HF
§Author· 5 books
Heather Fawcett
Combining folklore scholarship with cozy fantasy, the Emily Wilde series brought a distinctive academic lens and dry humor to modern fairy literature. Heather Fawcett gained widespread recognition with Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, establishing herself as a versatile fantasy writer across adult, young adult, and middle-grade fiction. Her books have been published as New York Times, USA Today, and Sunday Times bestsellers and translated into more than twenty languages.
Career & Background
Before writing full time, Fawcett pursued an academic background that directly informed her world-building, earning a Bachelor's degree in Archaeology and a Master's degree in English Literature. She worked in a variety of fields including archaeology, photography, technical writing, and backstage assistance for a Shakespearean theater festival. Active as a published novelist since 2017, she initially made her mark in young adult and middle-grade fiction with works such as Even the Darkest Stars, Ember and the Ice Dragons, The Language of Ghosts, and The School Between Winter and Fairyland. In 2023, she expanded into adult fiction with Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries while continuing her middle-grade publishing with The Grace of Wild Things. Based on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Fawcett has received award nominations for honors including the Hugo, Locus, Mythopoeic, and Silver Birch awards.
Writing Style & Themes
A hallmark of Fawcett's fantasy narrative style is the integration of meticulous lore, atmospheric settings, and scholar-protagonists who utilize field notes, citations, and journal entries. Her work blends classic fairy tale tropes with lighthearted humor and complex magical ecosystems. Notably, dragons—whether literal creatures or subtle symbolic elements—appear in every single one of her books across all age categories. Her expanding catalog ranges from cozy adult fantasy to whimsical middle-grade and speculative works such as Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter and A Galaxy of Whales.
Major Works
- Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries — Published in 2023, this adult fantasy novel introduces a curmudgeonly Cambridge professor researching faeries in a northern village, launching the popular Emily Wilde series.
- Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands — The sequel to Fawcett's adult debut follows Professor Emily Wilde on a dangerous search through uncharted faerie realms.
- Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales — An installment in the Emily Wilde series continuing the academic and magical misadventures of its titular scholar.
- Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter — A cozy fantasy novel featuring Fawcett's signature blend of magical warmth and animal-centered storytelling.
- A Galaxy of Whales — A speculative fantasy title expanding Fawcett's imaginative work into cosmic themes.
- The Grace of Wild Things — A 2023 middle-grade fantasy novel that offers a magical reimagining of Anne of Green Gables involving witches and spellcraft.
- Even the Darkest Stars — Fawcett's debut young adult fantasy series following mountain-climbing explorers and dangerous magical creatures.
- Ember and the Ice Dragons — A middle-grade adventure story about an adopted girl who is secretly a dragon traveling to Antarctica to save dragonkind.
§All Books
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries
Heather Fawcett, 2022
530 ratings
Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands
Heather Fawcett, 2024
242 ratings
Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales
Heather Fawcett, 2025
65 ratings
Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter
Heather Fawcett, 2026
1 ratings
A Galaxy of Whales
Heather Fawcett, 2024