Cornelia Funke

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Cornelia Caroline Funke was born in 1958 in Dorsten, Germany, and is now a multiple award-winning author of children's and young adult fantasy fiction. She is best known for her 'Inkheart' trilogy, the first of which was adapted into a successful film in 2009.

The 'Inkheart' books have enjoyed worldwide success, and critics have praised Funke as the "German J.K. Rowling." Her books are very popular in her native country, and many have now been translated into English. She is estimated to have sold more than ten million books worldwide. She currently lives in Los Angeles, California, with her children Ben and Anna, a "wonderful and wacky" dog named Luna (nicknamed Looney) and a biting turtle called Hercules (even though she's a girl).

Author's Comment: Most adults will want to make you believe that with 18 at the latest you should have figured out what kind of profession is the right one for you. Don't believe a word of that!

Of course, there are people who know already at the age of six that they want to become a doctor or a teacher. Just don't worry if you're not one of these people. Take your time finding out what kind of work gives you so much joy that you could imagine doing it for the rest of your life. And then you can still change your mind halfway through your life and do something completely different. Why not?

Nationality: German