FAQ

The Legendborn Cycle

How many books are in The Legendborn Cycle?

There are currently two named titles in The Legendborn Cycle: LEGENDBORN and BLOODMARKED. It was planned as a trilogy.
When does BLOODMARKED come out?

BLOODMARKED is out now! You can get your copy here!
What inspired you to write Legendborn?

I started with Bree and her question: "What happened to my mother?" When my own mother passed away, I learned that she had lost her mother at the same age that I lost her, and that the same had occurred with my grandmother and great-grandmother—a strange pattern with no explanation.

As an SFF writer, I started to imagine a story that could explain the pattern of loss in my family, which led me to ask: “Whose lives and losses get memorialized and whose get forgotten?” For most Black Americans, this question is fraught due to the impact of enslavement and the loss of family history, names, stories. That’s where King Arthur showed up. To me, there was a natural connection from my question about real lives that we don’t know about to this fifteen hundred year old idea about a man who may or may not have existed, but whose life and death are considered epic and legendary.
Team Nick or Team Sel?

I wrote the entirety of Legendborn without deciding on a team. I couldn’t decide and one day realized I didn’t necessarily have to in order to write it. I think this is part of the reason the developing triangle is compelling. Each party has a lot of their own stuff going on, and also with each of the other parties. I love mess!
I’m an educator/lead a book club. Is there a Reading Group Guide for Legendborn?

Yes! Simon and Schuster partnered with Dr. Stephanie R. Toliver, an assistant professor of Literacy and Secondary Humanities at the University of Colorado, Boulder, to produce a guide available for classroom, library, and reading group use. You may find it on this page.

Events and Appearances

Are you available for events?

It depends on my schedule. Contact my publicists with your request.

My availability and in-person appearance requirements are subject to change depending on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. For the foreseeable future, virtual appearances are preferable.
Do you do convention appearances?

I love conventions, but have to evaluate each invitation on a case by case basis. Please contact my publicists with your request.
Can you speak at my class/bookclub/school?

It depends on my schedule. Please contact my publicists with your request. I also have a reading guide available for book clubs here.

Writing

How did you become an author? How did you start writing?

I’ve been a storyteller my whole life, but I wrote my first story when I was nine. Later I wrote very angsty teen poetry—a specific genre of writing that I think lives in the history of most creative writers!—and after that I tried fiction again, more poetry, plays, academic non-fiction, and even video game scripts.

I started writing creatively with the intent to publish in 2017 and submitted a story to an anthology’s open call contest for a new writer. After winning one of the open spots, the editor of the anthology reached out to ask if I was interested in writing fiction...and the rest is history!
How many drafts do you do before it’s a finished product?

I do maybe 5-7 whole drafts, but I also do tons of micro-revisions and passes that focus on one aspect or one character at a time.
Do you listen to music when you write?
Yes, mostly movie scores Songs with drama, triumph, stakes, energy, but nothing with words. Legendborn was written to a playlist including:
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier
- X-Men: First Class
- Jupiter Ascending
- E.S. Posthumus
I also curated a book playlist for the Owlcrate edition of Legendborn, you can listen to that here.

Do you have any tips for aspiring fantasy writers?

Finish a thing. It doesn’t have to be the BIG novel idea at first, but finish a piece of challenging writing. It’s important to know you can finish, and look back at how you got there and remember how it feels.
Deconstruct your favourite magical stories. Why do you love it? Is it the characters? The voice? The magic system? Etc.
No one needs to see your very first draft but you. Or your zero draft. Good fantasy requires revision so go wild and write it messy to get started. Like REAL messy. It’s okay!

How do you write fight scenes?

Short sentences, white space, strong verbs. Emotions should be wrapped up in the why and who of the fight. Deconstruct other’s fighting scenes you love. Honestly though, they’re hard for me and take the longest to revise. One resource I used is Susan Dennard’s writing advice archives.

FAQ

The Legendborn Cycle

Events and Appearances

Writing

General