Sherrilyn Kenyon Explained

Sherrilyn Kenyon
Pseudonym:Kinley MacGregor, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Sherrilyn McQueen
Birth Name:Sherrilyn Woodward
Birth Date:11 December 1965
Birth Place:Columbus, Georgia, U.S.
Occupation:Novelist
Nationality:American
Period:1985–present
Genre:Paranormal romance, Urban fantasy, Science fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, Suspense

Sherrilyn Kenyon (born December 11, 1965) is a US writer. Under her former married name, she wrote both urban fantasy and paranormal romance. She is best known for her Dark Hunter series. Under the pseudonym Kinley MacGregor she writes historical fiction with paranormal elements.[1] Kenyon's novels have sold over 70 million copies in print in over 100 countries.[2] Under both names, her books have appeared at the top of the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today lists, and they are frequent bestsellers in Germany, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

Biography

Sherrilyn Kenyon was born on 11 December 1965 in Columbus, Georgia.[3] The fourth child in a family of five children, her parents, Harold and Malene Woodward, divorced when she was eight, at which point she lived with her grandparents. She describes her childhood as defined by abuse and poverty,[4] but she remained close to her mother, who encouraged and shared her interest in horror, the paranormal and science fiction.[3] [5]

Kenyon started writing while in high school, in part as therapy to escape other aspects of her life. She went to Georgia College in the 1980s, and there she met her future husband, Lawrence Kenyon.[6] [7] They married in 1990, and they moved to Jackson, Mississippi, while he studied law. Although money was already tight, after their first child was born and he graduated they lost their house, subsequently forcing them to live out of their car until they were able to secure an apartment some months later.

Once in an apartment Kenyon was able to return to writing. Previously, Kenyon had published her first story in 1975, and in the mid-1980s she was a writer for the science fiction magazine, Cutting Edge. She had sold a number of books in the early 1990s, prior to the birth of her daughter, but her big break came in 1999 when the first two books of her "Dark-Hunter" sequence were picked up by St. Martin's Press as part of a three-book deal. She had started the series with short stories that she had written in 1984, and had started development on the novels in 1986, but it took until the late 1990s before she had the opportunity to complete them.

Accusations and divorce

On January 7, 2019, Kenyon filed a lawsuit against her husband and his assistants, claiming they had poisoned her over a number of years in order to sabotage her health to his financial gain. After her husband filed for divorce in March 2018, the suit alleges that tests concluded her levels of lithium, tin, barium, thorium and other metals were at a dangerous level of toxicity, indicating that they had "systematically poisoned her since 2015".[8] Her husband's statement about the lawsuit called her "a brilliant fiction writer who has made it apparent that she cannot discern between fiction and reality".[9] She dropped her lawsuit on July 26, 2019.

Bibliography

Novels and short stories may be listed repeatedly because many of her series share the same fictional universe.

Written (mostly) as Sherrilyn Kenyon

Dark-Hunter Universe (combined)

See main article: The Dark-Hunter Universe. Each sub-set of the series is marked by the type of creatures the novel is about.

