Anne Robillard was born on February 9, 1955, in Longueuil, Quebec. The eldest daughter of a ballet teacher, Pierrette Gagné, and an actor, Jean-Claude Robillard (notably known for voicing Grand-papa Bi in Passe-Partout), she grew up in a world steeped in art and performance. She graduated from the University of Montreal with degrees in French and translation and worked for 27 years as a legal secretary at Ogilvy Renault before spending three years as a freelance translator.
Fantasy and the fantastic have always been at the heart of Anne’s works. For 30 years, she tirelessly submitted her novels to various publishers who, while appreciating their quality, did not yet have a dedicated collection for this genre. Thanks to the Harry Potter phenomenon, they eventually recognized the importance of fantasy in Quebec, paving the way for the publication of her novels.
On October 15, 2002, the first volume of The Knights of Emerald was published. The series, composed of 12 volumes, concluded in 2008 and has sold more than 5 million copies in Quebec and France.
For years, this saga was used in secondary school French classes, captivating students throughout Quebec. Teachers eagerly adopted it, recognizing its unique power: to spark a love of reading even among the most reluctant. But the appeal of The Knights of Emerald goes far beyond youth. In autograph lines, readers aged 7 to 97, from all backgrounds and origins, can be found. Many adults have confided that they reconnected with reading thanks to this saga.
In recognition of her success, Anne received in 2006 the Archambault Grand Literary Prize for the fifth volume of The Knights of Emerald, as well as the Readers’ Prize at the Trois-Rivières Book Fair in 2007. She has also been nominated for several other awards both in Quebec and Europe.
The saga continued in 2010 with The Heirs of Enkidiev, a new series extending the adventures of the Knights.
The Crystal Strings (2012), a novel set in the 1980s inspired by her passion for rock music.
The Return of the Thunderbird (2014), an esoteric trilogy exploring the meaning of our existence.
The Knights of Antarès (2016), a heroic fantasy saga with steampunk touches, continuing the adventures of Wellan of Emerald.
Legends of Ashur-Sîn (2021) and The Magicians of Enkidiev (2023), further extensions of the Knights’ universe.
The Curse of the Dragensblöt (2019), a 7-volume series where Samuel, against his will, must break the spell of his ancestors.
In 2023, a spin-off was launched: Maynard Bennett – Investigator of the Strange.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Knights of Emerald, she offered readers The First Knights (volume 0) in 2023.
Anne has also explored comic books since 2011. Thanks to Tiburce Oger, she published five Knights of Emerald albums, with more planned from 2017 onward. In collaboration with Cristian Pacurariu, she also created a comic inspired by A.N.G.E. With the help of her sister Claudia, she enriched her universe by publishing several companion books.
Despite her success, Anne still nurtures big projects. She dreams of seeing her sagas adapted for screen and of writing her own screenplays, though finding a production company that respects her vision and the values of The Knights of Emerald remains a challenge.