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ND Stevenson has conquered comics by creating both the Lumberjanes and Nimona. Then he did it in TV by creating Netflix's She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. Then they came to movies with a Netflix adaptation of their comic Nimona. Next, ND is eying prose fiction.

ND Stevenson has signed a deal with HarperCollins for their first (but not last) prose novel, Scarlet Morning. The book follows two orphans who join up with a group of pirates aiming to save the world.

“Scarlet Morning represents the enduring power of childhood wonderment and my lifelong passion for storytelling,” says Stevenson in the announcement. “Born from the whimsical beginnings of a 12-year-old kid’s imaginative play–what we called ‘The Pirate Game’–to a 600-page draft at fifteen, this story has been my constant companion. In 2020, I revisited this world, weaving a tale that bridges past and present, grief and hope. Scarlet Morning represents over 15 years of growth in my life, both personally and as a storyteller. I hope it feels as real to you as it does to me.”

Stevenson is approaching this as a prose novel, but he's not leaving the drawing board completely; he is drawing the cover as well as illustrating over 100 pieces for the interior of the book.

And better yet, Stevenson has already signed on for a sequel to Scarlet Morning, as this is intended as a two-part series for middle-grade readers.

Scarlet Morning by ND Stevenson is slated to come out through HarperCollins children's book imprint Quill Tree Books. Stevenson has a long relationship with Harper Collins, as it published 2015's Nimona and 2020's The Fire Never Goes Out. 

“Scarlet Morning is a triumph—both an entertaining romp and a searing examination of what it means to be a young person inheriting a world that’s been distorted beyond recognition. We’re so proud to publish this ambitious new work from the dazzling ND Stevenson, and cannot wait for readers discover the wondrous, terrifying, and beautiful things that await in Dickerson’s Sea,” said Quill Tree Books editorial director Jennifer Ung.

Scarlet Morning by ND Stevenson will be released on September 23.

Here's a guide to all the upcoming prose books we're excited about.