After McKinley's first novel, Beauty: a Retelling of The Story of Beauty and the Beast, she edited a collection of short stores called The Door in the Hedge. Two of the stories are original, and two are retellings of fairy tales. The Blue Sword is the first novel of a projected series set in the imaginary country of Damar.

The second in the series, The Hero and the Crown, is what Tolkien would call a "prequel" in that it concerns events prior to these in The Blue Sword. It deals with the deeds of the legendary Lady Aerin. Sequels to these works are expected. In addition McKinley has also edited a collection of fantasy stories called Imaginary Lands, which includes one story of her own called "The Stone Fey."