Dark #L.O.A. #Were #Dream #Hellchaser #C.O.N. #Shadows Of Fire #TitleCharactersPublication Date
1------Dark-Hunters (formerly Fantasy Lover)Julian and GraceFebruary 2, 2002
2------Night PleasuresKyrian and AmandaSeptember 1, 2002
3------Night EmbraceTalon and SunshineJuly 1, 2003
4------Dance with the DevilZarek and AstridDecember 1, 2003
5------Kiss of the NightWulf and CassandraMarch 23,2004
5.51----Sword Of DarknessKerrigan & SerenMarch 28, 2005
5.752----Knight Of DarknessVarian and MerewynNovember 1, 2006
6--1--Night PlayVane and BrideAugust 3, 2004
7------Seize the NightValerius and TabithaDecember 28, 2004
8------Sins of the NightAlexion and DangerJune 28, 2005
9--2--Unleash the NightWren and MaggieDecember 27, 2005
10--3--Dark Side of the MoonRavyn and SusanMay 30, 2006
11----1The Dream-HunterArik and GearyFebruary 6, 2007
12------Devil May CrySin and KatJuly 31, 2007
13----2Upon The Midnight ClearAidan and LetaOctober 30, 2007
14----3Dream ChaserXypher and SimoneFebruary 5, 2008
15------AcheronAcheron and Soteria/ToryAugust 4, 2008
16------One Silent NightStryker and ZephyraNovember 25, 2008
17----4Dream WarriorJericho and DelphineFebruary 3, 2009
18--4--1Bad Moon RisingFang and AimeeAugust 4, 2009
18.5------1Infinity
19--5--No MercyDev and SamiaSeptember 7, 2010
19.5------2Invincible
20--6--RetributionSundown and AbigailAugust 2, 2011
21--752The GuardianSeth and LydiaNovember 1, 2011
21.5------3Infamous
22--8--Time UntimeRen and KateriAugust 7, 2012
22.5------4Inferno
23------StyxxStyxx and BethanySeptember 3, 2013
23.5------5Illusion
23.75------Dark BitesCollection of short storiesJanuary 21, 2014
2439--3Son of No OneCadegan and JoSeptember 2, 2014
24.5------6Instinct
25410--4DragonbaneMaxis and SeraphinaAugust 4, 2015
25.5------7Invision
26511--DragonmarkIllarion and EdilynAugust 2, 2016
27------5Deadmen WalkingBane and MaraMay 9, 2017
28612--DragonswornFalcyn and MedeaAugust 1, 2017
28.5------8Intensity
29------6Death Doesn't BargainKalder and Cameron
30713--StygianUrian and SarraxynSeptember 3, 2018
31------7At Death's DoorValynda and
Dark Hunter Universe short stories

Dark-Hunter Universe (by series)

Were-Hunter
  1. Night Play, (St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2004)
  2. Unleash the Night, (St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2005)
  3. Dark Side of the Moon (St. Martin's Press, 2006, reprinted by St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2007)(Hardcover, Paperback)
  4. Bad Moon Rising (St. Martin's Press, 2009, reprinted by St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2010) (Hardcover, Paperback)
  5. No Mercy (St. Martin's Press, 2010, reprinted by St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2011) (Hardcover, Paperback)
  6. Retribution (St. Martin's Press, 2011, reprinted by St. Martin's Paperbacks, Mar 27, 2012) (Hardcover, Paperback)
  7. The Guardian (St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2011)
  8. Son of No One (St. Martin's Press, 2014)
  9. Dragonbane (St. Martin's Press, 2015)
  10. Dragonmark(St Martin's Press, August 2, 2016)
  11. Dragonsworn (St. Martin's Press, August 4, 2017)
  12. Shadows Within (TBD)
  13. Savitar (TBD)
Dream-Hunter
  1. The Dream-Hunter (St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2007)
  2. Upon the Midnight Clear (St. Martin's Paperback, 2007)
  3. Dream Chaser (St. Martin's Paperback, 2008)
  4. Dream Warrior (St. Martin's Press, 2009)
  5. The Guardian (St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2011)
  6. Shadow Fallen (St. Martin's Press, 2022)
  7. Queen of All Shadows (TBD)
Hellchaser/Hell-Hunter novels
  1. Daemon's Angel, (Leisure, 1995)
  2. Bad Moon Rising (St. Martin's Press, 2009, reprinted by St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2010) (Hardcover, Paperback)
  3. The Guardian (St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2011)
  4. Time Untime (St. Martin's Press, 2012)
  5. Son of No One (St. Martin's Press, 2014)
  6. Dragonbane (St. Martin's Press, 2015)
  7. Deadmen Walking (TOR, 2017)
  8. Death Doesn't Bargain (TOR, 2018)
  9. At Death's Door (TOR, 2019)
Lords Of Avalon

Notes: Begun as Kinley MacGregor. Continuing as Sherrilyn Kenyon.

  1. Sword of Darkness, (2006) (as Kinley MacGregor)
  2. Knight of Darkness, (2006) (as Kinley MacGregor)
  3. Darkness Within (2012)
  4. Son of No One (St. Martin's Press, 2014) (as Sherrilyn Kenyon) (Sherrilyn explained at a Q & A that the LoA book Darkness Within morphed into Son of No One.)
  5. Dragonbane (St. Martin's Press, 2015) (as Sherrilyn Kenyon)
  6. Dragonmark (St. Martin's Press, 2016) (as Sherrilyn Kenyon)
  7. Dragonsworn(St. Martin's Press, 2017) (as Sherrilyn Kenyon)
  8. Battleborn (St. Martin's Press, August 4, 2018) (as Sherrilyn Kenyon)
Deadman's Cross

Part of three series: The Dark Hunter Universe, Hellchasers and Sea Wolves. They are historical fantasy.

