Jump to content

Tamora Pierce: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
<3
 
(129 intermediate revisions by 69 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{About|the American writer||Tamora (disambiguation)}}
{{Short description|American writer}}
{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] -->
{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] -->
| name = Tamora Pierce
| name = Tamora Pierce
Line 5: Line 5:
| caption = Pierce at the [[Boskone (convention)|Boskone]] science fiction convention in Boston, February 2008
| caption = Pierce at the [[Boskone (convention)|Boskone]] science fiction convention in Boston, February 2008
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1954|12|13|mf=y}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1954|12|13|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[South Connellsville]], [[Fayette County, Pennsylvania]], USA
| birth_place = [[South Connellsville, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| occupation = Writer
| occupation = Writer
| nationality = American
| period =
| period =
| genre = [[Children's literature|Children's]] and [[young-adult fiction|young-adult]] [[fantasy]]
| genre = [[Children's literature|Children's]] and [[young adult fiction|young adult]] [[fantasy]]
| movement =
| movement =
| notableworks= ''[[The Song of the Lioness]]''
| notableworks= ''[[The Song of the Lioness]]''
| awards = {{awd |[[Margaret Edwards Award]] |2013}}
| awards = {{awards |[[Margaret A. Edwards Award]] |2013}}
| website = {{URL|tamora-pierce.net}}
| influences =
| influenced = [[Christopher Paolini]]
| website = {{URL|www.tamora-pierce.com}}

}}
}}


'''Tamora Pierce''' (born December 13, 1954) is an [[American people|American]] writer of [[fantasy fiction]] for [[teenagers]], known best for stories featuring young heroines. She made a name for herself with her first [[book series]], ''[[The Song of the Lioness]]'' (1983–1988), which followed the main character Alanna through the trials and triumphs of training as a knight. Many of her books have feminist themes.
'''Tamora Pierce''' (born December 13, 1954) is an American writer of [[fantasy fiction]] for [[teenagers]], known best for stories featuring young heroines. She made a name for herself with her first [[book series]], ''[[The Song of the Lioness]]'' (1983–1988), which followed the main character Alanna through the trials and triumphs of training as a knight.


Pierce won the [[Margaret A. Edwards Award]] from the [[American Library Association]] in 2013, citing her two [[tetralogy|quartets]] ''Song of the Lioness'' and ''[[Protector of the Small]]'' (1999–2002). The annual award recognizes one writer and a particular body of work for "significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature".<ref name=edwards/>
Pierce won the [[Margaret A. Edwards Award]] from the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) of the [[American Library Association]] in 2013, citing her two [[tetralogy|quartets]] ''[[Song of the Lioness]]'' and ''[[Protector of the Small]]'' (1999–2002). The annual award recognizes one writer and a particular body of work for "significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature".<ref name=edwards/>


Pierce's books have been translated into twenty languages.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Tamora+Pierce&fq=dt%3Abks&dblist=638&fc=ln:_25&qt=show_more_ln%3A |title= Search results for 'Tamora Pierce' > 'Book' |work=[[WorldCat]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unesco.org/xtrans/bsresult.aspx?lg=0&a=Pierce,%20Tamora&fr=70 |title=Pierce, Tamora |work=[[Index Translationum]] |publisher=[[UNESCO]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8596.Tamora_Pierce |title=Tamora Pierce |work=[[Goodreads]]}}</ref>
==Biography==


==Early life and education==
Pierce was born in [[South Connellsville, Pennsylvania]] in [[Fayette County, Pennsylvania|Fayette County]], on December 13, 1954. Her mother wanted to name her "Tamara" but the nurse who filled out her birth certificate misspelled it as "Tamora".<ref name=Pierce>{{cite web|last1=Pierce|first1=Tamora|title=Tamora Pierce Biography|url=http://tamorapierce.com/bio.html|website=Tamora Pierce: Author of Young Adult Fantasy|publisher=Tamora Pierce|accessdate=20 October 2014}}</ref> When she was five her sister Kimberly (whom she based Alanna on)<ref>Bonnie Kunzel & Susan Fichtelberg ''Tamora Pierce: A Student Companion'', Hardcover, Greenwood Press, 2007</ref> was born and a year later her second sister, Melanie, was born. From the time she was five until she was eight, she lived in [[Dunbar, Pennsylvania|Dunbar]]. In June 1963 she and her family moved to [[California]]. They first lived in [[San Mateo, California|San Mateo]] on [[El Camino Real (California)|El Camino Real]] and then moved to the other side of the [[San Francisco Peninsula]], in Miramar. They lived there for half a year, in [[El Granada, California|El Granada]] a full year, and then three years in [[Burlingame, California|Burlingame]].
Pierce was born in [[South Connellsville, Pennsylvania]] in [[Fayette County, Pennsylvania|Fayette County]], on December 13, 1954 to Wayne and Mary Lou Pierce.<ref>Pierce, Tamora. "Acknowledgments." ''Power in the Storm, The''. Scholastic Press (1999)</ref> Her mother wanted to name her "Tamara" but the nurse who filled out her birth certificate misspelled it as "Tamora".<ref name=Pierce>{{cite web|last1=Pierce|first1=Tamora|title=Tamora Pierce Biography|url=http://tamorapierce.com/bio.html|website=Tamora Pierce: Author of Young Adult Fantasy|publisher=Tamora Pierce |access-date=20 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141005205032/http://tamorapierce.com/bio.html |archive-date=5 October 2014}}</ref> When she was five, her sister Kimberly (on whom she based Alanna)<ref>Bonnie Kunzel & Susan Fichtelberg ''Tamora Pierce: A Student Companion'', Hardcover, Greenwood Press, 2007</ref> was born and a year later her second sister, Melanie, was born. From the time she was five until she was eight, she lived in [[Dunbar, Pennsylvania|Dunbar]]. In June 1963 she and her family moved to [[California]]. They first lived in [[San Mateo, California|San Mateo]] on [[El Camino Real (California)|El Camino Real]] and then moved to the other side of the [[San Francisco Peninsula]], in Miramar. They lived in Miramar for half a year, in [[El Granada, California|El Granada]] a full year, and then three years in [[Burlingame, California|Burlingame]].


She began reading when she was very young and started writing when she was in the sixth grade. Her interest in fantasy and science fiction began when she was introduced to [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', and so she started to write the kind of books that she was reading. After her parents divorced, her mother moved her and her sisters back to Fayette County in 1969, where she spent two years at Albert Gallatin Senior High. When her family moved again, she spent her senior year at Uniontown Area Senior High School, acting, singing, and writing for the school paper. She is an alumna of the [[University of Pennsylvania]] (Penn).
She began reading when she was very young and started writing when she was in the sixth grade. Her interest in fantasy and science fiction began when she was introduced to [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', and so she started to write the kind of books that she was reading. After her parents divorced, her mother moved her and her sisters back to Fayette County in 1969, where she spent two years at Albert Gallatin Senior High. When her family moved again, she spent her senior year at Uniontown Area Senior High School, acting, singing, and writing for the school paper. She is an alumna of the [[University of Pennsylvania]] in [[Philadelphia]].


==Career==
While at Penn she wrote the books that became ''The Song of the Lioness'' quartet. The first book of this quartet, ''[[Alanna: The First Adventure]]'' was published by [[Atheneum Books]] in 1983.
While at the University of Pennsylvania, Pierce wrote the books that became ''The Song of the Lioness'' quartet. The first book of this quartet, ''[[Alanna: The First Adventure]]'' was published by [[Atheneum Books]] in 1983.


