Kim Harrison


Kim Harrison is a pen name of American author Dawn Cook. Kim is best known as the author of the New York Times #1 best selling Hollows series, but she has written more than urban fantasy and has published over two dozen books spanning the gamut from young adult, accelerated-science thriller, anthology, and a unique, full-color world book, and has scripted two original graphic novels set in the Hollows universe. She has also published traditional fantasy under the name Dawn Cook.
The Rachel Morgan urban fantasy series is set in an alternate history in which a worldwide pandemic caused by genetically modified tomatoes led to the death of a large portion of the world's human population. Under the name of Dawn Cook, she writes the Decoy Princess and Truth series, published in the first few years of the 21st century.
Harrison has received praise from fellow authors, and has reached the #1 spot on the New York Times Best Seller list.
On May 16, 2019, Harrison announced on social media that a new novel, American Demon, will be forthcoming in the summer of 2020.

Early life

Kim Harrison was born and raised in the Midwest. A self-proclaimed "former tomboy," she grew up the only girl in a family of boys. Despite her love of writing, she took an unorthodox approach to it, and claims to have avoided English courses beyond the basic requirements in high school and college.

Career

Harrison began her career with writing traditional science fiction, but began writing contemporary fantasy after deciding to focus more on character development. She spent the better part of a decade struggling as an aspiring author before meeting her current agent at a writing convention. He then introduced her to Diana Gill, who became Harrison's editor. Together, they produced Dead Witch Walking, and her first book was published in paperback by HarperTorch in 2004. Since then, she has written twelve more books, two graphic novels, and extensive world book in the Hollows series, also called the Rachel Morgan series, and contributed to multiple anthologies, with prequels to the Hollows books, and one with a young adult story.
After the success of her first novel, Harrison was able to resign from her day job, devoting herself to writing full-time. Her favorite author is Ray Bradbury. She references music as one of her strongest writing influences, providing song lists for several of her characters. In her spare time, she communicates with fans via her self-maintained website and blog.
Harrison is a member of the International Thriller Writers.
The first two Truth books were originally one book, which was split into two separate books for publishing. That the two are the same, and that Cook was Harrison, was disclosed in a May 2009 Locus magazine article.
"I'm glad it's out in the open, because it is hard to maintain these two separate identities, and remind your friends or family when you go out, 'I'm Kim today, so don't call me Dawn.' The division has served its purpose. I'm still going to be Kim, but now if somebody calls me Dawn I won't have to say 'Shut your mouth!'"

Reception

Harrison has reached #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list and is generally recognized as one of the most successful and influential creators of urban fantasy. Her writing has garnered praise from numerous peers. Authors Kelly Gay and Courtney Allison Moulton have cited her as an inspiration. The Hollows series has also gained recognition from The New York Times and Amazon.com. In 2007, Amazon.com noted that Harrison had become "one of the hottest authors in the incredibly popular genre of sexy supernaturalism."

The Hollows universe

The Turn Novels (Hollows prequel)

  1. The Turn: The Hollows begins with Death

    Rachel Morgan / The Hollows Novels

  2. Dead Witch Walking
  3. The Good, the Bad, and the Undead
  4. Every Which Way But Dead
  5. A Fistful of Charms
  6. For a Few Demons More
  7. The Outlaw Demon Wails
  8. White Witch, Black Curse
  9. Black Magic Sanction
  10. Pale Demon
  11. A Perfect Blood
  12. Ever After
  13. The Undead Pool
  14. The Witch with No Name
  15. American Demon

    Graphic novels

The Turn Novels
  1. The Turn: The Hollows begins with Death —Simon & Schuster Audio, read by Marguerite Gavin
The Hollows Novels
  1. Dead Witch Walking —Tantor Media, read by Marguerite Gavin
  2. The Good, the Bad, and the Undead —Tantor Media, read by Marguerite Gavin
  3. Every Which Way But Dead —Tantor Media, read by Marguerite Gavin
  4. A Fistful of Charms —Tantor Media, read by Marguerite Gavin
  5. For a Few Demons More —Tantor Media, read by Marguerite Gavin
  6. The Outlaw Demon Wails —HarperAudio, read by Gigi Bermingham
  7. White Witch, Black Curse —HarperAudio, read by Marguerite Gavin
  8. Black Magic Sanction —Blackstone Audio, read by Marguerite Gavin
  9. Pale Demon —Blackstone Audio, read by Marguerite Gavin
  10. A Perfect Blood —Blackstone Audio, read by Marguerite Gavin
  11. Ever After —Blackstone Audio, read by Marguerite Gavin
  12. The Undead Pool —HarperAudio, read by Marguerite Gavin
  13. The Witch with No Name —HarperAudio, read by Marguerite Gavin

    Omnibus editions

Novels

  1. Once Dead, Twice Shy
  2. Early to Death, Early to Rise
  3. Something Deadly This Way Comes

    Novellas and short stories

Novels

  1. The Drafter
  2. The Operator

    Novellas and short stories

Novels

  1. Perfunctory Affection

    Truth series

The Truth series is about a young woman whose mother tells her she needs to leave home to find a mythical fortress called 'The Hold.' Along the way, she falls into a ravine and is brought out of it by a plainsman. On the way to the Hold, she dreams of her dead father and learns about her true heritage, that she has the ability to use magic, skeptical as she is.
  1. First Truth, May 28, 2002, Ace Books,
  2. Hidden Truth, November 26, 2002, Ace Books,
  3. Forgotten Truth, November 25, 2003, Ace Books,
  4. Lost Truth, November 30, 2004, Ace Books,

    Decoy Princess series

  5. The Decoy Princess, November 29, 2005, Ace Books,
  6. Princess at Sea, July 25, 2006, Ace Books,

    Short story

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