Trudi Canavan (born 23 October 1969) is an Australian writer of fantasy novels, best known for her best-selling fantasy trilogies The Black Magician and Age of the Five. While establishing her writing career she worked as a graphic designer. She completed her third trilogy, The Traitor Spy trilogy, in August 2012 with The Traitor Queen. Subsequently, Canavan has written a series called Millennium's Rule, with a completely new setting consisting of multiple worlds which characters can cross between. Though originally planned as a trilogy, a fourth and final book in the Millennium's Rule series was published.

Biography

Canavan was born in Kew, in Melbourne, Australia and grew up in the suburb of Ferntree Gully. From early in her childhood she was creative and interested in art, writing and music. After deciding to become a professional artist she completed an Advanced Certificate in Promotional Display at the Melbourne College of Decoration, where she received an award for Highest Aggregate Mark in Art Subjects in 1988.

In 1995 Canavan started The Telltale Art, a freelance business specialising on graphical design services. In that same year she began working for Aurealis, a magazine of Australian Fantasy and Science Fiction, working a do-it-all job as art and cover editor, reading manuscripts, creating web pages and stuffing envelopes. By taking on this job she was able to start writing in her spare time. Canavan states that until the age of 25 she dreamed of writing a novel but lacked the focus to do so. When she turned 25 she took several writing courses, worked on refining her fiction writing skills, while she fought her way through several rejections.

In 1999, Canavan's writing career took off when she won the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Short Story with Whispers of the Mist Children.

Canavan's second trilogy, Age of the Five, was also well received by her readers. The first in the series, Priestess of the White reached No.3 in the Sunday Times hardback fiction best-seller list, staying in the top ten for 6 weeks. In early 2006, Canavan signed a seven-figure contract with Orbit to write the prequel and sequel to The Black Magician Trilogy. This book, The Magician's Apprentice, was released in February 2009.

In contrast to other fantasy/science fiction authors, Canavan is also appreciative of fan fiction.

Awards

  • Canavan's artwork in Aurealis and Eidolon – Australian science fiction and fantasy magazines – was nominated for a Ditmar Award for "Best Professional Artwork" in 1996.
  • "Whispers of the Mist Children" won an Aurealis Award for "Best Fantasy Short Story" of 1999.
  • The Novice was shortlisted for an Aurealis Award for "Best Fantasy Novel" of 2002.
  • At the 2003 Ditmars, Canavan won the "Best Short Story" award with "Room for Improvement", published in Foreign Shores; The High Lord was nominated for "Best Novel" and her cover for Fables & Reflections 5 was nominated for the "Best Professional Artwork" award.
  • The Magician's Apprentice (AUS / UK / US) has won the 2009 Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel.

Bibliography

Kyralia series

  • The Magician's Apprentice (2009) (prequel stand-alone novel to the Black Magician Trilogy)
  • The Black Magician Trilogy

:*The Magicians' Guild (2001)

:*The Novice (2002)

:*The High Lord (2003)

  • The Traitor Spy Trilogy (sequel to the Black Magician Trilogy)

:*The Ambassador's Mission (2010)

:*The Rogue (2011)

:*The Traitor Queen (2012)