Pierce lived with her husband Tim Liebe (Spouse-Creature) in [[New York City]], with their four cats and multiple other pets, until they moved to [[Syracuse, New York]].<ref>Pierce, Tamora. "Acknowledgments." ''Bloodhound: Beka Cooper Book Two''. New York: Random House Children's Books (2009). p 551.</ref>
Pierce lived with her husband Tim Liebe (Spouse-Creature) in [[New York City]], with their four cats and multiple other pets, until they moved to [[Syracuse, New York]].<ref>Pierce, Tamora. "Acknowledgments." ''Bloodhound: Beka Cooper Book Two''. New York: Random House Children's Books (2009). p 551.</ref>


In 2008, she donated her archive to the department of Rare Books and Special Collections at [[Northern Illinois University]].<ref>[http://www.ulib.niu.edu/rarebooks/sciencefiction.cfm Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) Collection], Northern Illinois University</ref>
In 2008, she donated her archive to the department of Rare Books and Special Collections at [[Northern Illinois University]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.niu.edu/ulib/content/collections/rbsc/research/sc/scifi.shtml |title=Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) Collection |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720013814/http://www.ulib.niu.edu/rarebooks/sciencefiction.cfm |archive-date=2011-07-20 |url-status=dead |publisher=[[Northern Illinois University]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://archon.lib.niu.edu/?p=collections/controlcard&id=401 |title=Tamora Pierce Papers, 2006-2017 |publisher=[[Northern Illinois University]] |access-date=2019-12-16 |archive-date=2021-06-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210622112502/https://archon.lib.niu.edu/?p=collections/controlcard&id=401 |url-status=dead }}</ref>


Pierce was also actively involved in moderating and discussing her novels on a message board called Sheroes Central from about 2001-2006, at which point it was acquired by a third party.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-08-14 |title=Sheroes Central - Women Heroes in Real Life and Fiction |url=http://www.sheroescentral.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi |access-date=2022-12-27 |archive-date=2001-08-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010814120632/http://www.sheroescentral.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-07-02 |title=Sheroes Central Home Page |url=http://www.sheroescentral.com/ |access-date=2022-12-27 |archive-date=2001-07-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010702090541/http://www.sheroescentral.com/ |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-07-20 |title=Welcome to Sheroes! |url=http://www.sheroescentral.com/ |access-date=2022-12-27 |archive-date=2011-07-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720015323/http://www.sheroescentral.com/ |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Francis |first=Madeleine |title=Links |url=https://www.tamora-pierce.net/et-cetera/other/links/ |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=Tamora Pierce |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rosenberg |first=Alyssa |date=2011-06-03 |title=Tamora Pierce on 'Twilight,' Girl Heroes, and Fantasy Birth Control |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/06/tamora-pierce-on-twilight-girl-heroes-and-fantasy-birth-control/239861/ |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}</ref>
==Writing process==


===Writing process===
On her homepage, Pierce states she gets most ideas from things she stumbles upon. Her concept of magic as a tapestry of threads comes from her experiences in crocheting, and in her world, all mages are somehow based on British naturalist [[David Attenborough]] after watching his nature documentaries. [[Fantasy literature|Fantasy novels]] and [[Arthurian legend]] were the base of the worlds she thought up as a girl, and later she added contemporary issues like youth crime, [[cholera]] outbreaks in Africa. In general, Pierce states: "The best way to prepare to have ideas when you need them is to listen to and encourage your obsessions."<ref>[http://www.tamora-pierce.com/faq.htm#Ideas Tamora Pierce's FAQs updated 9-21-05<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
On her homepage, Pierce states she gets most ideas from things she stumbles upon. Her concept of magic as a tapestry of threads comes from her experiences in crocheting, and in her world, all mages are somehow based on British naturalist [[David Attenborough]] after watching his nature documentaries. [[Fantasy literature|Fantasy novels]] and [[Arthurian legend]] were the base of the worlds she thought up as a girl, and later she added contemporary issues like youth crime and [[cholera]] outbreaks in [[Africa]]. In general, Pierce states: "The best way to prepare to have ideas when you need them is to listen to and encourage your obsessions."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tamora-pierce.com/faq.htm#Ideas|title=Frequently Asked Questions - Tamora Pierce|website=tamora-pierce.com|access-date=27 April 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160420081516/http://www.tamora-pierce.com/faq.htm#Ideas|archive-date=20 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://readergirlz.com/issue200912.html |title=Book Buzz |work=readergirlz |date=December 2009 |access-date=27 April 2018 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160730145912/http://www.readergirlz.com/issue200912.html|archive-date=2016-07-30}}</ref>


Pierce draws on elements of people and animals around her for inspiration. The character of Alanna is loosely based on Pierce's sister.<ref name="bio" /> Thayet's appearance is based on a friend of Pierce's. Beka's pigeon friends in ''Provost's Dog'' are all based on actual pigeons of Pierce's acquaintance. {{Citation needed|date=October 2010}}
Pierce draws on elements of people and animals around her for inspiration. The character of Alanna is loosely based on Pierce's sister.<ref name="bio">{{cite web | url = http://www.tamora-pierce.com/bio.html | title = Tamora Pierce Biography | access-date = 2013-08-15 | last = Pierce | first = Tamora | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130613183932/http://www.tamora-pierce.com/bio.html | archive-date = 2013-06-13 }}</ref> Thayet's appearance is based on a friend of Pierce's. Beka's pigeon friends in ''Provost's Dog'' are all based on actual pigeons of Pierce's acquaintance.<ref>{{Cite book|title = Terrier|last = Pierce|first = Tamora|publisher = Random House|year = 2006|isbn = 9781439518830|location = New York}}</ref>


Tamora Pierce first started writing to escape from the drama of her parents' divorce. She wrote fan fiction based on her favorite stories, imitating them closely.<ref name="bio" /> Pierce says she decided to write her stories about strong female characters because she noticed a lack of them in the books she read when she was young.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://bitchmagazine.org/post/iconography-tamora-pierce-and-all-the-feminist-fantasy-heroines-you-could-want | title = Iconography: Tamora Pierce and All the Feminist Fantasy Heroines You Could Want | accessdate = 2011-08-22 | first = Chally | last = Kacelnik | date = 27 December 2010 | work = [[Bitch (magazine)|bitch]] | publisher = bitch media<!--non-capitalization intentional-->}}</ref>
Pierce first started writing to escape from the drama of her parents' divorce. She wrote [[fan fiction]] based on her favorite stories, imitating them closely.<ref name="bio" /> Pierce says she decided to write her stories about strong female characters because she noticed a lack of them in the books she read when she was young.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.bitchmedia.org/post/iconography-tamora-pierce-and-all-the-feminist-fantasy-heroines-you-could-want | title = Iconography: Tamora Pierce and All the Feminist Fantasy Heroines You Could Want | access-date = 2019-12-16 | first = Chally | last = Kacelnik | date = 27 December 2010 | work = [[Bitch (magazine)|bitch]] | publisher = bitch media<!--non-capitalization intentional--> | archive-date = 2021-01-23 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210123073853/https://www.bitchmedia.org/post/iconography-tamora-pierce-and-all-the-feminist-fantasy-heroines-you-could-want | url-status = dead }}</ref>


==Awards and nominations==
==Works==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Year
! Award
! Nominee/Work
! Category
! Result
! Ref
|-
| 2011
| [[Goodreads Choice Awards]]
| ''[[Mastiff (novel)|Mastiff]]''
| Best Young Adult Fantasy and Science Fiction
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web |title=Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction |url=https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-young-adult-fantasy-books-2011# |website=Goodreads |access-date=13 October 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 2003
| rowspan="3" | [[Locus Award]]
| ''[[Lady Knight]]''
| rowspan="3" | [[Locus Award for Best Young Adult Book|Best Young Adult Book]]
| {{nom}}<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_2003 | title=Sfadb: Locus Awards 2003 }}</ref>
| rowspan="3" |
|-
| 2004
| ''[[Trickster's Choice]]''
| {{nom}}<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_2004 | title=Sfadb: Locus Awards 2004 }}</ref>
|-
| 2012
| ''Mastiff''
| {{nom}}<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_2012 | title=Sfadb: Locus Awards 2012 }}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2013
| rowspan="2" | [[Margaret Edwards Award]]
| ''[[The Song of the Lioness]]'' Series
| {{N/A}}
| {{won}}
| rowspan="2" | <ref>{{cite web |title=Edwards Award 2013 |url=https://www.ala.org/yalsa/edwards/previouswinners/pierce |website=alga |date=23 January 2014 |access-date=13 October 2021}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Protector of the Small]]'' Series
| {{N/A}}
| {{won}}
|-
| 2000
| rowspan="2" | [[Mythopoeic Awards]]
| ''[[Circle of Magic]]'' Series
| rowspan="2" | Best Fantasy Series
| {{nom}}
| rowspan="2" |<ref name="first">{{cite web |title=Tamora Pierce: Lit by Fire |url=https://locusmag.com/2012/07/tamora-pierce-lit-by-fire/ |access-date=13 October 2021 |date=13 July 2012}}</ref>
|-
| 2012
| ''[[Provost's Dog|Beka Cooper]]'' Series
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2005
| [[Edward E. Smith Memorial Award|Skylark Award]]
| Tamora Pierce
| {{n/a}}
| {{won}}
| <ref name="first"/>
|-
|}


