Tracy Deonn facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tracy Deonn
Tracy Deonn in Cincinnati, OH 2025
Born	United States
Occupation	Author
Language	English
Alma mater	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Genre	Young Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary
Years active	2020–present
Notable works	Legendborn Bloodmarked Oathbound

Tracy Deonn is an American author known for her exciting fantasy books. Her first novel, Legendborn, came out in 2020. It quickly became a New York Times bestseller. The book also won the Coretta Scott King–John Steptoe Award for New Talent. In 2021, it received the Ignyte Award for Best Young Adult Novel. Her next book, Bloodmarked, was published in 2022. It also became a #1 New York Times bestseller.

About Tracy Deonn

Tracy Deonn grew up in central North Carolina, in the United States. As a child, she loved science fiction and fantasy stories. She enjoyed shows like Star Wars and Star Trek with her mother.

Her Early Writing

When Tracy was nine years old, she wrote her first short story. Her mother helped her get it copyrighted. This means her story was officially protected as her own work.

College Life

Tracy Deonn attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). She earned both a bachelor's and a master's degree there. Her studies focused on communication and performance. During her time at UNC, she was also a member of the fraternity of St. Anthony Hall.

After graduating from UNC, Tracy faced a difficult time. Her mother passed away in 2008. Although she had the chance to continue her studies for a Ph.D., she decided to take a break. She spent a summer exploring San Francisco and practicing yoga.

Her Career Path

After her time in San Francisco, Tracy Deonn returned to Chapel Hill. She worked for the PlayMakers Repertory Company. She also taught college students in the UNC Communications Department. Tracy has also worked in video game production. She has experience in K-12 education as well.

Returning to Writing

For ten years after her mother's death, Tracy did not write prose. In 2018, she wrote an essay called "Black Girl, Becoming." This essay was published in a book titled Our Stories, Our Voices. An editor from Simon & Schuster, Liesa Abrams, read her essay. The editor was interested in any young adult fiction Tracy might write. Tracy then sent her an unfinished novel. The editor encouraged her to find a literary agent.

Tracy Deonn also contributed to the 40th anniversary The Empire Strikes Back book. It was called From a Certain Point of View. She also helped write and produce a 2019 Star Wars fan docu-series. This series, called Looking for Leia, aired on the Syfy channel. Tracy was featured in the series as an expert.

She is currently working on a series of three Legendborn novels. Tracy has spoken about the challenges of being a Black writer. She wants to represent her community well. However, she knows it is impossible to represent everyone. She aims to share her own experiences through her stories.

Legendborn Book

Tracy Deonn's first novel, Legendborn, is a fantasy young adult book. It was released in September 2020. Simon & Schuster/McElderry Books published it. The book was nominated for the Locus Award for Best Young Adult Book. It was also nominated for a Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book in 2021.

Tracy found inspiration for Legendborn in African-American folk magic. She combined these ideas with her own life and family history. The book also uses themes from the legends of King Arthur. A review in Tor.com called Legendborn "an intoxicating mix." It blends Southern Black traditions, the King Arthur myth, and teenage drama. Kirkus Reviews noted that the book includes strong, diverse characters. It also discusses emotional well-being and family experiences naturally.

For Legendborn, Tracy Deonn won the Coretta Scott King–John Steptoe Award for New Talent. This award came from the American Library Association. Tracy said winning felt like a big win for fantasy as a genre. It was especially important for Black American fantasy. She shared that losing her mother was an inspiration for Legendborn. She said, "We often look for stories in loss." She also mentioned Susan Cooper as a writer who influenced her.

Bloodmarked Book

In 2022, the sequel to Legendborn, titled Bloodmarked, was published. Felecia Wellington Radel reviewed the book for USA Today. She described it as "full of Black Girl Magic." She also said Bloodmarked pushes the boundaries of young-adult fantasy. It moves the action forward and introduces more lore and legends.

Alex Brown reviewed Bloodmarked for Tor.com. He noted that the book explores racial politics powerfully. He also said the book looks into how different generations respond to difficult experiences. Kirkus Reviews called the book "A worthy successor to an explosive debut." Bloodmarked debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. This was for Young Adult Hardcover books in 2022.