“Lauren Blackwood’s can’t-miss debut is a magical, Ethiopian-inspired remix of Jane Eyre.” — Harper’s Bazaar

Lauren Blackwood is a Jamaican American living in Virginia who writes Romance-heavy Fantasy for most ages. When not writing, she’s a musician and a tiramisu connoisseur. Her debut YA Fantasy Within These Wicked Walls was a New York Times Bestseller and the Reese’s Book club Fall 2021 YA Pick.

Within These Wicked Walls (2021) follows Andromeda, who is a debtera—an exorcist hired to cleanse households of the Evil Eye. When a handsome young heir named Magnus Rochester reaches out to hire her, Andromeda quickly realizes this is a job like no other, with horrifying manifestations at every turn, and that Magnus is hiding far more than she has been trained for. Death is the most likely outcome if she stays, but leaving Magnus to live out his curse alone isn’t an option. Evil may roam the castle’s halls, but so does a burning desire. Kiersten White meets Tomi Adeyemi in this Ethiopian-inspired debut fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre. Lauren is also the author of Wildblood (2023), The Dangerous Ones (2024), Snow White: Fair & Sinister Heart (2025), and her two newest books The Queen’s Bodyguard (2026) and Knight of the God King (2026).

Lauren's Featured Titles

Knight of the God King

Wednesday Books |
Romantasy

A powerful knight and her handsome squire must stop the deadly schemes of a savior king in this romantic fantasy of dark deeds and court intrigue.

Calliope’s wish has always been to become a knight, an elite healer and protector who uses music to summon magic. Yet despite her exceptional skill, she’s stuck lifting up her talentless cousin, whose family begrudgingly took Cali in as a child. But when an opportunity to become the royal knight of the immortal God King arrives, Cali finally gets a chance at a fairytale life – until her cousin blackmails her.

Forced to bring her cousin to court so she won’t share Cali’s shameful past, Cali immediately snubs Beric, the alluring, handsome squire tending to her. Now she must contend with his ire, even while feeling helplessly drawn to him. If that wasn’t enough, her duty means accompanying the king into The Dark, a demonic entity that only the king’s magic is powerful enough to battle – a battle he has been waging for centuries. She must also keep the king’s secret under pain of death: that he’s not a god at all, and every royal knight’s magic that came before her was the only thing keeping him alive. It seems serving the God King isn’t a fairytale at all, and when people start dying around her, she and Beric realize that they have no choice but to take their fate – and that of an entire kingdom – into their own hands.

In Lauren Blackwood’s thrilling fantasy, Knight of the God King, a knight’s power and her squire’s love are the only things that can help her defeat a man playing at being a god.

Snow White: Fair & Sinister Heart

Disney Press |
Young Adult

An original novel written by New York Times best-selling author Lauren Blackwood inspired by Disney’s upcoming live action reimagining of Snow White.

One moment eighteen-year-old Snow White is taking a bite of an apple. The next, she blinks and finds herself in an enchanted and dangerous dream world. As it turns out, the Queen’s poison did more than place Snow White in an eternal sleep. It sent her subconscious to the Land of Diamant, a world crafted from gems and home to the Queen’s most sinister creations.

After meeting some of the others cursed by the Queen, Snow White realizes the only way to save the people trapped in Diamant and her kingdom back in the real world, is to embark on a quest to find the mythical Ruby Heart.

Snow White and her new friends must work together as they face deadly trials on their journey. But there is something more wicked than the creatures made of gems, and the true danger could be closer than anyone thinks. Snow White will need to be careful, because in Diamant, nothing is what it seems.

The Dangerous Ones

Wednesday Books |
Young Adult Fantasy Romance

A romantic historical fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blackwood, set in the American Civil War with vampires and people with demigod-like abilities.

1863, Pennsylvania

War doesn’t scare Jerusalem – she’s a Saint. Thanks to powerful demigod-style reflexes, endurance, and strength, she’s fearless. And ever since the Confederates declared civil war, partnering with the vampires who benefitted off slavery, she and her battalion of Saints are essential to the Union army.

Jerusalem herself had been enslaved by a vampire, escaping North only after her family was murdered. She knows the enemy better, hates the enemy more than anyone in her battalion, and has been using it to her advantage since she joined the war a year ago. More than anything she wants revenge, but if she can help Black people gain freedom and equality without having to steal it for themselves like she had to, then all the better.