===Tortall universe===
=== Accolades ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
The Tortall universe is a fictional setting shared by five book series: [The] ''Song of the Lioness''; [The] ''Immortals, or Wild Magic''; ''Protector of the Small''; ''Daughter of the Lioness, or Tricksters''; and ''Beka Cooper, or Provost's Dog''.<ref name=isfdb/> It is named for the major country, Tortall, whose capital is Corus, located near the western coast on the Emerald Ocean. To the north is Scanra, a wild and somewhat barbaric country. Tortall and Scanra go to war<!--once?--> in the last two Protector books and the first Trickster book, ''Trickster's Choice''.
|+ Year-end lists
|-
! Year
! Publication
! Work
! Category
! Result
! Ref
|-
| rowspan="4" | 2012
| rowspan="4" | [[NPR]]
| ''[[Circle of Magic]]'' Series
| rowspan="4" | 100 Best-Ever Teen Novels
| 86
| rowspan="4" | <ref>{{cite web |title=our Favorites: 100 Best-Ever Teen Novels |url=https://www.npr.org/2012/08/07/157795366/your-favorites-100-best-ever-teen-novels |website=NPR |access-date=13 October 2021 |date=7 August 2012}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[The Immortals (series)|The Immortals]]'' Series
| 83
|-
| ''[[Daughter of the Lioness|Trickster's Choice]]'' Duology
| 81
|-
| ''[[The Song of the Lioness]]'' Series
| 50
|-
| 2018
| rowspan="2" | [[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]
| ''[[Trickster's Queen]]''
| The 50 Best Fantasy Books of the 21st Century (So Far)
| 17
| <ref>{{cite web |last1=Jackson |first1=Josh |display-authors=etal. |title=The 50 Best Fantasy Books of the 21st Century (So Far) |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/books/fantasy-books/the-50-best-fantasy-novels-of-the-21st-century/ |website=Paste |access-date=13 October 2021 |date=11 April 2018}}</ref>
|-
| 2019
| ''Trickster's Choice'' Duology
| 10 Exceptional Audiobooks Written and Narrated by Women
| 4
| <ref>{{cite web |last1=Gunderson |first1=Alexis |title=10 Exceptional Audiobooks Written and Narrated by Women |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/books/audiobooks/10-exceptional-audiobooks-written-and-narrated-by/#4-the-daughter-of-the-lioness |website=Paste |access-date=13 October 2021 |date=21 March 2019}}</ref>
|-
| 2020
| [[Time (magazine)|Time]]
| ''[[Alanna: The First Adventure]]''
| 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time
| {{n/a}}
| <ref>{{cite magazine |title=100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time |url=https://time.com/collection/100-best-fantasy-books/ |magazine=Time |access-date=13 October 2021}}</ref>
|-
|}


==Works==
To the east are Galla, Tusaine, and Tyra, and past them are Maren and Sarain. Carthak is south of Tortall across the Inland Sea, while to the west lie the Yamani Islands and the Copper Isles. To the east of Maren and Sarain is The Roof of the World, a large mountain range. The Trickster books mostly take place in the Copper Isles, further south than the Yamani islands. In addition, ''Emperor Mage'' from the Immortals Quartet takes place in Carthak. Also, as the Beka books take place hundreds of years before the other books, Barzun, a nation between Tortall and the Inland Sea later conquered by Tortall, is occasionally mentioned.
{{main|Tamora Pierce bibliography}}


{{Empty section |date=October 2024}}
Tortall is a place somewhat reminiscent of the European Middle Ages, with its monarchy, court, nobility, and knights, but is otherwise a completely different world. Magic is very real and practical to Tortallans, from the common hedgewitch to the King's court mages. Deities are revered and often play a part in human lives, sometimes choosing humans as champions, sometimes using them to further their own purposes. Though these deities are shown as powerful beyond belief, they rely on their human instruments to shape the world.


== Merchandise ==
====''The Song of the Lioness''====
In November 2018, the first line of officially licensed merchandise was created in partnership with Dual Wield Studio: pins, apparel and accessories developed in collaboration with creators from the Tamora Pierce fanbase.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pierce |first=Tamora |date=November 13, 2018 |title=@TamoraPierce |url=https://twitter.com/TamoraPierce/status/1062406837448949762?s=20 |website=Twitter}}</ref> The collection expanded in 2020 to include a rendition of the map of Tortall.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pierce |first=Tamora |date=June 25, 2020 |title=@TamoraPierce |url=https://twitter.com/TamoraPierce/status/1276212403047301120?s=20 |website=Twitter}}</ref>
{{main|The Song of the Lioness}}
<!-- full synopsis found in separate article -->
The omnibus edition of this quartet is ''Song of the Lioness'' (without 'The'), published in 2002 by Science Fiction Book Club (SFBC).<ref name=isfdb/>


At the end of 2023, Dual Wield Studio announced a new collection celebrating the 40th anniversary of ''Alanna: The First Adventure.''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Raugust {{!}} |first=Karen |title=Licensing Hotline: November 2023 |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/93832-licensing-hotline-november-2023.html |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=PublishersWeekly.com |language=en}}</ref>
Alanna of Trebond (later Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau) is a ground-breaking female knight. Although noble-born girls traditionally go to the convent to learn how to be proper noblewomen and wives, Alanna desires to become a knight, a position only given to noble-born boys (although, as seen in the Beka Cooper books, there had historically been other female knights and warrior-maidens). In order to achieve her dream, Alanna disguises herself as a boy under the name of Alan and goes to the palace in place of her twin brother Thom. As Thom has no interest in becoming a knight, and is far more interested in his magic, Thom forges a letter so that he can go to a temple to become an enormously strong and skilled sorcerer. The twins' father is concerned only with his studies, and pays them little attention, which helps their masquerade. He is also very strongly against all various types of magic, as he believed that it should have saved his dearly beloved wife when she died in childbirth, so he is opposed to the idea of Thom becoming a sorcerer.

Alanna has quite a few strong [[romantic relationship]]s throughout the series, including Prince Jonathan, George Cooper, and Liam Ironarm, the Shang (a martial arts society) Dragon. The series follows Alanna's training and the early years of her full knighthood, a time-span of ten years.

''The Song of The Lioness'' was originally written as one single book for adults, but her literary agent suggested that she rewrite it into four books aimed at a young adult audience.<ref name="bio">{{cite web | url = http://www.tamora-pierce.com/bio.html | title = Tamora Pierce Biography | accessdate = 2013-08-15 | last = Pierce | first = Tamora}}</ref> Pierce literally cut up the manuscript<ref name="bio">{{cite web | url = http://www.tamora-pierce.com/bio.html | title = Tamora Pierce Biography | accessdate = 2011-08-22 | last = Pierce | first = Tamora}}</ref> and used the pieces to form four new books for teenagers. She has received numerous requests to publish the original manuscript, but claims it no longer exists, and wouldn't be worth publishing anyway.
*''[[Alanna: The First Adventure]]'' (1983) – Alanna, a young [[nobility|noble]] girl, disguises herself as a boy with the help of her [[twin]] brother, Thom, in order to realize her dream of becoming a [[knight]] as Thom goes to a temple to become a mage. She makes powerful friends, including the crown prince and the Rogue (king of the thieves), along with tremendously powerful and dangerous enemies, (Duke Roger, the prince's first cousin whom she does not trust.)
*''[[In the Hand of the Goddess]]'' (1984) – Finding life as a knight-in-training more difficult than she imagined but still in her disguise, (though several people, including Prince Jonathan and George Cooper, the Rogue, know her secret as a woman) Alanna serves as a [[squire]] to Prince Jonathan of Conté, fights in a war alongside her knight master and struggles with the attention of the evil [[Duke]] [[Roger of Conté]] all the while struggling to find her identity as a woman, including the romantic attentions of George Cooper and the Prince, as well as a relationship with the latter, in tandem with her dreams of becoming a knight.
*''[[The Woman Who Rides Like a Man]]'' (1986) – After rightfully gaining her knight's shield, "Sir Alanna" travels south, meeting up with a [[Bazhir]] tribe. She learns to reconcile with her magic, a part of her she formerly despised, and becomes a shaman. Jonathan also becomes "The Voice," an honored Bazhir figure who is able to speak to every one who has performed the traditional Bazhir rituals. By doing this, he reconciles the Bazhir, who have long resented the Conté rule, to the capital city of Corus. Jonathan and Alanna also fight, and break up. Alanna soon finds another relationship with George, the Rogue, but continues to struggle with her romantic feelings for Jonathan, who has gone on to court a "proper woman," a princess of the Copper Isles.
*''[[Lioness Rampant]]'' (1988) – Alanna travels to the "Roof of the World" in search of the mystically powerful Dominion Jewel in order to prove her worth as the first female knight in centuries. The Dominion Jewel is a legendary magical artifact rumored to unite any ruler who holds it with the land that he or she rules. During this journey she meets Princess Thayet, her bodyguard Buri, and the Shang Dragon, whom she develops a strong romantic relationship with, despite his open fear of magic. She also later duels with Duke Roger after he is resurrected by her twin brother, Thom. Roger tries once again to take over Tortall, this time not as king, but by destroying it and everyone in it. She works out her romantic life and ends the book accepting George's marriage proposal.

