Christian Hurst

Christian Hurst
Author Christian Hurst at Tattered Corners Bookstore.jpg Author Christian Hurst at Tattered Corners Bookstore.jpg
Born	1982-11-23
🏳️ Nationality	American
🏫 Education	HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College, PennWest Edinboro
💼 Occupation	Author
👶 Children	1

Christian Hurst (born November 23, 1982) is an American author, creative director, and brand strategist. He is best known as the creator of the young adult space opera book series Lily Starling and for his career in corporate brand leadership.

Early Life and Education

Hurst was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He was raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), an upbringing he has noted influenced his later worldview regarding absolutism and identity. He left the church as a young adult and identifies as an atheist and humanist.

As a teenager, Hurst began his career in design as a graphic design intern for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He went on to study graphic design at Harrisburg Area Community College before attending Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (now PennWest Edinboro).

Career

Hurst built a career combining in-house and agency roles within corporate design and brand strategy. While living in Northwest Pennsylvania, he left university to pursue professional opportunities full-time.

He eventually joined Marriott International, serving as Design Director during the company's major merger with Starwood Hotels & Resorts. In this role, Hurst led design and brand initiatives across Marriott's global hotel portfolio and played a key part in the social strategy and development of the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program. He later transitioned to a senior brand leadership role at AARP.

Literary Career

In January 2025, Hurst self-published his debut novel, Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander. The young adult space opera introduces themes of time travel, found family, and characters navigating corrupt systems of control.

Utilizing his background in brand strategy and marketing, the book achieved notable independent success. Hurst subsequently entered into a publishing partnership with Outpost Books, an independent press based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Under this partnership, the debut novel was reissued in a revised second edition featuring updated formatting, professional editing, and new cover art.

Recognition and Awards

The Lily Starling series has received positive critical reception. In 2026, Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander won the Gold Medal for "Best First Book (Juvenile/Young Adult)" at the Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY Awards).

The series has been reviewed by Kirkus Reviews and was featured in an August 2026 industry spotlight in Kirkus Reviews Magazine. Additionally, media coverage has highlighted Hurst's work within broader trend analyses of independent publishing, and reviewers have praised the series' organic inclusion of LGBTQ+ themes.

Bibliography

The series is projected to span five volumes following the central protagonist, Lily, who is transported 500 years into the future. Hurst has also stated intentions for a subsequent five-book sequel series following the same characters later in life.

• Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander (ISBN 979-8218788032, January 30, 2025)
• Lily Starling and the Storm Riders (ISBN 979-8993932712, July 14, 2025)
• Lily Starling and the Death Machine (ISBN 979-8993932705, April 30, 2026)
• Lily Starling and the River of Time (ISBN 979-8993932774, September 9, 2026)

Personal Life

Hurst lived in Baltimore, Maryland, for the majority of his creative career, where his son was born. He and his wife are active in animal rescue and rights advocacy. Hurst currently resides in Pennsylvania.

In public appearances and interviews, Hurst frequently cites the influence of classic science fiction television, particularly Star Trek, on his humanistic philosophy and creative writing.

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