Eileen Kernaghan is one of British Columbia’s most respected speculative writers, known for her richly imagined historical fantasy, speculative poetry, and mythic fiction. Born in Enderby, British Columbia, and raised in the North Okanagan, she developed an early fascination with mythology, folklore, fairy tales, and adventure literature—interests that would shape a lifelong writing career.

The author of nine historical fantasy novels and a four-time winner of the Aurora Award for Canadian speculative fiction, Kernaghan has written acclaimed novels, poetry, and short fiction exploring history, magic, transformation, and the supernatural. Her work moves through worlds as varied as Victorian London, Elizabethan England, British India, Bronze Age Britain, and the prehistoric Indus Valley, often blending meticulous historical research with mythic and speculative elements.

Her novel The Snow Queen, a reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tale incorporating northern myth and shamanic traditions, earned the Aurora Award for Best English Language Canadian Novel. Other celebrated works include Wild Talent, The Alchemist’s Daughter, Winter on the Plain of Ghosts, Sophie, in Shadow, and the speculative poetry collection Tales from the Holograph Woods. Wild Talent and Sophie, in Shadow were shortlisted for the Sunburst Award for Canadian Literature of the Fantastic. In contrast, The Alchemist’s Daughter and Sophie, in Shadow were shortlisted for the Sheila Egoff Award for Children’s Literature.

In addition to her fiction and poetry, Kernaghan has co-written two nonfiction books, and her short fiction has appeared in numerous Canadian and American literary and speculative publications. Beyond her own writing, she has played an important role in British Columbia’s literary community as a writing instructor, workshop leader, bookseller, mentor, and supporter of emerging writers. For twelve years, she operated a used bookstore in Burnaby (Neville Books) with her husband Pat, while continuing to teach writing workshops throughout the Lower Mainland.

The Eileen Kernaghan Award was created to honour her enduring contribution to speculative literature and to celebrate speculative short fiction and poetry connected to British Columbia and the West Coast.

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The Eileen Kernaghan Award is currently privately funded and supported through volunteer effort. Those wishing to contribute toward the long-term growth of the award, juror honorariums, commemorative pins, plaques, and future initiatives may do so here.

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Biographical information adapted from Eileen Kernaghan’s published author biography and an article by Allan Twigg for ABC BookWorld.

Links to more information on Eileen Kernaghan:

https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/kernaghan-eileen-1939

https://vcon412016.sched.com/speaker/eileenkernaghan1

https://www.csffa.ca/the-csffa-hall-of-fame/csffa-hall-of-fame-inductees/