Elizabeth Kerner is a bestselling American fantasy fiction author, born in Florida in 1958. She had a nomadic childhood as her Navy father moved the family around frequently, living in places such as Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and various parts of the south. Kerner found the lack of seasons and natural beauty in the south depressing, which led her to seek out more inspiring locations to call home.
After graduating from the University of St. Andrews in 1981 with a master's degree in Literature and English, Kerner embarked on a variety of day jobs, including apprenticeships with artwork and furniture restorers, goldsmiths, and bookbinders. These experiences provided her with a rich background that would later influence her writing. In 1995, Kerner returned to her beloved city of Edinburgh, where she spent six years as a copy-editor for the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, a prestigious astronomy journal.
Kerner is perhaps best known for her "The Tale of Lanen Kaelar" series, which includes "Song in the Silence," "The Lesser Kindred," and "Redeeming the Lost." This trilogy explores the relationship between humans and dragons, who had left mortal lands thousands of years prior for unknown reasons. Kerner's love for fairy tales, mythology, and legends, particularly those featuring dragons, inspired her to write her own story. In 2002, she married Dr. Steven Beard, continuing her connection to the world of science. The couple currently resides in a small town on the Firth of Forth with two cats. Kerner is currently working on the next three books in the Kolmar series, with the first due out in 2011.