Cornelia Funke was born 1958 in Westphalia. After studying education theory, she worked for an educational project while completing a course in book illustration at the Hamburg State College of Design. She then worked as a board-games designer and illustrator of children’s books, and has since written over 40 children’s books.

Her works available in English include the novels Dragonrider and Inkheart, as well as The Thief Lord which is currently being shot as a film on location in Venice.

Funke lives with her family on the outskirts of Hamburg.