  1. Deadmen Walking (TOR, 2017)
  2. Death Doesn't Bargain (TOR, May 15, 2018)
  3. At Death's Door (TOR, Sep, 2019)

Dark Hunter Universe – The Chronicles Of Nick series (young adult)

See main article: The Chronicles of Nick. The Chronicles Of Nick take place well before the first Dark Hunter novel (Fantasy Lover) and follows one of the series' main characters: Nick Gautier.

  1. Infinity (St. Martin's Press, 2010)
  2. Invincible (St. Martin's Griffin, 2011)
  3. Infamous (St. Martin's Griffin, 2012)
  4. Inferno (St. Martin's Griffin, 2013)
  5. Illusion (St. Martin's Griffin, 2014)
  6. Instinct (St. Martin's Griffin, 2015)
  7. Invision (St. Martin's Griffin, 2016)
  8. Intensity (Nemesis Publications, 2017)

Dark Hunter Universe – Shadows of Fire series (young adult)

Shadows of Fire is a four book continuation of CON. After this is finished there will be an as of yet untitled adult trilogy that will finish the story line.

  1. Sabotage (2023)
  2. Last Christmas (novella) (2023)
  3. Savage (2024)
  4. Simi (2024)
  5. Sanctify (TBD)

Dark Hunter Universe – extras

Audio books
Supplements
Manga and graphic novels
Comics
Omnibuses and boxed sets

B.A.D. (Bureau of American Defense) Agency series

Novels
  1. Bad Attitude, (Pocket Books, June 27, 2006) (Hardcover, Paperback)
  2. Phantom in the Night, co-author Dianna Love (Pocket Star Books, June 10, 2008)
  3. Whispered Lies, co-author Dianna Love (Pocket Books, May 12, 2009)
  4. Silent Truth, co-author Dianna Love (Pocket Books, April 20, 2010)
Short stories
Omnibuses

The League series is divided into two generations. Generation 1 is Nemesis Rising. Generation 2 is Nemesis Legacy. This series combines the two to tell a story. It is recommended that you read them in the order listed below.

Combined reading order
  1. Born of Night: The League - Nemesis Rising (St. Martin's Press, Oct 2009)
  2. Born of Fire (St. Martin's Press, Nov 2009)
  3. Born of Ice (St. Martin's Press, Dec 2009)
  4. Fire and Ice (short story) in the anthology Man of My Dreams, published by Penguin Group US (2004,); re-written & re-released in the anthology In Other World, published by Penguin Group (2010,)
  5. Born of Shadows (Grand Central Publishing, April 2011)
  6. Born of Silence (Grand Central Publishing, May 2012)
  7. Cloak & Silence (E-book published independently; CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform April 2013)
  8. Born of Fury (St. Martin's Press, July 2014)
  9. Born of Defiance (St. Martin's Press, May 2015)
  10. Born of Betrayal (St. Martin's Press, November 2015)
  11. Born of Legend (St. Martin's Press, May 2016)
  12. Born of Vengeance (St. Martin's Press, May 2017)
  13. Born of Trouble (St. Martin's Press, TBD)
  14. Born of Darkness (St. Martin's Press, TBD)
Nemesis Rising
  1. Born of Night (St. Martin's Press, Oct 2009)
  2. Born of Fire (St. Martin's Press, Nov 2009)
  3. Born of Shadows[13] (Grand Central Publishing, April 2011)
  4. Born of Silence (Grand Central Publishing, May 2012)
  5. Cloak & Silence (E-book published independently; CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform April 2013)[14]
  6. Born of Fury (St. Martin's Press, July 2014)[15]
  7. Born of Defiance (St. Martin's Press, May 2015) [16]
  8. Born of Betrayal (St. Martin's Press, November 2015) [17]
  9. Born of Legend (St. Martin's Press, May 2016) [18]
  10. Born of Vengeance (St. Martin's Press, May 2017) [19]
  11. Born of Trouble (St. Martin's Press, TBD) [20]
  12. Born of Darkness (St. Martin's Press, TBD) [21]
Nemesis Legacy
  1. Born of Ice (St. Martin's Press, Dec 2009)
  2. Fire and Ice (short story) in the anthology Man of My Dreams, published by Penguin Group US (2004,); re-written & re-released in the anthology In Other World, published by Penguin Group (2010,)
  3. Born of Rage (short story) (2020)
  4. Born of Blood (novella) (2022)
Nemesis Dynasty

Young adult spin-off series.

