Sherrilyn Kenyon (born December 11, 1965) is an American 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. Kenyon's novels have sold over 70 million copies in print in over 100 countries. 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. 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,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 but she remained close to her mother, who encouraged and shared her interest in horror, the paranormal and science fiction.Kenyon, Sherrilyn (2009), "Why I Write...", Publishers Weekly, vol. 256, no. 46, p. 28
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.Bonds Staples, Gracie (September 8, 2018). "Author's dark tales an escape from darkness in her own life", The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, p. D1. 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 son, 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 for 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". However, the test results had not been interpreted by a toxicologist. 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". 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) 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 Date1 — — —Dark-Hunters (formerly Fantasy Lover)Julian and GraceFebruary 2, 20022 — — —Night PleasuresKyrian and AmandaSeptember 1, 20023 — — —Night EmbraceTalon and SunshineJuly 1, 20034 — — —Dance with the DevilZarek and AstridDecember 1, 20035 — — —Kiss of the NightWulf and CassandraMarch 23, 20045.51 — —Sword of DarknessKerrigan & SerenMarch 28, 20055.752 — —Knight of DarknessVarian and MerewynNovember 1, 20066 —1 —Night PlayVane and BrideAugust 3, 20047 — — —Seize the NightValerius and TabithaDecember 28, 20048 — — —Sins of the NightAlexion and DangerJune 28, 20059 —2 —Unleash the NightWren and MaggieDecember 27, 200510 —3 —Dark Side of the MoonRavyn and SusanMay 30, 200611 — —1The Dream-HunterArik and GearyFebruary 6, 200712 — — —Devil May CrySin and KatJuly 31, 200713 — —2Upon the Midnight ClearAidan and LetaOctober 30, 200714 — —3Dream ChaserXypher and SimoneFebruary 5, 200815 — — —AcheronAcheron and Soteria/ToryAugust 4, 200816 — — —One Silent NightStryker and ZephyraNovember 25, 200817 — —4Dream WarriorJericho and DelphineFebruary 3, 200918 —4 —1Bad Moon RisingFang and AimeeAugust 4, 200918.5 — — —1Infinity19 —5 —No MercyDev and SamiaSeptember 7, 201019.5 — — —2Invincible20 —6 —RetributionSundown and AbigailAugust 2, 201121 —752The GuardianSeth and LydiaNovember 1, 201121.5 — — —3Infamous22 —8 —Time UntimeRen and KateriAugust 7, 201222.5 — — —4Inferno23 — — —StyxxStyxx and BethanySeptember 3, 201323.5 — — —5Illusion23.75 — — —Dark BitesCollection of short storiesJanuary 21, 20142439 —3Son of No OneCadegan and JoSeptember 2, 201424.5 — — —6Instinct25410 —4DragonbaneMaxis and SeraphinaAugust 4, 201525.5 — — —7Invision26511 —DragonmarkIllarion and EdilynAugust 2, 201627 — — —5Deadmen WalkingBane and MaraMay 9, 201728612 —DragonswornFalcyn and MedeaAugust 1, 201728.5 — — —8Intensity29 -- -- --6Death Doesn't BargainKalder and Cameron30713 —StygianUrian and SarraxynSeptember 3, 201831 — — —7At Death's DoorValynda and
Dark Hunter Universe short stories "Dragonswan" "The Beginning" "Phantom Lover" "A Dark-Hunter Christmas"short story "A Dark-Hunter Christmas" "Winter Born" "Second Chances" "A Hard Day's Night-Searcher" "Until Death We Do Part" "The Wager" "Fear the Darkness" "Shadow of the Moon" "Redemption" "Where Angels Fear to Tread" Dark Bites (St. Martin's Press, January 21, 2014) – A collection of the short stories/novellas that Kenyon has written for St. Martin's Press, featuring Fear the Darkness, with Nick as the lead, and updates on other characters. Available in print in mass market paperback. House of the Rising Son – Dark Hunter Universe #26.5. Dream-Hunter #5.5 The story of Aricles & Bathymaas (more about them in Styxx's book) Phantom Lover – V'Aidan's story that was first in "Midnight Pleasures" Winter Born – Dante & Pandora (Were-Panthers) that was first in "Stroke of Midnight" A Dark-Hunter Christmas – Gallagher (Dark-Hunter) originally posted online Until Death Do We Part – originally published in "Love At First Bite" anthology A Hard Day's Night Searcher – originally published in "My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding" anthology Shadow of the Moon – (Fury the wolf) originally published in Dead After Dark Fear the Darkness – originally a digital download for fans. It is a little piece of Nick after his mother died. Where Angels Fear to Tread – originally published in the "Blood Lite" anthology Love Bytes – originally published in "Naughty or Nice" Santa Wears Spurs – originally published in All I Want for Christmas anthology. Written as Kinley MacGregor. Redemption – A bonus scene from The Guardian A Hero for the Holidays (short story collection) Season of Magic (short story collection)