====''The Immortals''====
{{main|The Immortals (series)}}
This quartet is also called ''Wild Magic'' after its first volume, published by Atheneum in 1992. Its omnibus edition is ''The Immortals'' (SFBC, 2003).<ref name=isfdb/> The story features [[Veralidaine Sarrasri|Veralidaine (Daine) Sarrasri]] who was orphaned when raiders attacked her village. Daine has an unusual (and extremely strong) gift of wild magic which is mistaken for insanity because she is unable to control it. Though convinced she has no magical Gift, it is discovered that she has 'wild magic' - a magic that is not uncommon, but for some reason is a disregarded branch of magic. What is rare is the amount of it that Daine possesses, and what she is able to do with it. This magic gives her a unique connection with animals. Her abilities manifest gradually throughout the series, allowing her first to speak with animals, to heal their injuries and eventually to shape-shift into animal forms. The series covers a timespan of four years, following Daine as she learns to communicate with humans, animals, and [[legendary creature|Immortals]].
*''[[Wild Magic]]'' (1992) – Daine, a 13-year-old girl, finds out that her knack with wild animals is in fact a rare and powerful form of [[magic (paranormal)|magic]]. Under the guidance of [[Numair Salmalín]] (the most powerful mage in Tortall), she learns to control her magic, which proves very important for herself and her companions. This first novel in the quartet also reunites us briefly with the protagonist of the Song of the Lioness quartet, Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau, formerly [[Alanna of Trebond]].
*''[[Wolf-Speaker]]'' (1994) – Daine travels with Numair to meet a pack of wolves that she knew from her home village. The wolves show her that the valley containing their home range is being devastated, and this is eventually connected with a treasonous conspiracy against her adopted king and country.
*''[[Emperor Mage]]'' (1995) – Daine joins a delegation of Tortallan [[diplomacy|diplomats]] sent to Carthak, where she finally meets the [[Emperor]] [[Ozorne Muhassin Tasikhe|Ozorne]], of whom she has heard so much. Daine is caught up in a strange battle involving displeased gods and strange magics.
*''[[The Realms of the Gods]]'' (1996) – Caught in a mysterious attack, Daine and Numair are snatched into the Divine Realms, where they meet Daine's parents (her father is a minor god of the hunt and when her mother died, he brought her into the Divine Realms) and struggle to make their way back to [[Tortall]], where war is raging again. While in the Divine Realms, Daine discovers Numair's true feelings for her and works out her own. This book takes place in both the Divine (Immortal) and mortal realms.
Tamora Pierce will also be writing a book on Numair's last years at the University of Carthak, his clash with Emperor Ozorne, and subsequent flight to Tortall, titled [[Exile]] and expected to be published late 2014. This was originally conceived as two books, with the working title 'Numair: The Early Years'.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tamora-pierce.com/index.html |title=Tamora Pierce, Author BLOODHOUND, SONG OF THE LIONESS, CIRLE OF MAGIC, PROTECTOR OF THE SMALL, CIRCLE OPENS, Beka Cooper, TERRIER, Young Adult Fantasy - Updated 04-10-13 |publisher=Tamora-pierce.com |date=2012-08-23 |accessdate=2013-04-29}}</ref>

A third, untitled book scheduled for 2015 will follow the coming-of-age of Lady Maura of Dunlath.

====''Protector of the Small''====
{{main|Protector of the Small}}
The omnibus edition of this quartet is ''Protector of the Small'' (SFBC, 2004).<ref name=isfdb/> The story features [[Keladry of Mindelan]], the first girl to follow in Alanna's footsteps—legally and without disguise, after a law is passed allowing girls to try for knighthood. As she begins her training, Kel is constantly harassed, injured, plagued by doubters and put on probation by her training master, who thinks a girl will never succeed. Kel discovers the [[hazing]] of young [[page (occupation)|pages]] and fights the bullies to put a stop to it. Kel makes memorable friends throughout the series, including the wry Nealan of Queenscove, and also Lord Raoul of Goldenlake, an old friend of Alanna's. She meets some key enemies, including Joren of Stone Mountain, her fellow page. The series follows Kel's training and the first year of her knighthood, a timespan of nine years.
*''[[First Test]]'' (1999) – Keladry of Mindelan, the first openly female page, faces giant spidrens (Immortals, see the Immortals series), hazing, bullying and the mistrust of her superiors in her first probationary year as a page.
*''[[Page (Tamora Pierce novel)|Page]]'' (2000) – Kel, to the surprise of many, is allowed to complete her page's training. In this second book of the series Kel faces dangers that will change the way pages are taught.
*''[[Squire (Tamora Pierce novel)|Squire]]'' (2001) – In the second half of her training, Kel has a new master, [[Raoul of Goldenlake]], who gives her new duties, and teaches her new skills. Alongside her own study, Kel becomes increasingly involved with the war that brews on Tortall's northern border, and her fellow squire, Cleon of Kennan.
*''[[Lady Knight]]'' (2002) – Though she is now a knight, Kel is still inexperienced. She struggles with her sense of duty when her commanders assign her to manage a [[refugee camp]] instead of to the front lines. She struggles to find a balance between her duties and completing a quest assigned by The Chamber during her knighthood ordeal.

====''Tricksters''====
{{main|Tricksters series}}
This duology is also called ''Daughter of the Lioness'' from ''The Song of the Lioness'' four-book series. Its omnibus edition is ''Tricksters'' (SFBC, 2005).<ref name=isfdb/> It is actually as long as the earlier quartets, because these books are about twice the length of the earlier works. Pierce explained that the greatly huge, popular success of the seven [[Harry Potter]] books finally showed publishers that young readers will read big books.

The duology is the story of Alianne (Aly) of Pirate's Swoop, the 16-year-old daughter of the legendary Alanna the Lioness. Disallowed work as a Tortallan [[spy]] by her parents, Aly leaves home only to be captured by [[pirate]]s and sold into [[slavery]] in the Copper Isles. Under the guidance of Kyprioth, the god of tricksters, Aly involves herself with a conspiracy of the native ''raka'' people against their ''luarin'' conquerors, in accordance with a [[prophecy]] made by Kyprioth himself through one of his priestesses, centuries earlier. The duology covers a timespan of two years. Aly is a much different person from her mother, saying of herself, “Why, I’m just as true and honest as dirt. And I’m even more charming than dirt.”

*''[[Trickster's Choice]]'' (2003) – When Aly is taken by pirates, she is sold as a slave in the Copper Isles and makes a bet with the god Kyprioth, to protect the children of the Balitang family from unknown dangers. She soon learns that the two daughters, Saraiyu Balitang (Sarai) and Dovasary Balitang (Dove), are linked to the prophecy that predicts one of them will become a true queen. She learns to speak to crows, and makes a wonderfully close and dear friend, Nawat Crow, a crow-turned-man.
*''[[Trickster's Queen]]'' (2004) – Returning to Rajmuat after their short exile, the Balitang household prepares to overthrow the Rittevon throne that has ruled the Copper Isles for centuries and replace the vicious monarchs with a raka queen. Alianne, Alanna's daughter, is the conspiracy's spymaster.

