Shadow and Bone author Leigh Bardugo is a seemingly unstoppable force these days. With her new novel Hell Bent released last month and the second season of Shadow and Bone being released on Netflix tomorrow, the bestselling author is making wave after wave. And now, AP News announced yesterday that Bardugo has signed an eight-figure, multi-book deal with Macmillan Publishers.
These books will be published across multiple imprints owned by the publishing house, and will consist of a “variety of formats, age categories and genres.” Bardugo currently writes within the Young Adult and Adult Fantasy genres, so this announcement hints at the possibility of Bardugo branching out even further. In 2022, Bardugo re-released her short story “Demon In The Wood,” which explored the history of the Darkling from her Grishaverse books, in graphic novel format. So, she’s already shown a willingness to expand the way she tells stories.
In a statement on Tuesday, Bardugo said that, “Macmillan took a chance on me over a decade ago and they’ve been my home ever since. When no one in YA was interested in epic fantasy, they welcomed ‘Shadow and Bone’. When everyone wanted books about kings and queens, they rolled the dice on my team of six outcasts (in her novel ‘Six of Crows’) trying to pull off an impossible heist. And when I wanted to go someplace far darker, they backed me in welcoming readers to Ninth House. Publishing is a tough business and it’s no small thing to be able to write the stories I’m most passionate about.”
Grishaverse author Leigh Bardugo secures new 12-book deal
There is not yet any information on what stories Bardugo plans to write, but with Macmillan backing her so confidently, it can be safely assumed there are exciting things in the pipeline.
Bardugo’s Grishaverse novels, Ninth House and Hell Bent are available for purchase now. Shadow and Bone season 2 airs on Netflix on March 16.
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