Tracy Deonn

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Tracy Deonn
BornUnited States
OccupationAuthor
LanguageEnglish
Alma materUniversity of North Carolina
GenreYoung Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary
Notable worksLegendborn
Years active2020–present
Website
tracydeonn.com

Tracy Deonn is an American author. Her debut novel Legendborn (2020) was a New York Times bestseller and received a Coretta Scott King Award/John Steptoe Award.[1][2]

Early life and education[]

Deonn was raised in North Carolina, and as a child, was a fan of Star Wars, Star Trek, and science fiction and fantasy stories.[3] She holds a bachelor and master's degree in Communication and Performance Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.[3][4] Her mother died in 2008,[3] soon after Deonn graduated from UNC.[5]

Career[]

Deonn has taught theatre as well as creative and academic writing at the post-secondary level.[6] An essay she wrote was published in the 2018 book, Our Stories, Our Voices: 21 YA Authors Get Real About Injustice, Empowerment, and Growing Up Female in America, which led to Simon & Schuster editor Liesa Abrams contacting Deonn to express interest in any YA fiction that Deonn might write.[7] Deonn followed up by sending her unfinished novel and was then encouraged by Abrams to find an agent.[7]

Her debut novel Legendborn, a fantasy young adult book, was nominated for a Locus Award for Best Young Adult Novel and a Hugo Award for Best Young Adult Novel in 2021.[8][9] Deonn drew inspiration from African-American folk magic and tied them together with her own experiences and family history. In particular, she employed themes present in retellings of the legend of King Arthur.[6] In a review for Tor.com, Alex Brown writes, "Legendborn is an intoxicating mix of Southern Black traditions, the King Arthur mythos, and teenage melodrama. Tracy Deonn delves into age-old tropes and twists them into something bigger and better."[10]

Deonn has stated that one of her inspirations for Legendborn was her "own grief journey after the passing of my mother - we often look for stories in loss, and Legendborn is part of the story I told myself."[11] She has also described Susan Cooper as a literary influence.[7] She has been writing the second novel[12] in the Legendborn trilogy.[7]

Bibliography[]

  • Legendborn, Simon & Schuster/McElderry Books (15 September 2020)
  • Walker, Tracy Deonn (May 2007). "Authentic Chameleons: Mythic Identity, Performative Trickster-ing, and the Potential of the Telephone Booth Moment". Carolina Digital Repository. doi:10.17615/r8w4-xt40.

References[]

  1. ^ "Young Adult Hardcover Books - Best Sellers - Books - Oct. 4, 2020 - The New York Times". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  2. ^ admin (2009-01-18). "The Coretta Scott King Book Awards". Round Tables. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c Wilde, Susie (September 25, 2020). "Launching a universe: NC author's first YA novel debuts on NYT Best Sellers list". The News & Observer. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  4. ^ "Southern Futures Podcast with Carolina Alumna Tracy Deonn". Tar Heels Together. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  5. ^ Sizing, Jaqueline; Devine, Ivana; Hunter-Pillion, Melody. "Legendborn + Legendmaking". Southern Futures. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b "An Indies Introduce Q&A With Tracy Deonn". the American Booksellers Association. 2020-09-09. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Kirch, Claire (December 18, 2020). "Fall 2020 Flying Starts: Tracy Deonn". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  8. ^ locusmag (2021-05-01). "2021 Locus Awards Top Ten Finalists". Locus Online. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  9. ^ "2021 Hugo Awards". The Hugo Awards. 2021-01-01. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  10. ^ Brown, Alex (September 21, 2020). ""Take Risks, Follow Your Heart, and Move Forward": Legendborn by Tracy Deonn". Tor.com. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  11. ^ "What was the inspiration behind your... — Tracy Deonn Q&A". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  12. ^ Dodor, Elikem; Holub-Moorman, Grant; Rao, Anita (November 12, 2020). "Forget Hogwarts: Author Tracy Deonn Uncovers Magic And Darkness At UNC-Chapel Hill". WUNC 91.5. Retrieved 15 June 2021.

External links[]


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