Philippa Ballantine

Biography

Born in Wellington, New Zealand, Philippa has always had her head in a book. For this she blames her father who thought Lord of the Rings was suitable bedtime reading for an eight year old. At the age of thirteen she began writing fantasy stories for herself.

She first earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Political Science and then a Bachelor of Applied Science in Library and Information Science. So soon enough she found herself working in the magical world of libraries where she stayed for over a decade.

Her first professional sale was in 1997, and since then she has gone on to produce mostly novel length fiction. In 2006 she became New Zealand’s first podcast novelist, and she has voiced and produced Weaver’s Web, Chasing the Bard, Weather Child and Digital Magic as podiobooks. Her podcasts have been short listed for the Parsec Awards, and won a Sir Julius Vogel award.

Philippa is the author of the Books of the Order series with Ace- Geist and Spectyr are available now while, Wrayth (2012) and Harbinger (2013) are to follow. She is also the co-author of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series with Tee Morris. Phoenix Rising debuted in May 2011 and the Janus Affair will be out in 2012. She also has the Shifted World series with Pyr Books, with the first book Hunter and Fox coming in 2012.

When not writing or podcasting, Philippa loves reading, gardening, and whenever possible traveling. Her two Siberian cats, Sebastian and Viola make sure she and the family stay out of trouble.

Where to find Philippa Ballantine online

Where to buy in print

Books

The Straw Garden
Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 2,170. Language: English. Published: February 18, 2024 by ImagineThat! Studios. Categories: Fiction » Literature » Literary
A woman goes looking for answers about her grandmother in a drawer of old photos. Through them she travels back in time, finding answers and more that—something she’d thought she’d lost.
Creative Indulgences
Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 54,030. Language: English. Published: February 26, 2019 by ImagineThat! Studios. Categories: Fiction » Anthologies » Short stories - single author, Fiction » Fantasy » General
Born from Philippa Ballantine’s Patreon feed, these thirteen stories span fantasy, horror and science fiction. They explore the dark places of the human soul, the brightness of hope, and the void between worlds. A clone finds the welcoming voice of an alien. A small dragon learns the secrets of the past. The bodies of the dead dance in an ancient church.
Wrayth
Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 99,310. Language: English. Published: October 23, 2018 by ImagineThat! Studios. Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Paranormal
In the Empire of Arkaym, the Order of Deacons protects and shelters the citizens from the attacks of the unliving. All are sworn to fight the evil forces of the geists—and to keep the world safe from the power of the Otherside… Although she is one of the most powerful Deacons in the Order, Sorcha Faris is still unable to move or speak after her last battle.
Spectyr
Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 110,250. Language: English. Published: September 25, 2018 by ImagineThat! Studios. Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Paranormal
She might be most powerful Deacon, but Sorcha Faris has a tarnished reputation to overcome. Frustratingly, her superiors have her and her partner, Merrick Chambers, chasing down rumors of geists rather than the real thing. So they jump at the chance to escort a delegation going south for negotiations.
Geist
Price: $2.99 USD. Words: 120,380. Language: English. Published: August 28, 2018 by ImagineThat! Studios. Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Paranormal
The undead are here and only the Deacons stand in their way. The Order of the Deacons, stand as protectors of the Empire, guardians against ghost possession, sentinels warding off the malevolent haunting of the geists. Sorcha Faris, the most powerful deacon of the Order, finds herself thrust into an unwanted partnership with a total novice, Merrick Chambers.
Kindred and Wings
Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 95,590. Language: English. Published: May 3, 2017 by ImagineThat! Studios. Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Dark, Fiction » Fantasy » Epic
On the back of the dragon Wahirangi, Finn the Fox flees the world he has known. As he sets out to find the brother he never knew of, he still holds in his heart the memory of the Hunter. He has denied his love for her, but he cannot deny it forever. In the halls of the Last Believers, Talyn begins to uncover her own mysteries.
Hunter and Fox
Price: $2.99 USD. Words: 108,730. Language: English. Published: May 3, 2017 by ImagineThat! Studios. Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Epic, Fiction » Fantasy » Dark
The world of Conhaero is in constant flux; mountains can change to plains and then to lakes in a matter of weeks. It is a place where only the most adaptable can survive, but also a refuge to people from other worlds seeking peace—but nothing is as it should be. The native protectors of the realm, the Vaerli are scattered and cursed.
Weather Child
Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 105,440. Language: English. Published: March 1, 2014 by ImagineThat! Studios. Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Historical, Fiction » Romance » Fantasy
Never alone. Never apart. They are the Awakened, a unique breed of people in a remote corner of the world. Faith is one of these gifted carriers of the Seraphim; and in return of her unconditional love, her Seraphim grants her powers of incredible potential. But not all carriers embrace their blessing.
Cradle of Love and Fire
Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 3,750. Language: English. Published: April 23, 2013 by ImagineThat! Studios. Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » General, Fiction » Fantasy » Short stories
In the mystical realm of Nyket, the serene woods that were once the sacred homes of the elves face an unprecedented challenge with the arrival of mankind. While many elves choose to retreat deeper into the tranquility of the forest, a lone and courageous elf named Liene takes her stand on an isolated island. However, she cannot be prepared for the emotions one particular human brings with him.
The Thorns of Life
Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 4,710. Language: English. Published: April 17, 2013 by ImagineThat! Studios. Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » General, Fiction » Science fiction » Short stories
From the author of Geist, and Kindred and Wings, and the co-author of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences, comes a short story of clones, rebellion and poets. A company decides to clone the first famous figures from the past, and they settle on the trio of Romantic Poets, Shelley, Byron and Keats. After all, how much trouble can a few poets cause? But the insipid Victorian view of the men has l
Digital Magic
Series: The Chronicles of Art, Book 2. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 102,710. Language: English. Published: January 10, 2011 by ImagineThat! Studios. Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Contemporary, Fiction » Science fiction » Cyberpunk
In this sequel to Chasing the Bard, the Fey are gone and with them, magic. Yet all my not be as it seems. Penherem is a sleepy English village where people go to hide from the twenty-first century. However with the arrival of a magical thief everyone begins to change-from the local librarian to the lady of the manor-revealing their true natures and dangerous secrets.
Chasing the Bard
Series: The Chronicles of Art, Book 1. Price: $2.99 USD. Words: 103,280. Language: English. Published: January 10, 2011 by ImagineThat! Studios. Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Historical
Sive, the goddess of battle, hopes that William Shakespeare may be able to change the fate of her people. The Fey are dying, killed by something beyond the boundaries of worlds. But a dark power imprisoned by human and Fey, plots to destroy both worlds, and unmake all that they have created. Can the magic of word and imagination save creation?