  1. Born of Rebellion (TBD)
Eve of Destruction

Spin-off series

  1. Eve of Destruction (2022)
  2. Eve of Ruin (2024)
  3. Eve of Havoc (TBD)
  4. Eve of The Fallen (TBD)

Belador

The first four novels in this series are co-authored with Dianna Love.[22] Later novels will be written solely by Dianna.

Novels
  1. Blood Trinity (Pocket Books, Oct, 2010)
  2. Alterant (Pocket Books, Sept, 2011)
  3. The Curse (Pocket Books, Sept, 2012)
  4. Rise of the Gryphon (Pocket Books, July, 2013)
Short story
  1. Fire Bound, free e-short story[23] (Pocket After Dark, 2011)

Silent Swans series

  1. The Cecilian Swan (Coming soon)
  2. Swans of Feather (Coming soon)
  3. War of the Swans (Coming soon)

Nevermore series

  1. Insurrection (Mighty Barnacle, LLC, 2017)
  2. Omega Rising (Coming soon)
  3. Crimson Dawn (Coming soon)
  4. Midnight's Last Gleaming (Coming soon)

Myths & Outlaws series

  1. House of Fire & Magic (2024)

Other works

Novels
Novellas
Essays
Non-fiction

Written (mostly) as Kinley MacGregor

Published by Avon (HarperCollins Publishers) unless noted otherwise. Some of these appear in multiples because they happen in the same universe.

Lords Of Avalon

  1. Sword Of Darkness (Part of the Dark-Hunter Universe)
  2. Knight Of Darkness (Part of the Dark-Hunter Universe)

The Sea Wolves series

  1. Master of Seduction, (2000)
  2. A Pirate of Her Own, (2004)
  3. Deadmen Walking (2017) *As Sherrilyn Kenyon
  4. Death Doesn't Bargain *As Sherrilyn Kenyon
  5. At Death's Door *As Sherrilyn Kenyon

Brotherhood of the Sword series

Includes the entire MacAllister's Series.

  1. Master of Desire, (2001)
  2. Claiming the Highlander, (2002)
  3. Born in Sin, (2003)
  4. Taming the Scotsman, (2003)
  5. A Dark Champion, (2004)
  6. Return of the Warrior, (2005)
  7. The Warrior, (2007)
  8. Midsummer's Knight, in the anthology Where's My Hero? (2003)

The MacAllisters series

  1. Master of Desire, (2001)
  2. Claiming the Highlander, (2002)
  3. Born in Sin, (2003)
  4. Taming the Scotsman, (2003)
  5. The Warrior, (2007)

Other novellas

Awards

Sherrilyn McQueen has received nominations and awards both under her married name Sherrilyn Kenyon and as Kinley MacGregor.[24]

