Tracy Deonn is a writer and second-generation fangirl. She grew up in central North Carolina, where she devoured fantasy books and Southern food in equal measure. After earning her master's degree in communication and performance studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Tracy worked in live theater, video game production, and K-12 education. When she's not writing, Tracy speaks on panels at science fiction and fantasy conventions, reads fanfic, arranges puppy playdates, and keeps an eye out for ginger-flavored everything. She can be found on Twitter at @TracyDeonn and at TracyDeonn.com.
Legendborn is about to be your new favorite book. * Nerdist * Deonn's contemporary fantasy is a cultural gem that will connect readers with their roots in the most gut-punching, unapologetic of ways. * Booklist, starred review * Legendborn establishes Deonn as an important new voice in YA. * Bookpage, starred review * [R]ich and explosive debut. * School Library Journal, starred review * Legendborn is a remarkable debut that should firmly place Tracy Deonn on every fantasy and contemporary YA reader's radar. Deft and insightful blending of Arthurian legend and Southern Black American history make for an engrossing tale of mystery, romance, and finding your place in the world? - an absolute must-read! -- Alyssa Cole Legendborn is a thrilling and tense fantasy that weaves Arthurian adventure with southern Black culture into a story that had me shouting. It will hook readers from the very beginning and leave them breathless until the final, mind-blowing revelation -- Kwame Mbalia An intoxicating mix of Southern Black traditions, the King Arthur mythos and teenage melodrama. * Tor.com * explores themes of ancestral pain, grief and love, balancing them with stimulating world-building and multiple thrilling plot twists * Publishers Weekly * A promising series debut perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare's City of Bones and Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Boys. This book underscores the movement for more inclusive versions of traditional Western narratives, and will be a favourite of contemporary fantasy readers. Highly recommended * School Library Journal STARRED REVIEW * This is the fantasy novel for all once and future fans of suspense-filled storytelling * Kirkus Reviews * It takes a special talent to breathe fresh life into Arthurian legend, but Deonn does it with ease in this fast-paced tale * i News? * Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare and Kiersten White, Tracy Deonn's unique reimagining of Arthurian legend is full of magic and heart. A brilliant debut! -- Ashley Poston Legendborn is intoxicating, electrifying, and resonates with a deep understanding and vulnerable adoration of what it is to be a Black girl searching for the magic of herself. Tracy Deonn captivates you from page one with her perfect pacing, exhilarating plotting, and a command of storytelling that cannot be ignored. This book will hold everything you are hostage until, page by page, you discover how it has actually set you free. -- L. L. McKinney Legendborn is an enthralling, standout modern fantasy about history and power, and Deonn is an author to watch. -- Kiersten White A King Arthur reimagining that adds seats to the roundtable, inviting new readers to find themselves within its lore, Tracy Deonn's Legendborn braids southern folk traditions and Black Girl Magic into a searing modern tale of grief, power and self-discovery. -- Dhonielle Clayton