{{Short description|Australian author}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} '''Kylie Chan''' is an Australian author, best known for ''The Dark Heavens'' trilogy, set in modern-day Hong Kong.<ref>{{cite news|title=BOOKS - BESTSELLERS|url=https://global-factiva-com.ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/ga/default.aspx|accessdate=2 November 2015|publisher=Sunday Telegraph (subscription required)|date=12 May 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Purdon|first1=Fiona|title=Tapping a teen market|url=https://global-factiva-com.ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/ga/default.aspx|accessdate=2 November 2015|publisher=The Courier-Mail (subscription required)|date=23 January 2010}}</ref> The first novel in the trilogy, ''White Tiger'', was published in July 2006, followed by ''Red Phoenix'' in January 2007. The last in the trilogy, ''Blue Dragon'' was released in August 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://kyliechan.com/books/|title=Books by Kylie Chan |author= |date= |website=kyliechan.com |access-date=July 13, 2015 }}</ref> After this, she wrote two more trilogies with the same characters.

==Personal life and culture in works== In the introduction to ''White Tiger'', Chan stated that one of her ancestors was Chinese and that growing up, her Asian identity was something hidden. She says her identity has shaped her writing, which emerges as a blend of Eastern and Western culture, food, ideas, and values coming together in harmony.

==Writing history== Drawing from the years Chan spent living in Hong Kong,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/living-in-two-worlds-20110827-1jf9r.html/|title=Living in two worlds |author=Samantha Selinger-Morris |date=August 28, 2011 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=July 13, 2015 }}</ref> and her careful research into Chinese myth and philosophy, the Dark Heavens trilogy introduces Emma Donahoe, who takes a job as nanny to the daughter of a wealthy businessman. Unaware at first that he is in reality a Chinese god, she is drawn into a world of martial arts and magic where gods and demons walk the streets.

On her publisher's website Kylie Chan explains how she came to write ''The Dark Heavens'' trilogy, saying that after she returned to live in Australia, she read her way through every fantasy title she could find. Basing her writing on the genres she enjoyed - romance, action and the supernatural, and adding her knowledge of, and research into Chinese mythology and Taoist philosophy she created the first in the series, ''White Tiger''.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.voyageronline.com.au/authors/kylie-chan/|title=Kylie Chan |author= |date= |website=Harper Voyager |access-date=July 13, 2015 }}</ref>

Two further trilogies in the same universe followed, starting in 2009. The first of these trilogies is the 'Journey to Wudang' trilogy, the third book of which was released in 2011. This trio of trilogies is notable for featuring Sun Wukong, the famous "Monkey King" from the classic novel Journey to the West, as a recurring character.

==Works== These are a collection of Kylie's novels and short stories.

=== Xuan Wu series === The ''Xuan Wu series''<ref name=KylieChan-2015-10-07>{{cite web |url= http://kyliechan.com/my-editors-comments-about-black-jade/ |title= My Editor's Comments about 'Black Jade' |date= 7 October 2015 |author= Kylie Chan |publisher= KylieChan.com }}</ref> is Kylie Chan's premiere fictional universe.

==== Dark Heavens ==== The Dark Heavens is the first trilogy Kylie wrote. # ''White Tiger'' (2006)<ref>{{cite web|last1=Gordon|first1=Amy|title=White Tiger by Kylie Chan (review)|url=http://www.geekspeakmagazine.com/archive/issue18/reviews/books/inthestacks/white_tiger.htm|publisher=Geek Speak Magazine|accessdate=2 November 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Bursztynski|first1=Sue|title=Bui Hu and Mary-Sue|url=http://www.januarymagazine.com/SFF/whitetiger.html|publisher=January Magazine|accessdate=2 November 2015}}</ref> # ''Red Phoenix'' (2007)<ref>{{cite web|last1=Haynes|first1=Nalini|title=Red Phoenix by Kylie Chan (review)|date=21 August 2013|url=http://www.darkmatterzine.com/red-phoenix/|publisher=Dark Matter Zine|accessdate=2 November 2015}}</ref> # ''Blue Dragon'' (2007)

==== Journey To Wudang ==== This is a sequel to the Dark Heavens. # ''Earth to Hell'' (16/12/2009)<ref>{{cite web|title=Earth to Hell: Journey to Wudang, Book 1 (review)| date=September 2012 |url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-06-202143-4|publisher=Publishers Weekly|accessdate=2 November 2015}}</ref> # ''Hell to Heaven'' (1/8/2010) # ''Heaven to Wudang'' (24/5/2011)

==== Celestial Battle ==== This is a sequel to Journey to Wudang # ''Dark Serpent'' (01/05/2013) # ''Demon Child'' (01/06/2014 Au, 30/09/2014 elsewhere) # ''Black Jade'' (2016)

As part of their anniversary celebrations in 2010, Voyager have released ''White Tiger'' in a hardback edition. All other volumes are only available in paperback.

==== Short stories ==== * ''Small Shen'' (2012), a prequel to "The Dark Heavens" trilogy, following the character Gold. * ''Child Support'' (2005), a story in the anthology The Devil In Brisbane * '' Gravity Engine'' (2011), a story about Prince Michael. * '' Black Scales, White Fur'' (2010), a story about the white tiger falling in love with a snake mother.

== References == {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{official website|http://kyliechan.com/}} * {{ISFDB name|id=Kylie_Chan|name=Kylie Chan}} * [http://www.voyageronline.com.au/author-qa-with-kylie-chan/ Author Q&A with Kylie Chan] at Harper Voyager

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chan, Kylie}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Australian fantasy writers Category:Australian women novelists