Bestseller lists

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sherrilyn's Cyberhome . Sherrilyn Kenyon Official Website . 2007-02-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070110153617/http://www.dailyinquisitor.com/sherrilyn/intro.htm . 2007-01-10.
  2. Web site: Sherrilyn Kenyon | Authors . us.macmillan.com . 2013-08-30 . 2013-05-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130514065228/http://us.macmillan.com/author/sherrilynkenyon . live .
  3. Web site: Kenyon . Sherrilyn . In Memoriam. Sherrilyn Kenyon Official Website . 2007-02-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070208050358/http://www.dailyinquisitor.com/sherrilyn/mom.htm . 2007-02-08.
  4. Schmitt, Ben (July 2, 2018) "Dark-Hunter author Sherrilyn Kenyon has her own story of poverty, abuse and homelessness", The Tennessean. Retrieved 29 April 2023
  5. Kenyon, Sherrilyn (2009), "Why I Write..", Publishers Weekly, vol. 256, no. 46, p. 28
  6. Web site: Shapiro, Lila . Sherrilyn Kenyon Said Her Husband Poisoned Her. Was It True? . Vulture.com . 2019-06-19 . 2020-01-15 . 2020-01-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200109045712/https://www.vulture.com/2019/06/romance-author-sherrilyn-kenyon-said-her-husband-poisoned-her.html . live .
  7. Bonds Staples, Gracie (September 8, 2018) "Author's dark tales an escape from darkness in her own life", The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, p D1.
  8. Web site: Author Sherrilyn Kenyon files lawsuit accusing husband of poisoning her. Tennessean.
  9. Web site: Best-selling author Sherrilyn Kenyon claims in suit husband poisoned her. NBC News. en. 2019-03-28. 2019-03-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20190328103548/https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/books/best-selling-author-sherrilyn-kenyon-author-dark-hunter-series-claims-n960056. live.
  10. http://www.dailyinquisitor.com//hunter/acheronstory.htm
  11. short story "A Dark-Hunter Christmas"
  12. Web site: Dark Bites. 2012-03-02. Sherrilyn Kenyon. 2013-02-09. 2013-01-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20130118074548/http://www.sherrilynkenyon.com/book/dark-bites/. live.
  13. Web site: Hachette Book Group. Born of Shadows. 27 June 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110702003741/http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/books_9780446573252.htm. 2 July 2011.
  14. Web site: Cloak & Silence . Sherrilyn Kenyon . 2013-02-09 . 2013-02-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130211175828/http://www.sherrilynkenyon.com/book/cloak-silence/ . live .
  15. Web site: Born of Fury . Sherrilyn Kenyon . 2013-02-09 . 2013-01-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130115020306/http://www.sherrilynkenyon.com/book/born-of-fury/ . live .
  16. Web site: Born of Defiance | Sherrilyn McQueen . Sherrilynkenyon.com . 2015-05-12 . 2020-01-15 . 2019-04-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190422094258/https://www.sherrilynkenyon.com/book/born-of-defiance/ . live .
  17. Web site: Born of Betrayal (10), The League: Nemesis Rising – Sherrilyn Kenyon. 14 March 2016. 14 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160314160852/http://www.sherrilynkenyon.com/book/born-of-betrayal/. live.
  18. Web site: Born of Legend (11), The League: Nemesis Rising – Sherrilyn Kenyon. 14 March 2016. 14 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160314220115/http://www.sherrilynkenyon.com/book/born-of-legend-12/. live.
  19. Web site: Born of Vengeance (12), The League: Nemesis Rising – Sherrilyn Kenyon. 14 March 2016. 18 December 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151218012442/http://www.sherrilynkenyon.com/book/born-of-engeance/. live.
  20. Web site: Born of Trouble (13), The League: Nemesis Rising – Sherrilyn Kenyon. 14 March 2016. 13 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160313214610/http://www.sherrilynkenyon.com/book/born-of-trouble-13-the-league-nemesis-rising/. live.
  21. Web site: Born of Darkness (14), The League: Nemesis Rising – Sherrilyn Kenyon. 14 March 2016. 13 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160313215543/http://www.sherrilynkenyon.com/book/born-of-darkness-14-the-league-nemesis-rising/. live.
  22. Web site: Love . Dianna . Dianna Love, Author Website - AllAuthor . AllAuthor . en . 2018-08-12 . 2018-08-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180812181533/http://diannalove.allauthor.com/ . live .
  23. Web site: Short story from Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love! - Pocket After Dark Blog post - an online community for romance and urban fantasy readers . 2012-02-15 . dead . https://archive.today/20130131184231/http://pocketafterdark.com/_Short-story-from-Sherrilyn-Kenyon-and-Dianna-Love/blog/5105912/159176.html . 2013-01-31 .
  24. Web site: Writing Awards . https://web.archive.org/web/20061229084730/http://www.dailyinquisitor.com/hunter/writingawards.htm . 2006-12-29 . 2007-02-09 . Sherrilyn Kenyon Official Website .
  25. Web site: Archived copy . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060517192516/http://freepages.misc.rootsweb.com/~timgatewood/sf/darrell/2006_Results.xls . 2006-05-17 . 2006-12-07.
  26. News: September 2007 . New York Times Hardcover Fiction Best Sellers . August 5, 2012 . October 21, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151021180913/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/30/books/bestseller/0930besthardfiction.html . live .
  27. News: October 2010 . New York Times Hardcover Fiction Best Sellers . August 5, 2012 . 2013-10-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131005111006/http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2010-10-10/hardcover-fiction/list.html . live .