Elaine Cunningham
Template:Short description Template:For Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox writer Elaine Cunningham (born August 12, 1957, in New York City)<ref name=contemp/> is an American fantasy and science fiction author, especially known for her contributions to the Dungeons & Dragons role playing game campaign setting of Forgotten Realms.<ref name="Dragon #246">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="buker2002">Template:Cite book</ref>
Biography
Cunningham was born in New York City, and grew up in New York state and New England.<ref name="Dragon #246"/> A voracious reader since childhood, she earned a degree in music education with a minor in history.<ref name="Dragon #246"/>
She started writing in 1987, after her older son was born.<ref name="Dragon #246"/> A lifelong fascination with folklore and mythology led her to the fantasy genre,<ref name="EC's site">http://www.elainecunningham.com</ref><ref name="wizardsbio">Template:Cite web</ref> and her background in music and history<ref name="Dragon #246"/><ref name="wizardsbio"/><ref name="EC's site"/> gave her an affinity for bards such as Danilo Thann,<ref name="EC's site"/> created for her first novel, Elfshadow (1991).<ref name="Dragon #246"/> Many of her stories focus on elves,<ref name="buker2002"/><ref name="Dragon #246"/> which she attributes to her excessive fondness for cats.<ref name="Dragon #246"/><ref name="EC's site"/>
Cunningham is also the New York Times bestselling author of Dark Journey,<ref name=contemp>Template:Cite journal</ref> book 10 from the Star Wars New Jedi Order saga.<ref name="wizardsbio"/> Shadows in the Starlight (2006), the second book the Changeling Detective series, was named to the 2006 Kirkus Reviews list "Ten Best SciFi Novels."<ref name="Kirkus">https://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2007/01/kirkus_best_books_of_2006/</ref>
Personal life
Now a full-time arts administrator, Cunningham continues to write, albeit mostly in the early morning hours. She lives in coastal Rhode Island.<ref name="EC's site"/>
Bibliography
Dungeons & Dragons
- Songs & Swords (featuring Arilyn, Danilo and Elaith)
- I. Elfshadow<ref name="sfsite">Template:Cite web</ref> (1991/2000 reprint)
- II. Elfsong (1994/2000 reprint)
- III. Silver Shadows<ref name="sfsite" /> (1996/2001 reprint)
- IV. Thornhold (1998/2001 reprint)
- V. The Dream Spheres<ref name="sfsite" /> (1999)
- Spelljammer anthology novellas
- The Cloakmaster Cycle
- The Radiant Dragon (1992), Template:ISBN<ref name="EC's site" />
- The Cloakmaster Cycle
- Starlight and Shadows (featuring Liriel, Fyodor, and Gorlist)
- I. Daughter of the Drow (1995)
- II. Tangled Webs (1996)
- III. Windwalker (2003)
- Evermeet: Island of Elves (1998)
- Counselors & Kings (featuring Matteo and Tzigone)
- I. The Magehound (2000)
- II. The Floodgate (2001)
- III. The Wizardwar (2002)
- City of Splendors: A Novel of Waterdeep (With Ed Greenwood; 2005)
- Forgotten Realms anthology novellas
- The Best of the Realms, Book 1 (2003)
- "Rite of Blood"—Realms of the Underdark (1996)
- The Best of the Realms, Book III: The Stories of Elaine Cunningham (2007)
- "The Bargain"—Realms of Valor (1993)
- "The More Things Change"—Realms of Infamy (1994)
- "The Direct Approach"—Realms of Magic (1995)
- "Secrets of Blood, Spirits of the Sea"—Realms of the Arcane (1997)
- "The Great Hunt"—Dragon #246 (1998)
- "Speaking with the Dead"—Realms of Mystery (1998)
- "Stolen Dreams"—Dragon #259 (1999)
- "Fire is Fire"—Realms of the Deep (2000)
- "Possessions"—Dragon #282 (2002)
- "A Little Knowledge"—Realms of Shadow (2002)
- "Gorlist's Dragon"—Realms of Dragons (2004)
- "Games of Chance"—Dragon #335 (2005)
- "The Knights of Samular"
- "Tribute"
- "Answered Prayers"
- The Best of the Realms, Book 1 (2003)
Other
- Del Rey's Star Wars books
- Dark Journey, Book 12 of the New Jedi Order series (featuring Jaina Solo)
- The Changeling Detective Agency series
- I. Shadows in the Darkness (2004)
- II. Shadows in the Starlight (2006)
- Pathfinder Tales series
- Winter Witch (2010), Template:ISBN, with Dave Gross