Thanks, Unbound Worlds, for naming Alanna: The First Adventure among the 100 Best Fantasy Novels of All Time! From the article:
Alanna is [ . . . ] one of Pierce’s most compelling protagonists: stubborn, Gifted, and unwilling to let the world dictate who she should become.
Of course, Alanna is in fine company on this list. If you’re looking for some more books to read, check it out!
Tammy’s latest AMA is over, but you can read it all at the link below. Thanks to everyone who participated, and we hope you had as much fun as Tammy did!
Con or Bust’s 2018 auction is live! From now until Sunday, April 22nd (4 PM), you can bid on books, jewelry, services, and more. Proceeds go to help fans of color attend sci-fi/fantasy conventions—with the goal of helping as many fans as possible! Per the website:
Con or Bust is not limited by geography or by type of con-goer. It is not a scholarship or “merit based.” Its goal is to help fans of color go to SFF cons and be their own awesome selves.
You can take a look at the auction, and the items up for bid, here. In support of this cause, Tammy’s donated autographed copies of The Immortals (the entire set!) and Tempests and Slaughter. Go ahead and check Tammy’s listings if you’d like to place a bid on these books!
Last month, Meghan Ball at Tor.com wrote a wonderful, personal article about her experiences with Tamora’s books, and the ways in which they’ve made an impact.
Tamora Pierce should be a household name. We should all be crowded around our TVs every Saturday night watching The Song of the Lioness show on HBO. Her works should be considered a cultural touchstone that inspire generations. Prog rock bands should be creating epic concept albums based on her stories. There should be Funko Pops of Alanna of Trebond, Numair Salmalín, and Keladry of Mindelan.
But there aren’t. (At least, not yet.)
Thank you, Meghan, for the kind words!
Read the entire article here: Tamora Pierce Writes Fantasy That Changes Lives
If you weren’t able to see Tammy when she was in Seattle, you can still read about her University Bookstore event! The Daily has a write-up of the event, which also featured authors Rachel Hartman and Lish McBride. Check it out for some highlights of the event. As the author notes:
YA fiction, which is full of brave, headstrong, mostly female heroines who stand up to authority and earn the right to be taken seriously, has been one of the most positive forms of media that I consumed while growing up. And I still do read it, despite snide comments from adults and peers that they “don’t count” as “real” novels.
Remember: you’re never too old to read YA!
Click here for more: Tamora Pierce book reading emphasizes the importance of YA for all audiences
There’s a lot of advice to be found in books for women who work in male-dominated workplaces: lean in, be a girlboss, find your magic, etc. But, to be honest, I learned the most about working in male-dominated spaces from books I read while I was still a child — namely, Tamora Pierce’s fantasy novels, and especially the Protector of the Small series.
The excerpt says it all! In this article, Melissa Ragsdale over at Bustle delves into Kel’s experiences in knight training, and how they reflect some real-world challenges women face in male-dominated industries.
Click here to read it in full: This Tamora Pierce Series Helped Me Understand How It Feels To Be The Only Woman In The Room
During the Tempests and Slaughter tour, Tammy made an appearance on The Record to speak with writer and columnist Lindy West. The two discussed Tammy’s early writing, the experiences that shaped her, and the stories to elevate in today’s landscape.
The only place in the 1960s where you could reliably find [female heroes] were historicals. To this day, I still reread “The Witch of Blackbird Pond” and “Mara, Daughter of the Nile.” But at the end of each, those characters were asked to come down and live the lives of proper young ladies — or wives, in Mara’s case. And they acquiesced. So I kept looking. But it was Anne McCaffrey who taught me that women could be the hero of the book.
You can read highlights, and listen to the interview here: Girls can be heroes, depending on what books you read growing up!
A big THANK YOU to everyone who came out to see Tammy on the first leg of the Tempests and Slaughter tour! Though she’s resting now, in a few days, she’ll be on the road again. From the 16th – 18th, Tammy will be at Boskone, New England’s longest-running sci-fi & fantasy convention. After that, the Tempests and Slaughter tour will continue, with a stop in Brookline, MA on the 19th!
In the meantime, if you’re wondering what books Tammy’s reading between stops, you can check out this interview with Goodreads:
Pack Your Bags: The Books Tamora Pierce Is Bringing on Tour
And, if you want to see more of what Tammy’s reading, her list of Favorite Books of 2017 is up!
A few days ago, Tammy appeared on NPR Weekend Edition Saturday, to speak with Scott Simon about Tempests and Slaughter, her beginnings as a writer, and the ways that fantasy can expose kids to real life themes and challenges. You can read an excerpt and listen to the interview here: Tamora Pierce Writes One For The Boys (But Just One) In ‘Tempests And Slaughter’
Tempests and Slaughter is just around the corner, and it’s already generating buzz around the internet! Here’s a roundup of a few links…