But she never expects to have to team up with a vampire to do it. Alexei is one of those handsome, arrogant Ancient Vampires. But he’s on the Union’s side, and in the year they’ve known each other, has never done anything but prove he’s on hers.

Together, they set out to change the course of the war and take down the vampire who destroyed everyone Jerusalem loved. But for her, it’s about more than justice.

It’s about killing a god.

Wildblood: A Novel

Wednesday Books |
Young Adult Fantasy

A thrilling new fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blackwood!

Eighteen-year-old Victoria is a Wildblood. Since she was kidnapped at the age of six and manipulated by the Exotic Lands Touring Company, she’s worked as a tour guide ever since with a team of fellow Wildbloods who take turns using their magic to protect travelers in a Jamaican jungle teeming with ghostly monsters.

When the boss denies Victoria an earned promotion to team leader in favor of Dean, her backstabbing ex, she’s determined to prove herself. Her magic may be the most powerful on the team, but she’s not the image the boss wants to send their new client, Thorn, a renowned goldminer determined to reach an untouched gold supply deep in the jungle.

Thorn is everything Victoria isn’t – confident, impossibly kind, and so handsome he leaves her speechless. And when he entrusts the mission to her, kindness turns to mutual respect, turns to affection, turns to love. But the jungle is treacherous, and between hypnotic river spirits, soul-devouring women that shed their skin like snakes, and her ex out for revenge, Victoria has to decide – is promotion at a corrupt company really what she wants?

A fierce, lush fantasy by New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blackwood, Wildblood tells the story of a girl who must find the strength to defeat the demons of the jungle as well as her own to find where she truly belongs.

“A lyrically told story of healing after trauma and finding home, Wildblood is as fierce as it is beautiful, and as hopeful as it is heartbreaking.” – Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf

Wildblood is a poignant, thrilling, emotionally complex story of love and sacrifice. Victoria’s tense journey through the haunted jungle is filled with terror and beauty, both supernatural and human, and will grip you until the very last page.” – L. Penelope, award-winning author of the Earthsinger Chronicles

Within These Wicked Walls

Wednesday Books |
Young Adult Novel

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
REESE’S BOOK CLUB FALL 2021 YA PICK

“Lauren Blackwood’s can’t-miss debut is a magical, Ethiopian-inspired remix of Jane Eyre.” –
Harper’s Bazaar

What the heart desires, the house destroys…

Andromeda is a debtera—an exorcist hired to cleanse households of the Evil Eye. She would be hired, that is, if her mentor hadn’t thrown her out before she could earn her license. Now her only hope of steady work is to find a Patron—a rich, well-connected individual who will vouch for her abilities.

When a handsome young heir named Magnus Rochester reaches out to hire her, she takes the job without question. Never mind that he’s rude and demanding and eccentric, that the contract comes with a number of outlandish rules… and that almost a dozen debtera had quit before her. If Andromeda wants to earn a living, she has no choice.

But she quickly realizes this is a job like no other, with horrifying manifestations at every turn, and that Magnus is hiding far more than she has been trained for. Death is the most likely outcome if she stays, the reason every debtera before her quit. But leaving Magnus to live out his curse alone isn’t an option because—heaven help her—she’s fallen for him.

Stunningly romantic, Lauren Blackwood’s heartstopping debut, Within These Wicked Walls, ushers in an exciting new fantasy voice.

Authors-Unbound_icon-web-link.png

Coming Soon!

Authors-Unbound_icon-web-link.png

Glendale Library Arts & Culture

Coming Soon!

Honors, Awards & Recognition

NYT Bestseller
Reese’s YA Book Club Pick
Instant Indie Bestseller
A November/December 2021 Kids’ Indie Next Pick

Media Kit

By clicking the link below you will be directed to a Google Docs Folder
where you can download author photos and cover images.

Similar Authors

Angeline
Bestselling Young Adult Novelist
Stephanie
Bestselling Young Adult Novelist
Faridah
Bestselling Young Adult Novelist
Shea
Amanda

Joy

Young Adult Fantasy Novelist

We’ve received your Message!

An AU Representative will connect with you as soon as possible.