Betsy Cornwell is a New York Times bestselling author, living in west Ireland. She has a vast experience in magazine and book publishing, having worked with popular novelists such as Emily Giffin and Nicholas Sparks at Park Literary Group. Cornwell has also been a columnist and editor at “Teen Ink” and Editor in Chief at “Labry.” She later pursued her MFA in creative writing from the University of Notre Dame and graduated with honors.
Cornwell's writing includes fiction, nonfiction, and literary translation, which has appeared in various publications such as Fairy Tale Review, Zahir Tales, Luna Luna, and The Violence Prevention Initiative Journal. She is currently the story editor and a contributing writer at Parabola, an international magazine that focuses on religion and mythology.
Cornwell's debut novel, “Tides,” was a young adult retelling of “The Selkie Bride,” an Irish folk tale, and was published in 2013. The novel received critical acclaim, including a starred review from Publishers Weekly, a place in the Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the the Year, and a Bisexual Book Awards nomination. Her second novel, “Mechanica,” a steampunk retelling of the classic Cinderella story, was published in 2015 and was a bestselling title. The novel has featured on several best of the year lists, including Amazon.com’s Best Young Adult Books and USA Today’s Must-Read Romances.
Cornwell's subsequent novels, “Venturess” and “The Forest Queen,” have also received significant recognition. “Venturess,” published in 2017, is the second novel in the Mechanica series and has been praised for hitting a sweet spot for fairy tale and steampunk lovers. The novel has been featured on several best of the year lists, including Amazon.com’s Best Young Adult Books and USA Today’s Must-Read Romances. “The Forest Queen,” a lyrical retelling of Robin Hood, is forthcoming from Clarion Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on August 7, 2018. The novel is a fiercely female, feminist take on the traditional legend and has received a starred review from Booklist. Cornwell's latest novel, “The Circus Rose,” a queer YA retelling of “Snow White and Rose Red,” is slated for release in fall 2019.