Russell Kirkpatrick is a science fiction and fantasy author, who was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1961. He is a highly educated individual, holding a Ph.D. in geography from the University of Canterbury. After completing his education, Kirkpatrick went on to become a lecturer at the University of Waikato in Hamilton.
Before becoming a successful author, Kirkpatrick was involved in several atlas projects, including working as the Deputy Editor of the New Zealand Historical Atlas, which was a Readers Choice winner at the Montana Book Awards in 1998. He also authored the Contemporary Atlas New Zealand, which was a finalist at the Montana Book Awards in 2000. Kirkpatrick has been involved in several other atlas projects and is currently working on an atlas of Bahrain.
In addition to his work on atlases and his career as a lecturer, Kirkpatrick is a successful author of fantasy novels. His Fire of Heaven fantasy trilogy includes the books "Across The Face Of The World," "In The Earth Abides The Flame," and "The Right Hand Of God." The first book in the series was published in February 2004 by HarperCollins Voyager Australia and has been sold in several other countries. The second and third books in the series followed at six-month intervals. Kirkpatrick is now working on a new novel titled "The Path of Revenge."
When he is not working on his novels, Kirkpatrick enjoys several hobbies, including reading, listening to music, and playing sports. He is an accomplished golfer, with a handicap of 2. Kirkpatrick is married to Dorinda, and they have two sons together. The family shares their home with a bichon frise, several cats, a large Lego collection, a Cornishware collection, and a new house in a gully, which provides the perfect hideaway for a writer.