Willow has announced her debut novel Black Shield Maiden, which will be published by Del Rey Books with co-writer Jess Hendel.
The novel is due to be published on October 4, with Willow announcing the news on her Instagram earlier today (February 8) along with the book’s cover.
Black Shield Maiden is the first book in a new fantasy series and is due in hardcover and digital formats, as well as an audio edition which will be released by Penguin Random House Audio.
Black Shield Maiden tells the story of Yafeu, a young warrior who is stolen from her home in the Ghanaian Empire and thrust into the world of the Vikings. There she discovers a strange new world and encounters a kindred spirit in Viking princess, Freydis. Alongside Freydis, she sets out to alter the course of history and become one of the legendary shield maidens.
According to the release, the book “makes visible the histories and mythologies of medieval African peoples, and women of the Viking age, which have been erased by dominant Western narratives in media and education.”
Speaking of the novel, Willow said: “I’m so grateful to bring the story of Black Shield Maiden to the world. At their core, the issues we’re facing now are the same issues we’ve faced time and again throughout our history. That’s why we create new narratives, from different perspectives and even look back into history for deep wisdom that can inspire & help us evolve. My hope is that this story will do that for readers.”
In other news, Willow recently teamed up with Machine Gun Kelly for their new track ‘Emo Girl’.
The track is taken from Kelly’s forthcoming new album ‘Mainstream Sellout’, which is set for release on March 25 and was previously titled ‘Born With Horns’.
Kelly teased his Willow collaboration with a TikTok clip which led many fans to believe that the song was called ‘Cherry Red Lipstick’ because of its lyrics: “She is a monster in disguise and she knows all the words to the trap songs/ Takes pics with the cherry red lipstick.”
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