Dark-Hunter Universe (by series)
Were-Hunter Night Play, (St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2004) () Unleash the Night, (St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2005) () Dark Side of the Moon (St. Martin's Press, 2006, reprinted by St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2007)(Hardcover , Paperback ) Bad Moon Rising (St. Martin's Press, 2009, reprinted by St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2010) (Hardcover , Paperback ) No Mercy (St. Martin's Press, 2010, reprinted by St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2011) (Hardcover , Paperback ) Retribution (St. Martin's Press, 2011, reprinted by St. Martin's Paperbacks, Mar 27, 2012) (Hardcover , Paperback ) The Guardian (St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2011) () Time Untime Son of No One (St. Martin's Press, 2014) () Dragonbane (St. Martin's Press, 2015) () Dragonmark (St Martin's Press, August 2, 2016) Dragonsworn (St. Martin's Press, August 4, 2017) Stygian Shadows Within (TBD) Savitar (TBD)
Dream-Hunter The Dream-Hunter (St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2007) () Upon the Midnight Clear (St. Martin's Paperback, 2007) () Dream Chaser (St. Martin's Paperback, 2008) () Dream Warrior (St. Martin's Press, 2009) () The Guardian (St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2011) () Shadow Fallen (St. Martin's Press, 2022) () Queen of All Shadows (TBD)
Hellchaser/Hell-Hunter novels
Daemon's Angel, (Leisure, 1995) () Bad Moon Rising (St. Martin's Press, 2009, reprinted by St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2010) (Hardcover , Paperback ) The Guardian (St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2011) () Time Untime (St. Martin's Press, 2012) () Son of No One (St. Martin's Press, 2014) () Dragonbane (St. Martin's Press, 2015) Deadmen Walking (TOR, 2017) Death Doesn't Bargain (TOR, 2018) At Death's Door (TOR, 2019)
Lords Of Avalon
Notes: Begun as Kinley MacGregor. Continuing as Sherrilyn Kenyon. Sword of Darkness, (2006)() (as Kinley MacGregor) Knight of Darkness, (2006) () (as Kinley MacGregor) Darkness Within (2012) 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.) Dragonbane (St. Martin's Press, 2015) (as Sherrilyn Kenyon) Dragonmark (St. Martin's Press, 2016) (as Sherrilyn Kenyon) Dragonsworn(St. Martin's Press, 2017) (as Sherrilyn Kenyon) Stygian (St. Martin's Press, August 4, 2018) (as Sherrilyn Kenyon) (This book was previously titled Battleborn and retitled to Stygian)
Deadman's Cross Part of three series: The Dark Hunter Universe, Hellchasers and Sea Wolves. They are historical fantasy. Deadmen Walking (TOR, 2017) Death Doesn't Bargain (TOR, May 15, 2018) At Death's Door (TOR, Sep, 2019)
Dark Hunter Universe – The Chronicles Of Nick series (young adult) 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. Infinity (St. Martin's Press, 2010) () Invincible (St. Martin's Griffin, 2011) () Infamous (St. Martin's Griffin, 2012) () Inferno (St. Martin's Griffin, 2013) Illusion (St. Martin's Griffin, 2014) Instinct (St. Martin's Griffin, 2015) Invision (St. Martin's Griffin, 2016) 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. Sabotage (2023) Last Christmas (novella) (2023) Savage (2024) Simi (2025) Sanctify (2026)
Dark Hunter Universe – extras
Audio books All books in the Dark Hunter series are available on Audio. (Macmillan Audio, Unabridged edition, as of June 30, 2014)
Supplements The Dark-Hunter Companion, co-author Alethea Kontis (St. Martin's Griffin, 2007) () Dark-Hunter: An Insider's Guide, an enhanced ebook (Vook Inc., 2010) ()
Manga and graphic novels Lords of Avalon Graphic Novels: Sword of Darkness co-written by Robin Furth (Marvel) (Hardcover , September 18, 2008) (Paperback ISBN August 12, 2009) Knight of Darkness written by Robin Furth (Marvel) (Hardcover , September 9, 2009) The Dark Hunters Manga: The Dark Hunter: Vol. 1 (St. Martin's Griffin, July 7, 2009) () The Dark Hunter: Vol. 2 (St. Martin's Griffin, March 2, 2010) () The Dark Hunter: Vol. 3 (St. Martin's Griffin, September 28, 2010) () The Dark Hunter: Vol. 4 (St. Martin's Griffin, March 1, 2011) ()
Comics Sword of Darkness (6 issues) Knight of Darkness (6 issues)
Omnibuses and boxed sets Night Pleasures and Night Embrace (St. Martin's Griffin, September 29, 2005) ()