====''Beka Cooper''====
{{main|Beka Cooper}}
This [[trilogy]] is also called Provost's Dog.<ref name=isfdb/> It is set in the realm of Tortall, 200 years before ''Alanna: The First Adventure''. The first book in the series, ''[[Terrier (novel)|Terrier]]'', was released on October 24, 2006.

George Cooper is a young boy, six years of age, who is caught stealing. His ashamed mother then tells him about his famous ancestress, named Rebakah Cooper. "Beka" Cooper is a trainee for the Provost's Guard, which is Tortall's equivalent of a police force. In those days, they were called "Dogs" and trainees were known as "Puppies," both of whom were stationed at "Kennels" (this was where the term "Provost's Dog" came from).

The first book, ''Terrier'', concerns Beka's first months as a Puppy. All of Pierce's previous books were written in the third person, but this series is told from a diary-style first person perspective. Beka's entries detail how hard she works to try to make her home, the Lower City of Corus, safer.

Beka's roots in the Lower City give her both a keen insight and a sense of empathy for the people she is there to protect. Beka is referred to as a "Terrier" for her youth and dogged determination despite her size.

The second book in this trilogy, ''[[Bloodhound (novel)|Bloodhound]]'', was released on April 14, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tammypierce.livejournal.com/ |title=Dare to Be Stupid |publisher=Tammypierce.livejournal.com |date= |accessdate=2013-04-29}}</ref> Here, we follow Beka to Port Caynn, where a secretive ring of cole-mongers threatens to destroy the country.

The third and final book is ''Mastiff'', formerly titled ''Elkhound''. It was released October 25, 2011.<ref>[http://www.tamora-pierce.com/ Pierce's website]</ref> An excerpt from Mastiff is included in ''Tortall and Other Lands: A Collection of Tales''. After a devastating attack at the summer palace, Beka is assigned to recapture what was stolen, but a traitor will make the quest difficult.

===Circle universe===

The ''Circle of Magic'' quartet is set in the land of [[Emelan]], the ''Circle Opens'' quartet in various neighbouring countries.

The series tell the story of four children, [[Sandrilene fa Toren]], [[Trisana Chandler]], [[Daja Kisubo]] and [[Briar Moss]] (formerly Roach), known as Sandry, Tris, Daja, and Briar, respectively, who are discovered and brought together by a powerful mage Niklaren Goldeye (called Niko) and told that they are "ambient mages," which means that they use magic from outside themselves. The four youths do not fit in with the other children of the monastic community to which Niko brings them, and are put together in a separate cottage, called Discipline. Here they each learn of their hidden talents; Sandry with thread, Tris with weather, Daja with fire and metal, and Briar with plants. They live with two mages: Lark, a gentle woman especially attentive to Sandry since she also has thread magic, and Rosethorn, a sharp woman who shares Briar's ability with plants. Also teaching and guiding them is Niko, technically Tris's teacher, but available to all four. Daja is mentored and guided by Dedicate Initiate Frostpine, a smith mage. Their teachers, with the exception of Niko, are also ambient mages. At first it seems that a merchant, a street rat, a noblewoman, and a Trader (a trading race that is often hated by others) will never get along, but an extraordinary circumstance brings them together. They are all powerful individually, but they discover that together they are even stronger. Through an earthquake, they realize their full potential and are bound closely together forever. As children skilled in an uncommon magic, they struggle to earn the respect of the adults they encounter.

====''Circle of Magic''====
{{main|Circle of Magic}}
*''[[Sandry's Book]]'', [[United Kingdom|UK]] title ''The Magic in the Weaving'' (1997) – The four young mages are brought together to learn about their newfound magic. When they are trapped in the midst of an earthquake, they must spin their powers together to survive.
*''[[Tris's Book]]'', UK title ''The Power in the Storm'' (1998) – Winding Circle is attacked by pirates with a strange new weapon and a spy amongst the mages. The Winding Circle temple faces complete destruction. What will the four do to stop the attack?
*''[[Daja's Book]]'', UK title ''The Fire in the Forging'' (1998) – Duke Vedris takes the four and their teachers to northern Emelan where wild grass fires had been ruining the harvest. Daja finds a Trader caravan and is torn between two fates, to be back with the people she was raised with but who labelled her an outcast, or to stay with her friends and teachers.
*''[[Briar's Book]]'', UK title ''The Healing in the Vine'' (1999) – When a deadly illness strikes Summersea, the four and their teachers work to stop it. Just as they begin to succeed, the illness strikes back at what Briar loves most.

====''The Circle Opens''====
{{main|The Circle Opens}}
During this series the young mages are officially certified by [[Winding Circle]] and become teachers. In this quartet the original four protagonists decide to travel with their teachers, each taking on a new student and combating problems abroad.
*''[[Magic Steps]]'' (2000) – Sandry finds a dance-mage boy in Summersea, the twelve-year-old Pasco Acalon, the son and grandson of two police families (known as "harriers" in Summersea). When a rich trading family falls prey to a serial killer, she and Pasco must work together to stop the killer mages who have a deadly weapon- unmagic, which is the absence of magic and life.
*''[[Street Magic]]'' (2001) – In Chammur, Briar discovers a street girl named Evvy (Evumeimei Dingzai), and finds she has stone-magic. But the noblewoman-sponsor of the sinister Viper gang has her eye on Evvy, and Briar must protect his young student from the lady's greed.
*''[[Cold Fire (Tamora Pierce novel)|Cold Fire]]'' (2002) – Daja travels to Namorn in the far north, and discovers her host's twin daughters' magical talent: Niamara (Nia), whose magic is with carpentry and woodwork, and Jorality (Jory), whose magic is with cooking. All the while someone is setting fires throughout the city, despite the best efforts of Bennat Ladradun, head of the firefighters.
*''[[Shatterglass]]'' (2003) – Tris encounters [[Kethlun Warder]] (Keth), an undiscovered glass mage who "lost" his glassworking talent when he was struck by lightning, but gained the ability to mix lightning and glass. Unaware of his new powers, Keth accidentally creates a living glass dragon, who Tris names 'Chime'. It turns out that Keth can also erratically create glass balls that contain visions of the work of a serial killer. Tris and Keth must work together to bring his power under control and expose the murderer.

These books take place as the children go from about age 10, in the first series, to 14 in the second.

====''The Will of the Empress''====
{{main|The Will of the Empress}}

* ''The Will of the Empress'' (UK October 2005, ISBN 0-439-44171-4; US November 2005, ISBN 0-439-44171-4)

The initial working title for this book was ''The Circle Reforged''.{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}} It is the first book in "The Circle Reforged" series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/p/tamora-pierce/will-of-empress.htm |title=The Will of the Empress (Circle Reforged, book 1) by Tamora Pierce |publisher=Fantasticfiction.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2013-04-29}}</ref>

Sandry's cousin, the Empress of Namorn (Berenene dor Ocmor), has been begging her to come visit her for years. Finally the stitch witch agrees, but her uncle requests that her childhood friends accompany her. However, during the time they were separated the foursome has broken apart, and are now adults with secrets that they once would have shared. Sandry expects to visit her cousin for the summer then return home to her uncle in Emelan, but the Empress has other plans. As the four soon find out, the iron will of the Empress is considered law, and the four must set aside their doubts and trust each other as they once did if they are to escape.

It is hinted throughout this book that Briar and Rosethorn had significant adventures in Gyongxe, the first home of the Living Circle temples. These events are now known to be the events that take place in the recently published ''Battle Magic''.

====''Melting Stones''====
{{main|Melting Stones}}
This story was first released as a full-cast [[audio book]] (produced by [[Full Cast Audio]]) to be followed by paper versions. This is the first full length novel written expressly for audio. The recording date had been postponed, and the audiobook was finally released in fall 2007. Pierce herself directs the recording. The print version was released in fall 2008. The story is based on Evvy, who, with Rosethorn, goes to investigate the weird happenings of an island. Plants and animals are dying and the two mages are there to find out why. Meanwhile Evvy meets two lava/magma spirits and is caught up in their quest to escape their mountain tomb.

