Picture a North Carolina storyteller who reimagined King Arthur with a bold, modern twist—meet Tracy Deonn! This New York Times bestselling author has enchanted readers with her Legendborn Cycle, a young adult fantasy series that weaves Southern Black traditions, grief, and magic into unforgettable tales. With awards like the Coretta Scott King–John Steptoe Award, Deonn’s work is a beacon for diversity in literature.
Born and raised in central North Carolina, Deonn’s love for fantasy was sparked early, fueled by Star Wars, Star Trek, and her mother’s shared passion for sci-fi. Her unique perspective as a Black woman shapes her stories, blending cultural heritage with epic storytelling that resonates globally.
The Making of Tracy Deonn
Deonn’s journey to authorship was anything but linear. After earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communication and performance studies from UNC-Chapel Hill, she dove into diverse creative fields—live theater, video game production, and K–12 education. She taught theater to middle schoolers and writing at the university level, honing her knack for storytelling. The loss of her mother in 2008 profoundly shaped her, pausing her prose writing for a decade. Yet, this grief became a cornerstone of her debut novel, Legendborn, as she channeled personal loss into a magical narrative.
Tracy Deonn’s Unforgettable Stories
Deonn’s Legendborn Cycle is a triumph of contemporary fantasy, reimagining Arthurian legend through a Southern Black lens. Her debut, Legendborn (2020), follows Bree Matthews, a 16-year-old grappling with her mother’s death while uncovering a secret magical society at UNC-Chapel Hill. The novel’s rich magic system, rooted in African-American folk traditions, earned it the Coretta Scott King–John Steptoe Award and a spot on the New York Times bestseller list.
The sequel, Bloodmarked (2022), deepens Bree’s journey, exploring intergenerational trauma and racial politics with visceral intensity. Critics praise its action-packed pacing and modern Welsh language nods. The third installment, Oathbound (2025), continues the saga, with a fourth novel planned. Deonn’s short works, like her essay “Black Girl, Becoming” in Our Stories, Our Voices (2018) and a story in the Star Wars anthology From a Certain Point of View, showcase her versatility, blending geek culture with poignant themes.
Her writing style is vivid and immersive, with a cinematic quality drawn from her theater background. Deonn crafts complex characters and intricate magic systems inspired by video game logic, ensuring every power has rules and consequences. Her stories tackle heavy themes—grief, identity, and systemic injustice—with emotional authenticity, making them resonate with young readers and beyond.
Why Tracy Deonn Matters
Tracy Deonn is a trailblazer in young adult fantasy, amplifying Black voices in a genre often dominated by white narratives. Her work challenges the status quo, addressing colonialism, slavery’s legacy, and the complexities of Black girlhood at predominantly white institutions. Fans worldwide connect with her themes of loss and empowerment, and her success has inspired BIPOC authors to embrace their authentic stories. Deonn’s influence extends beyond books—she’s a sought-after speaker at sci-fi conventions and a Star Wars fandom expert, featured in the 2019 docu-series Looking for Leia.
- Born: Central North Carolina
- Key Works: Legendborn (2020), Bloodmarked (2022), Oathbound (2025)
- Awards: Coretta Scott King–John Steptoe Award, 2021 Ignyte Award for Best Young Adult Novel
- Fun Fact: Deonn wrote a Superman-inspired play for her master’s thesis!
Ready to dive into a world of magic and meaning? Snag Legendborn and discover Tracy Deonn’s spellbinding storytelling!