Do you remember reading The Goose Girl in junior high, hoping your parents would let you keep the light on all night? It was all any of the girls in my classes were reading. The first novel in the Books of Bayern series, The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale was named an American Library Association Top Ten Book for Young Adults and received the Josette Frank Award. Hale is a native of Salt Lake City and received her bachelor’s degree from our very own University of Utah.
Hale attended West High School in downtown Salt Lake after growing up in the surrounding area. She actually began writing short stories at the age of ten. According to her mother, Hale was constantly telling stories and creating fantasy tales as a child.
She spent time in Paraguay, Mexico and the United Kingdom before settling down again to complete her bachelor’s degree in English in Salt Lake. Before she was a professional writer, Hale tried her hand at acting and improve-comedy. She pursued her passion for writing at the University of Montana, where she completed her master’s degree in creative writing. Afterward, she began developing web-based interactions for Avaltus and Allen Communications.
Hale pursued her passion for writing throughout her life and college career but was met with rejection after rejection before The Goose Girl was picked up. A collection of her rejection letters serves as a reminder of Hale’s determination for herself and her audiences.
The “Books of Bayern” series encompasses four books, including Enna Burning, River Secrets and the latest Forest Born. Hale’s 2005 Princess Academy went on to receive the Newbury Honor Award. Her other works included ten young adult novels, two adult novels and two graphic novels she co-wrote with her husband. Today, Hale still resides near Salt Lake City. This year alone she has released two new books: Midnight in Austenland and Princess Academy: Palace of Stone.