====''Battle Magic''====
{{main|Battle Magic (Tamora Pierce novel)}}
This story follows Briar, Rosethorn, and Evvy as they travel to the far east, through the sacred lands of Gyongxe and on to Yanjing. While visiting with the God-King in Gyongxe, the traveling mages are summoned to the Yanjing emperor's summer palace. Although treated like royalty when they first arrive, they soon discover that the emperor plans to invade Gyongxe, posing a fatal threat to the home temple of the Living Circle religion. Accompanied by one of the emperor's prize captives, the three mages rush to Gyongxe to warn its citizens of the impending attack. With the imperials hot on their trail, Briar, Rosethorn, and Evvy must quickly help the country prepare for battle. But even with the help of new allies, will their combined forces be enough to fight the imperial army and win the war? <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/p/tamora-pierce/battle-magic.htm |title= Battle Magic (Circle Reforged book 3) by Tamora Pierce |publisher=Fantasticfiction.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2013-10-23}}</ref>

====Forthcoming====
Tamora Pierce currently has one ''Circle'' book in the works. The forthcoming ''Circle'' book is set after the events of ''Empress'', and will follow Tris as she enrolls "at the mages' university in Lightsbridge under an [[assumed name]], in an attempt to become an ordinary mage practicing normal academic magic (spells, charms, potions) with no one knowing her real name or power." She does so after realizing that her prospective employers only want to use her weather craft as war magic.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tamora-pierce.com/index.html|title=Tamora Pierce's official website|last=Pierce|first=Tamora|accessdate=17 June 2010}}</ref> This story is set for release in 2015.

===Short stories===

*"Plain Magic" - A fantasy short story. (1986, first published in ''Planetfall'', re-published in 1999 in ''Flights of Fantasy'', republished in 2010 in ''Tortall and Other Lands'')
*"Testing" - A contemporary, short story based on events that happened to the author while she was the housemother in a group home for teenage girls. (2000, published in ''Lost and Found'', republished in 2010 in ''Tortall and Other Lands'')
*"Elder Brother" - A Tortallan short story. (2001, published in ''Half Human'', an anthology edited by [[Bruce Coville]], also published in a two-in-one Circle of Magic book titled ''Books One and Two: Water and Fire'' and ''Tortall and Other Lands'')
*"Student of Ostriches" - A Tortallan short story. (2005, published in ''Young Warriors: Stories of Strength'', an anthology edited by Pierce and Josepha Sherman, republished in 2010 in ''Tortall and Other Lands'')
*"Huntress" - A contemporary fantasy short story. (2006, published in ''Firebirds Rising'', an anthology edited by [[Sharyn November]], republished in 2010 in ''Tortall and Other Lands'')
*"Hidden Girl" - A Tortallan short story, set in the same country as "Elder Brother". (2006, published in ''Dreams and Visions'', an anthology edited by M. Jerry Weiss, republished in 2010 in ''Tortall and Other Lands'')
*"Time of Proving" - A fantasy short story, about the coming of age of a young girl. (2006, published in ''[[Cricket (magazine)|Cricket]]'', republished in 2010 in ''Tortall and Other Lands'')
*"Slippery in the Stairwell, 1965" - A contemporary, real-life short story. (2009, published in ''My Little Red Book'')
*"The Dragon's Tale" - A Tortall short story about Kitten (Skysong), Daine's dragon (2009, published in ''The Dragon Book'', republished 2010 in ''Tortall and Other Lands'')
*"Lost" - A Tortall short story about a girl from Tusaine and a darking. (2010, published in ''Tortall and Other Lands'')
*"Mimic" - A Tortall short story about a girl named Ri and the animals she saves. (Published in 2010 in ''Tortall and Other Lands'')
*"Nawat" - A character-driven Tortall story which takes place after the ''Trickster'' series. (2010, published in ''Tortall and Other Lands'')

===Comics===

*At the 2006 New York Comicon, [[Marvel Comics]] announced that Pierce and her husband Tim Liebe would write a new series, starring former FBI agent Angela Del Toro as the new ''[[White Tiger (comics)|White Tiger]]''. ''White Tiger'' launched as a six-issue series drawn by French artist Phil Briones in November 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=6821 |title=Tiger Tiger Burning Bright: Pierce Talks "White Tiger" |publisher=Comic Book Resources |date= |accessdate=2013-04-29}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal bar |Children's literature |Comics |Fantasy }} <!-- delete "bar" if/when there are enough ordinary See also -->


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist |25em |refs=
{{Reflist |25em |refs=
<ref name=isfdb>
[http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?867 "Tamora Pierce – Summary Bibliography"]. [[Internet Speculative Fiction Database]] ('''ISFDB'''). Retrieved 2013-03-13. Select a title to see its linked publication history and general information. Select a particular edition (title) for more data at that level, such as a front cover image or linked contents.</ref>


<ref name=edwards>
<ref name=edwards>
[http://www.ala.org/yalsa/edwards/previouswinners/pierce "Edwards Award 2013"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170324210007/http://www.ala.org/yalsa/edwards/previouswinners/pierce |date=2017-03-24 }}. [[Young Adult Library Services Association]] (YALSA). American Library Association (ALA).
[http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2013/01/tamora-pierce-wins-2013-edwards-award-song-lioness-series-and-protector-small "Tamora Pierce wins 2013 Edwards Award for Song of the Lioness series and The Protector of the Small quartet"]. Press release January 28, 2013. ALA.<br>
<br>&nbsp; [http://www.ala.org/yalsa/edwards-award "Edwards Award"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405055545/http://www.ala.org/yalsa/edwards-award |date=2012-04-05 }}. YALSA. ALA. Retrieved 2015-02-08.</ref>
&nbsp; [http://www.ala.org/yalsa/edwards-award "Edwards Award"]. YALSA. ALA. Retrieved 2013-10-11.</ref> {{update after|2014|01|reason=the linked Award homepage should retire Pierce to the directory of previous winners no later than this month, probably with a target page that improves upon the press release; consult [ref name=edwards] at 2012 winner Susan Cooper }}

