Kate Forsyth

Kate Forsyth is an internationally bestselling Australian author, poet, and storyteller with a career spanning over 40 books for adults and children. Her works include acclaimed historical novels such as "The Wild Girl," which explores the romance behind the Grimm brothers' fairy tales, and "Bitter Greens," a retelling of "Rapunzel" that won the 2015 American Library Association award for Best Historical Fiction. She has also written the fantasy series "Witches of Eileanan" and children's books like "The Impossible Quest" and "The Gypsy Crown." Her most recent novel, "The Crimson Thread," reimagines the myth of the Minotaur during World War II in Crete.

Forsyth specializes in retelling fairy tales and myths with historical depth, often weaving them into significant periods such as the French Revolution in "The Blue Rose" or Nazi Germany in "The Beast's Garden." Her scholarly background informs her writing, as she holds a Doctorate of Creative Arts in fairy tale studies and a Master of Creative Writing. Beyond fiction, she has co-authored the non-fiction work "Searching for Charlotte," about Australia’s first children’s author, and published a collection of essays titled "The Rebirth of Rapunzel," which earned the William Atheling Jr Award for Criticism.

For younger readers, Forsyth has created the Long-Lost Fairy-Tales series, including "Vasilisa the Wise & Other Tales of Brave Young Women," which received a silver medal in the 2018 US Readers Favorite Book Awards. An accredited master storyteller, she has taught writing retreats worldwide, from Australia to Greece. Her works continue to blend meticulous research with imaginative storytelling, cementing her reputation as a versatile and celebrated author.
Ben and Tim's Magical Misadventures Books
# Title Year
1 Dragon Gold 2005
2 Wishing for Trouble 2006
3 Sea Magic 2008
The Chain of Charms Books
# Title Year
1 The Gypsy Crown 2007
2 The Silver Horse 2007
3 The Herb of Grace 2007
4 The Cat's Eye Shell 2007
5 The Lightning Bolt 2007
6 The Butterfly in Amber 2007
The Impossible Quest Books
# Title Year
1 Escape From Wolfhaven Castle 2014
2 Wolves of the Witchwood 2014
3 The Beast of Blackmoor Bog 2015
4 The Drowned Kingdom 2015
5 Battle of the Heroes 2015
Long Lost Fairy Tales Collection Books
# Title Year
1 The Buried Moon 2019
Rhiannon's Ride Books
# Title Year
1 The Tower of Ravens 2004
2 The Shining City 2005
3 The Heart of Stars 2006
The Starkin Crown Books
# Title Year
1 The Starthorn Tree 2002
2 The Wildkin's Curse 2010
3 The Starkin Crown 2011
The Witches of Eileanan Books
# Title Year
1 The Witches of Eileanan 1997
2 The Pool of Two Moons 1998
3 The Cursed Towers 1999
4 The Forbidden Land 2000
5 The Skull of the World 2001
6 The Fathomless Caves 2002
Standalone Novels
# Title Year
1 Full Fathom Five 2003
2 The Puzzle Ring 2009
3 Bitter Greens 2012
4 The Wild Girl 2013
5 Dancing on Knives 2014
6 The Beast's Garden 2015
7 Beauty in Thorns 2017
8 The Blue Rose 2019
9 The Crimson Thread 2022
10 Psykhe 2024
Children's Books
# Title Year
1 Once 2019
Non-Fiction Books
# Title Year
1 Searching for Charlotte (With: Belinda Murrell) 2020
Collections (with Kim Wilkins)
# Title Year
1 The Rebirth of Rapunzel 2016
2 The Silver Well (With: Kim Wilkins) 2017
3 Vasilisa the Wise 2019
Kate Forsyth Anthologies
# Title Year
1 Griffith Review 42: Once Upon a Time in Oz 2013
2 The Silver Well 2017
3 Skull and Pestle: New Tales of Baba Yaga 2019