Claire Legrand is an American author recognized for her contributions to children's and young adult literature, encompassing both novels and short stories. Originally from North Texas, she now resides in Princeton, New Jersey. Legrand pursued higher education at the University of North Texas, earning a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a Master of Science in Library Science. While she initially considered a music path, she ultimately focused on English and maintains a strong connection to music, creating playlists for her books.

Her literary career began in 2012 with the middle grade novel "The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls." This was followed by "The Year of Shadows" in 2013. In 2014, she ventured into young adult fiction with "Winterspell," accompanied by related novellas and epilogues. She also contributed to the anthology "The Cabinet of Curiosities." Legrand has since authored several other works, including the middle grade novel "Some Kind of Happiness" and the young adult horror standalone "Sawkill Girls." Her most prominent work is the "Empirium" trilogy, which includes the New York Times bestselling "Furyborn," "Kingsbane," and "Lightbringer." Her recent works include "Thornlight" and the young adult horror novel "Extasia," with her first adult novel, "A Crown of Ivy and Glass," scheduled for release in 2023.

Claire Legrand's writing career commenced in August 2012 with her debut middle grade novel, "The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls." This initial work garnered nominations for the Michigan Mitten Award and the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award. She continued with "The Year of Shadows" in 2013. Legrand then transitioned to young adult fiction starting in 2014 with "Winterspell," a series that included the prequel novella "Summerfall" and the epilogue "Homecoming." She also participated in the anthology "The Cabinet of Curiosities" that same year. Her writing has explored various genres, including middle grade with "Some Kind of Happiness" (2016), which received an Edgar Award nomination and was recognized on Publishers Weekly's Best Book of the Year list. Another middle grade book, "Foxheart," was released in 2016. Legrand achieved significant recognition with her "Empirium" trilogy, beginning with "Furyborn" (2018), which debuted at number four on The New York Times Best Seller List. The subsequent books in the trilogy, "Kingsbane" (2019) and "Lightbringer" (2020), also appeared on the bestseller list. Her young adult horror standalone, "Sawkill Girls" (2018), earned nominations for a Lambda Award and a Bram Stoker Award. More recently, "Thornlight" (2021) and "Extasia" (2022) have been published, with "Extasia" marking a return to young adult horror. Her first adult novel, "A Crown of Ivy and Glass," is slated for release in May 2023.

Claire Legrand, originally from North Texas, has established her current residence in Princeton, New Jersey. Before dedicating herself fully to writing, she worked as a librarian. Her academic background includes a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a Master of Science in Library Science from the University of North Texas. Although she initially considered pursuing music, she ultimately chose English as her primary field of study. Legrand continues to express her passion for music by curating playlists that correspond to each of her published novels, reflecting a personal connection to her creative process and the themes within her stories.