}}
}}


===Other sources===
===Other sources===
*[http://www.marvel.com/rss/podcasts/Tamora_Pierce_talks_White_Tiger.mp3 "Podcast Interview about 'White Tiger' with Tamora Pierce and Timothy Liebe"]
*[http://www.marvel.com/rss/podcasts/Tamora_Pierce_talks_White_Tiger.mp3 "Podcast Interview about 'White Tiger' with Tamora Pierce and Timothy Liebe"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061106123930/http://www.marvel.com/rss/podcasts/Tamora_Pierce_talks_White_Tiger.mp3 |date=2006-11-06 }}
*[http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=6821 "Tiger Tiger Burning Bright: Pierce Talks 'White Tiger'"] by David Richards, ''Comic Book Resources'', March 6, 2006
*[http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=6821 "Tiger Tiger Burning Bright: Pierce Talks 'White Tiger'"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311232858/http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=6821 |date=2007-03-11 }} by David Richards, ''Comic Book Resources'', March 6, 2006
*[http://www.newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?s=deb9fea4141fbe6983d08a4e9d6f477c&threadid=61034 "Eye of the White Tiger: Meet Marvel's Tamora Pierce"] by ''Newsarama'', February 27, 2006
*[http://www.newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?s=deb9fea4141fbe6983d08a4e9d6f477c&threadid=61034 "Eye of the White Tiger: Meet Marvel's Tamora Pierce"]{{Dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }} by ''Newsarama'', February 27, 2006
*{{cite book
*Brown, Joanne, & St. Clair, Nancy, ''Declarations of Independence: Empowered Girls in Young Adult Literature, 1990–2001'' (Lanham, MD, & London: The Scarecrow Press, 2002 [[Scarecrow Studies in Young Adult Literature, No. 7]]) ISBN 0-8108-4290-4
|last1= Brown
*Cart, Michael, ''From Romance to Realism: 50 Years of Growth and Change in Young Adult Literature'' (New York: HarperCollins, 1996) ISBN 0-06-446161-0
|first1= Joanne
*Dailey, Donna, ''Tamora Pierce'' (New York: Chelsea House, 2006 [[Who Wrote That?]]) ISBN 0-7910-8795-6
|last2 = St. Clair
*Egoff, Sheila A., ''Worlds Within: Children’s Fantasy from the Middle Ages to Today'' (Chicago & London: American Library Association, 1988) ISBN 0-8389-0494-7
|first2= Nancy
*Melano, Anne L., [http://www.uq.edu.au/crossroads/Archives/Vol%203/Issue%202%202009/Vol3Iss209%20-%2013.Melano%20(p.89-98).pdf "Utopias of Violence: Pierce's Knights of Tortall and the Contemporary Heroic"] (''Crossroads: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Study of History, Philosophy, Religion and Classics'', vol 3 issue 2, 2009)
|title= Declarations of Independence: Empowered Girls in Young Adult Literature, 1990–2001
*[[John Lennard|Lennard, John]], ''Tamora Pierce: The Immortals'' (Tirril: Humanities-Ebooks, 2007) ISBN 978-1-84760-037-0
|location= Lanham, MD, & London
* -- 'Of Stormwings and Valiant Women: The Tortallan World of Tamora Pierce', in ''Of Modern Dragons and other essays on Genre Fiction'' (Tirril: Humanities-Ebooks, 2007), pp.&nbsp;191–228 ISBN 978-1-84760-038-7
|publisher= The Scarecrow Press
*Sullivan III, C. W., ed., ''Young Adult Science Fiction'' (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1999 [[Contributions to the Study of Science Fiction and Fantasy 79]]) ISBN 0-313-28940-9
|year= 2002
*Trites, Roberta Seelinger, ''Disturbing the Universe: Power and Repression in Adolescent Literature'' (Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 2000) ISBN 0-87745-857-X
|series= [[Scarecrow Studies in Young Adult Literature]]
|volume= 7
|isbn= 0-8108-4290-4
}}
*Cart, Michael, ''From Romance to Realism: 50 Years of Growth and Change in Young Adult Literature'' (New York: HarperCollins, 1996) {{ISBN|0-06-446161-0}}
*{{cite book
|last= Dailey
|first= Donna
|title= Tamora Pierce
|location= New York
|publisher= Chelsea House
|year= 2006
|series= [[Who Wrote That?]]
|isbn= 0791087956
}}
*[[Sheila Egoff|Egoff, Sheila A.]], ''Worlds Within: Children’s Fantasy from the Middle Ages to Today'' (Chicago & London: American Library Association, 1988) {{ISBN|0-8389-0494-7}}
*Melano, Anne L., [http://www.uq.edu.au/crossroads/Archives/Vol%203/Issue%202%202009/Vol3Iss209%20-%2013.Melano%20(p.89-98).pdf "Utopias of Violence: Pierce's Knights of Tortall and the Contemporary Heroic"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610213200/http://www.uq.edu.au/crossroads/Archives/Vol%203/Issue%202%202009/Vol3Iss209%20-%2013.Melano%20(p.89-98).pdf |date=2011-06-10 }} (''Crossroads: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Study of History, Philosophy, Religion and Classics'', vol 3 issue 2, 2009)
*[[John Lennard|Lennard, John]], ''Tamora Pierce: The Immortals'' (Tirril: Humanities-Ebooks, 2007) {{ISBN|978-1-84760-037-0}}
* -- 'Of Stormwings and Valiant Women: The Tortallan World of Tamora Pierce', in ''Of Modern Dragons and other essays on Genre Fiction'' (Tirril: Humanities-Ebooks, 2007), pp.&nbsp;191–228 {{ISBN|978-1-84760-038-7}}
*Sullivan III, C. W., ed., ''Young Adult Science Fiction'' (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1999 [[Contributions to the Study of Science Fiction and Fantasy 79]]) {{ISBN|0-313-28940-9}}
*[[Roberta Seelinger Trites|Trites, Roberta Seelinger]], ''Disturbing the Universe: Power and Repression in Adolescent Literature'' (Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 2000) {{ISBN|0-87745-857-X}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Commons Category|Tamora Pierce}}
{{Commons category|Tamora Pierce}}
* {{official website |www.tamora-pierce.com/ }}
* [http://www.tamora-pierce.net Official Website]
* {{Worldcat id|lccn-n83-9811}}
* {{isfdb name|867}} (ISFDB)
* {{ISFDB name|867}} (ISFDB)
* {{LCAuth|n83009811|Tamora Pierce|58|}}
* [http://www.isfdb.org/wiki/index.php/Publisher:Science_Fiction_Book_Club Publisher: Science Fiction Book Club] (SFBC) at ISFDB
* [http://www.isfdb.org/wiki/index.php/Publisher:Science_Fiction_Book_Club Publisher: Science Fiction Book Club] (SFBC) at ISFDB
* [http://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Tamora-Pierce/707073 Publisher Page]
* [http://lccn.loc.gov/n83009811 Tamora Pierce] at [[Library of Congress]] Authorities — with 52 catalog records
* [https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8596.Tamora_Pierce Goodreads]
* [https://www.amazon.com/Tamora-Pierce/e/B000APBE82 Amazon]
* [https://www.facebook.com/Tamora-Pierce-Fantasy-Author-95235563005/ Facebook]
* [https://twitter.com/tamorapierce Twitter]
* [http://tamorapierce.tumblr.com Tumblr]


{{Tortall}}
{{Tamora Pierce}}
{{Authority control|LCCN=n/83/009811|VIAF=44626351|GND=12313790X}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Portal bar |Children's literature |Comics |Fantasy }}


{{Persondata
|NAME= Pierce, Tamora
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION= American writer of fantasy novels for children
|DATE OF BIRTH = December 13, 1953
|PLACE OF BIRTH = South Connellsville, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, USA
|DATE OF DEATH =
|PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pierce, Tamora}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pierce, Tamora}}
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:1953 births]]
Line 226: Line 232:
[[Category:American fantasy writers]]
[[Category:American fantasy writers]]
[[Category:American women novelists]]
[[Category:American women novelists]]
[[Category:Audio book narrators]]
[[Category:Audiobook narrators]]
[[Category:Female comics writers]]
[[Category:American female comics writers]]
[[Category:Margaret A. Edwards Award winners]]
[[Category:Margaret A. Edwards Award winners]]
[[Category:People from Burlingame, California]]
[[Category:People from Burlingame, California]]
[[Category:People from Fayette County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:People from Fayette County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Women science fiction and fantasy writers]]
[[Category:American women science fiction and fantasy writers]]
[[Category:Writers from the San Francisco Bay Area]]
[[Category:Writers from the San Francisco Bay Area]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century American novelists]]
[[Category:21st-century American novelists]]
[[Category:21st-century American novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century women writers]]
[[Category:20th-century American women writers]]
[[Category:21st-century women writers]]
[[Category:21st-century American women writers]]
[[Category:Women writers for children]]
[[Category:American women children's writers]]
[[Category:American women writers of young adult literature]]
[[Category:American writers of young adult literature]]
[[Category:Novelists from California]]
[[Category:Novelists from Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:University of Pennsylvania alumni]]

Latest revision as of 13:35, 23 November 2024

Tamora Pierce
Pierce at the Boskone science fiction convention in Boston, February 2008
Pierce at the Boskone science fiction convention in Boston, February 2008
Born (1954-12-13) December 13, 1954 (age 70)
South Connellsville, Pennsylvania, U.S.
OccupationWriter
GenreChildren's and young adult fantasy
Notable worksThe Song of the Lioness
Notable awardsMargaret A. Edwards Award
2013
Website
tamora-pierce.net

Tamora Pierce (born December 13, 1954) is an American writer of fantasy fiction for teenagers, known best for stories featuring young heroines. She made a name for herself with her first book series, The Song of the Lioness (1983–1988), which followed the main character Alanna through the trials and triumphs of training as a knight.

