Main genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy, Children's books, Mysteries, Thrillers, Magic
Main audience: Young adult on
Main books: stories of Tortall, stories of Emelan
Short summary of the author: Tamora Pierce started writing stories when she was in the sixth grade. Having read The Lord of the Rings, and loved them, she began writing stories of fantasy and science fiction. She wrote the stories of Alanna as one book, but the parts were broken down to be four books because American editors didn't think that 'young adults' would be interested in reading thicker books. (She mentioned that she loved how JK Rowling showed that young people could and would read books of longer lengths!) She's lived in many areas of the country, has had many life experiences, some of which have found their ways into her stories. Some of the people in the books she's written are based on people she's known. (One of her boyfriends later on inspired Duke Roger; she says that you can tell how the relationship turned out ...) She currently lives in New York with her Spouse-Creature, Tim Liebe. She writes "My success is due to my readers, adults and kids, and I love being able to thank them in person."
I know we have book write-ups for books that she has written here in The Bookshelf, but since I'm going to be writing at least three book reviews (for the Reading Challenge, as well as Book Bingo), I thought I'd write a 'celebration' introduction for her, as an author, as well as writing about her books.
Goodreads write-up (obviously a little out of date):
I was born in South Connellsville, PA. My mother wanted to name me "Tamara" but the nurse who filled out my birth certificate misspelled it as "Tamora". When I was 8 my family moved to California, where we lived for 6 years on both sides of the San Francisco peninsula.
I started writing stories in 6th grade. My interest in fantasy and science fiction began when I was introduced to ‘The Lord of the Rings’ by J. R. R. Tolkien and so I started to write the kind of books that I was reading. After my parents divorced, my mother took my sisters and me back to Pennsylvania in 1969. There I went to Albert Gallatin Senior High for 2 years and Uniontown Area Senior High School for my senior year.
After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, I wrote the book that became The Song of the Lioness fantasy quartet. I sold some articles and 2 short stories and wrote reviews for a martial arts movie magazine. At last the first book of the quartet, Alanna: The First Adventure was published by Atheneum Books in 1983.
Tim Liebe, who became my Spouse-Creature, and I lived in New York City with assorted cats and two parakeets from 1982 - 2006. In 2006 we moved to Syracuse, New York, where we live now with assorted cats, a number of squirrels, birds, raccoons, skunks, opossums, and woodchucks visiting our very small yard. As of 2011, I have 27 novels in print, one short story collection, one comic book arc ("White Tiger: A Hero's Compulsion") co-written with Tim, and a short story anthology co-editing credit. There's more to come, including a companion book to the Tortall `verse. So stay tuned!
My library has this write-up for Tamora Pierce:
Author Tamora Pierce was born in South Connellsville, Pennsylvania on December 13, 1954. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Her first book, Alanna: The First Adventure, was published in 1983 and she became a full-time author in 1992. She writes fantasy books, mainly involving young heroines, for young adults. She is the author of numerous series including Song of the Lioness; The Immortals; Circle of Magic; Protector of the Small; The Circle Opens; Daughter of the Lioness; The Circle Reforged; and Beka Cooper. Her novel Battle Magic was a New York Times bestseller.
