Tonya Hurley
Encyclopedia
Tonya Hurley is an American writer and director in film, television, live performance, interactive media and the New York Times bestselling author of the book series ghostgirl
(2008). The Blesssed, Hurley's upcoming trilogy, will be released by Simon and Schuster in Fall 2012.
Her work includes Kiss My Brain (1997); The Biblical Real World (1998); Solo-Me-O (1999), first broadcast on PBS
in their documentary series Reel New York; Baptism Of Solitude: A Tribute To Paul Bowles (2000), Tribeca Film Festival
selection which aired on the Independent Film Channel
, nominated for a Rockefeller Foundation
Award in film and is being distributed on a DVD through The United Nations; and Best Friend (2001), which premiered at the 2002 Tribeca Film Festival
and Edinburgh Film Festival and was broadcast on Trio
, and a feature length script, "Good Mourning" which made the semi-finals of the Sundance Institute
's Writer's Lab.
Hurley was co-creator and co-producer of the sitcom So Little Time
(ABC Family
) and the animated series Mary-Kate and Ashley in Action! (ABC
) both starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
. She was the primary provider of original content for the mary-kateandashley website and creator and co-executive producer of mary-kateandashley brand video games for PlayStation 2
and Game Boy
. She wrote, produced and directed commercials for Warner Home video, PlayStation and Game Boy and developed mary-kateandashley dolls and boardgames for Mattel
.
Hurley's most recent creation (as of 2008) is ghostgirl
, launched in 2002 on ghostgirl.com and published as a Young Adult series from Little, Brown published on August 1, 2008.
The first novel of the series has received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly
, Kirkus, VOYA and School Library Journal
. It hit the New York Times best-seller list the week of September 14, 2008.
She's married to the publicist and artist manager Michael Pagnotta
and her sister, Tracy Hurley Martin, is the wife of Vince Clarke
, the composer and musician of the British band Erasure
and founding member of the bands Depeche Mode
and Yazoo
.
Tracy Hurley Martin and Tonya Hurley own and operate the TV and film production company Kill Your Darlings, Inc.
Ghostgirl
ghostgirl is the debut novel from author and filmmaker Tonya Hurley. It is the story of High School senior "Charlotte Usher", a misfitoutsider whose desperation to be popular lives on even after her sudden death. The Young Adult novel was published on August 1, 2008 by Little, Brown and Company,...
(2008). The Blesssed, Hurley's upcoming trilogy, will be released by Simon and Schuster in Fall 2012.
Her work includes Kiss My Brain (1997); The Biblical Real World (1998); Solo-Me-O (1999), first broadcast on PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
in their documentary series Reel New York; Baptism Of Solitude: A Tribute To Paul Bowles (2000), Tribeca Film Festival
Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Film Festival is a film festival founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro and Craig Hatkoff in a response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the consequent loss of vitality in the TriBeCa neighborhood in Lower Manhattan.The mission of the festival...
selection which aired on the Independent Film Channel
Independent Film Channel
The Independent Film Channel is an American cable TV network that airs independent film and related programming. IFC programming includes commercially interrupted feature-length films, original documentaries, shorts, animated series, original series, acquired series, and content exclusively for...
, nominated for a Rockefeller Foundation
Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a prominent philanthropic organization and private foundation based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The preeminent institution established by the six-generation Rockefeller family, it was founded by John D. Rockefeller , along with his son John D. Rockefeller, Jr...
Award in film and is being distributed on a DVD through The United Nations; and Best Friend (2001), which premiered at the 2002 Tribeca Film Festival
Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Film Festival is a film festival founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro and Craig Hatkoff in a response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the consequent loss of vitality in the TriBeCa neighborhood in Lower Manhattan.The mission of the festival...
and Edinburgh Film Festival and was broadcast on Trio
Trio (TV network)
Trio was an American cable and satellite television network.Trio went on the air in 1997, then originally owned and operated jointly by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Power Broadcasting Inc. as a venue for airing the CBC's arts, culture and entertainment programming in the U.S...
, and a feature length script, "Good Mourning" which made the semi-finals of the Sundance Institute
Sundance Institute
Sundance Institute is a non-profit organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981 that actively advances the work of filmmakers and storytellers worldwide...
's Writer's Lab.
Hurley was co-creator and co-producer of the sitcom So Little Time
So Little Time
So Little Time is an American sitcom starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen that aired on Fox Family. The first half of the series aired from June 2, 2001 to August 15, 2001. The series then went on a four-month hiatus, due to network management changes...
(ABC Family
ABC Family
ABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
) and the animated series Mary-Kate and Ashley in Action! (ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
) both starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Fuller Olsen are American actresses and entrepreneurs.Both have appeared in television and films since infancy. Since then, they have continued their celebrity through numerous television programs, films, interviews, as well as commercial endorsements...
. She was the primary provider of original content for the mary-kateandashley website and creator and co-executive producer of mary-kateandashley brand video games for PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
. She wrote, produced and directed commercials for Warner Home video, PlayStation and Game Boy and developed mary-kateandashley dolls and boardgames for Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
.
Hurley's most recent creation (as of 2008) is ghostgirl
Ghostgirl
ghostgirl is the debut novel from author and filmmaker Tonya Hurley. It is the story of High School senior "Charlotte Usher", a misfitoutsider whose desperation to be popular lives on even after her sudden death. The Young Adult novel was published on August 1, 2008 by Little, Brown and Company,...
, launched in 2002 on ghostgirl.com and published as a Young Adult series from Little, Brown published on August 1, 2008.
The first novel of the series has received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
, Kirkus, VOYA and School Library Journal
School Library Journal
The School Library Journal is a monthly magazine with articles and reviews for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, with a focus on technology and multimedia. Reviews are included for preschool to 4th grade,...
. It hit the New York Times best-seller list the week of September 14, 2008.
She's married to the publicist and artist manager Michael Pagnotta
Michael Pagnotta
Michael Pagnotta is a veteran entertainment publicist, music supervisor and artist manager.He is perhaps best known as the former longtime spokesman and media advisor to Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, the mary-kateandashley brand and their company, Dualstar Entertainment Group...
and her sister, Tracy Hurley Martin, is the wife of Vince Clarke
Vince Clarke
Vince Clarke is an English synthpop musician and songwriter. Clarke has been involved with a number of successful groups, including Depeche Mode, Yazoo, The Assembly and Erasure....
, the composer and musician of the British band Erasure
Erasure
Erasure are an English synthpop duo, consisting of songwriter and keyboardist Vince Clarke and singer Andy Bell. Erasure entered the music scene in 1985 with their debut single "Who Needs Love Like That"...
and founding member of the bands Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
and Yazoo
Yazoo
Yazoo may mean:*Yazoo tribe, a Native American people who lived in Mississippi*Yazoo *Yazoo River, in the state of Mississippi*Yazoo stream, a type of floodplain tributary...
.
Tracy Hurley Martin and Tonya Hurley own and operate the TV and film production company Kill Your Darlings, Inc.