Pierce won the Margaret A. Edwards Award from the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) of the American Library Association in 2013, citing her two quartets Song of the Lioness and Protector of the Small (1999–2002). The annual award recognizes one writer and a particular body of work for "significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature".[1]

Pierce's books have been translated into twenty languages.[2][3][4]

Early life and education

[edit]

Pierce was born in South Connellsville, Pennsylvania in Fayette County, on December 13, 1954 to Wayne and Mary Lou Pierce.[5] Her mother wanted to name her "Tamara" but the nurse who filled out her birth certificate misspelled it as "Tamora".[6] When she was five, her sister Kimberly (on whom she based Alanna)[7] was born and a year later her second sister, Melanie, was born. From the time she was five until she was eight, she lived in Dunbar. In June 1963 she and her family moved to California. They first lived in San Mateo on El Camino Real and then moved to the other side of the San Francisco Peninsula, in Miramar. They lived in Miramar for half a year, in El Granada a full year, and then three years in Burlingame.

She began reading when she was very young and started writing when she was in the sixth grade. Her interest in fantasy and science fiction began when she was introduced to J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, and so she started to write the kind of books that she was reading. After her parents divorced, her mother moved her and her sisters back to Fayette County in 1969, where she spent two years at Albert Gallatin Senior High. When her family moved again, she spent her senior year at Uniontown Area Senior High School, acting, singing, and writing for the school paper. She is an alumna of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Career

[edit]

While at the University of Pennsylvania, Pierce wrote the books that became The Song of the Lioness quartet. The first book of this quartet, Alanna: The First Adventure was published by Atheneum Books in 1983.

Pierce lived with her husband Tim Liebe (Spouse-Creature) in New York City, with their four cats and multiple other pets, until they moved to Syracuse, New York.[8]

In 2008, she donated her archive to the department of Rare Books and Special Collections at Northern Illinois University.[9][10]

Pierce was also actively involved in moderating and discussing her novels on a message board called Sheroes Central from about 2001-2006, at which point it was acquired by a third party.[11][12][13][14][15]

Writing process

[edit]

On her homepage, Pierce states she gets most ideas from things she stumbles upon. Her concept of magic as a tapestry of threads comes from her experiences in crocheting, and in her world, all mages are somehow based on British naturalist David Attenborough after watching his nature documentaries. Fantasy novels and Arthurian legend were the base of the worlds she thought up as a girl, and later she added contemporary issues like youth crime and cholera outbreaks in Africa. In general, Pierce states: "The best way to prepare to have ideas when you need them is to listen to and encourage your obsessions."[16][17]

Pierce draws on elements of people and animals around her for inspiration. The character of Alanna is loosely based on Pierce's sister.[18] Thayet's appearance is based on a friend of Pierce's. Beka's pigeon friends in Provost's Dog are all based on actual pigeons of Pierce's acquaintance.[19]

Pierce first started writing to escape from the drama of her parents' divorce. She wrote fan fiction based on her favorite stories, imitating them closely.[18] Pierce says she decided to write her stories about strong female characters because she noticed a lack of them in the books she read when she was young.[20]

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Year Award Nominee/Work Category Result Ref
2011 Goodreads Choice Awards Mastiff Best Young Adult Fantasy and Science Fiction Nominated [21]
2003 Locus Award Lady Knight Best Young Adult Book Nominated[22]
2004 Trickster's Choice Nominated[23]
2012 Mastiff Nominated[24]
2013 Margaret Edwards Award The Song of the Lioness Series — Won [25]
Protector of the Small Series — Won
2000 Mythopoeic Awards Circle of Magic Series Best Fantasy Series Nominated [26]
2012 Beka Cooper Series Nominated
2005 Skylark Award Tamora Pierce — Won [26]

Accolades

[edit]
Year-end lists
Year Publication Work Category Result Ref
2012 NPR Circle of Magic Series 100 Best-Ever Teen Novels 86 [27]
The Immortals Series 83
Trickster's Choice Duology 81
The Song of the Lioness Series 50
2018 Paste Trickster's Queen The 50 Best Fantasy Books of the 21st Century (So Far) 17 [28]
2019 Trickster's Choice Duology 10 Exceptional Audiobooks Written and Narrated by Women 4 [29]
2020 Time Alanna: The First Adventure 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time — [30]

Works

[edit]
Main article: Tamora Pierce bibliography

Merchandise

[edit]

In November 2018, the first line of officially licensed merchandise was created in partnership with Dual Wield Studio: pins, apparel and accessories developed in collaboration with creators from the Tamora Pierce fanbase.[31] The collection expanded in 2020 to include a rendition of the map of Tortall.[32]

At the end of 2023, Dual Wield Studio announced a new collection celebrating the 40th anniversary of Alanna: The First Adventure.[33]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Edwards Award 2013" Archived 2017-03-24 at the Wayback Machine. Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). American Library Association (ALA).
      "Edwards Award" Archived 2012-04-05 at the Wayback Machine. YALSA. ALA. Retrieved 2015-02-08.
  2. ^ "Search results for 'Tamora Pierce' > 'Book'". WorldCat.
  3. ^ "Pierce, Tamora". Index Translationum. UNESCO.
  4. ^ "Tamora Pierce". Goodreads.
  5. ^ Pierce, Tamora. "Acknowledgments." Power in the Storm, The. Scholastic Press (1999)
  6. ^ Pierce, Tamora. "Tamora Pierce Biography". Tamora Pierce: Author of Young Adult Fantasy. Tamora Pierce. Archived from the original on 5 October 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  7. ^ Bonnie Kunzel & Susan Fichtelberg Tamora Pierce: A Student Companion, Hardcover, Greenwood Press, 2007
  8. ^ Pierce, Tamora. "Acknowledgments." Bloodhound: Beka Cooper Book Two. New York: Random House Children's Books (2009). p 551.
  9. ^ "Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) Collection". Northern Illinois University. Archived from the original on 2011-07-20.
  10. ^ "Tamora Pierce Papers, 2006-2017". Northern Illinois University. Archived from the original on 2021-06-22. Retrieved 2019-12-16.
  11. ^ "Sheroes Central - Women Heroes in Real Life and Fiction". 2001-08-14. Archived from the original on 2001-08-14. Retrieved 2022-12-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  12. ^ "Sheroes Central Home Page". 2001-07-02. Archived from the original on 2001-07-02. Retrieved 2022-12-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  13. ^ "Welcome to Sheroes!". 2011-07-20. Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2022-12-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  14. ^ Francis, Madeleine. "Links". Tamora Pierce. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  15. ^ Rosenberg, Alyssa (2011-06-03). "Tamora Pierce on 'Twilight,' Girl Heroes, and Fantasy Birth Control". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  16. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions - Tamora Pierce". tamora-pierce.com. Archived from the original on 20 April 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  17. ^ "Book Buzz". readergirlz. December 2009. Archived from the original on 2016-07-30. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  18. ^ a b Pierce, Tamora. "Tamora Pierce Biography". Archived from the original on 2013-06-13. Retrieved 2013-08-15.
  19. ^ Pierce, Tamora (2006). Terrier. New York: Random House. ISBN 9781439518830.
  20. ^ Kacelnik, Chally (27 December 2010). "Iconography: Tamora Pierce and All the Feminist Fantasy Heroines You Could Want". bitch. bitch media. Archived from the original on 2021-01-23. Retrieved 2019-12-16.
  21. ^ "Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction". Goodreads. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  22. ^ "Sfadb: Locus Awards 2003".
  23. ^ "Sfadb: Locus Awards 2004".
  24. ^ "Sfadb: Locus Awards 2012".
  25. ^ "Edwards Award 2013". alga. 23 January 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  26. ^ a b "Tamora Pierce: Lit by Fire". 13 July 2012. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  27. ^ "our Favorites: 100 Best-Ever Teen Novels". NPR. 7 August 2012. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  28. ^ Jackson, Josh; et al. (11 April 2018). "The 50 Best Fantasy Books of the 21st Century (So Far)". Paste. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  29. ^ Gunderson, Alexis (21 March 2019). "10 Exceptional Audiobooks Written and Narrated by Women". Paste. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  30. ^ "100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time". Time. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  31. ^ Pierce, Tamora (November 13, 2018). "@TamoraPierce". Twitter.
  32. ^ Pierce, Tamora (June 25, 2020). "@TamoraPierce". Twitter.
  33. ^ Raugust |, Karen. "Licensing Hotline: November 2023". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2024-03-19.

Other sources

[edit]
[edit]
Wikiquote has quotations related to Tamora Pierce.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tamora Pierce.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Tamora_Pierce&oldid=1259119592"