Courtney Lillard was born and raised in Appleton, Wisconsin as the third of five children. Growing up, she enjoyed participating in music and theater, allowing her to develop a deeper interest in the arts. 

 

After graduating high school, Lillard moved to Quincy, Illinois to pursue her B.A. in Broadcasting and Public Relations Communications from Quincy University. There, she met her future husband, and the two continued their education at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois. 

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In February of 2018, Lillard completed her M.A. in Communication Studies and began writing during the following months before she moved to Lincoln, Nebraska. During that time, the first drafts of The Dark Angel series came to fruition. Book One was officially published in January of 2021, though several edits and cover changes took place before its final version released. Lillard's latest work, Book One of The Yeluthian Duology, was published in August of 2023. She and her husband currently reside in Hannibal, Missouri. 

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Outside of writing, Lillard is a fan of reading fantasy stories and the classics. Her other hobbies include cooking, playing video games, working outdoors in the yard, and doing puzzles.