTSORT:Britain, Kristen
20th-century American novelists
21st-century American novelists
American fantasy writers
American women short story writers
American women novelists
Ithaca College alumni
Living people
Women science fiction and fantasy writers
20th-century American women writers
21st-century American women writers
20th-century American short story writers
21st-century American short story writers
1965 births