Cirrus@Austlit

Andrew J. McKiernan is an Australian speculative fiction writer and illustrator. His illustrations have appeared in Aurealis and in an array of books and anthologies, notably In Bad Dreams (2007), Shane Jiraiya Cummings' Shards: Forty Short Sharp Tales (q.v., 2009) and the Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild's 2009 anthology Masques. He was also a featured illustrator in the 2005 release Australian Speculative Fiction: A Genre Overview.

In addition to his work as an illustrator McKiernan operates his own business, Kephra Design, which he established in 2003. Specialising in graphic design, illustration and web development, Kephra's web development side is primarily involved in servicing the Australian independent publishing industry. In this respect McKiernan has been engaged by speculative fiction organisations and publications such as Enit Press, Aurealis and the Australian Horror Writers Association (qq.v). Kaphra has also designed and/or helped develop websites for Good Reading magazine and individual authors such as Russell Kirkpatrick, Karen Miller, Kylie Chan, Trudi Canavan, Marianne de Pierres and Nathan Burrage (qq.v.).

As a writer McKiernan short stores have been published since 2007. These include the anthologies Shadow Plays (2007), Black Box e-anthology (2008), Masques Anthology (2009) and In Bad Dreams 2: Where Death Stalks (2009). His stories have also appeared in Black: Australian Dark Culture Magazine (2008) and Aurealis (2009).

A founding editor of the HorrorScope: The Australian Dark Fiction Web Log, an online news and reviews webzine, McKiernan's involvement in the speculative fiction industry includes being an active member of Australian Horror Writers Association and Art Director for Aurealis Magazine (which he joined in 2004). In 2009, McKiernan received Ditmar Award nominations for Best Artwork and Best Fan Artist. The following year his short story "The Message" received short listing nominations for both an Aurealis Award (Horror Short Story) and Australian Shadows Award (Short Fiction).

McKiernan has been based on the New South Wales Central Coast for a number of years, where he lives with his wife and two children.