If I were forced upon pain of death to name my all time favorite author, I’d say it was Tamora Pierce. Anyone who has not read Tamora Pierce needs to log off the computer right now, go to your local independent bookstore and buy Alana: The First Adventure. And if you don’t have an independent bookstore in your area I’ll forgive you if you order it on Amazon, but you must read Tammy!
My love of Tamora Pierce stems from my childhood in rural Missouri. I was an awkward, independently minded, Unitarian Universalist living in a town whose name literally translates to “Village of Churches”. I won’t say I was lonely and friendless, because I wasn’t. I had plenty of friends, but I couldn’t really be myself. Tamora Pierce’s story of a young girl who decides to become a knight despite all odds encouraged and inspired me not only to be myself but to start writing. I wanted to read more stories about girls like Alana and there weren’t very many, so I decided to start writing my own.
So, Ms. Pierce claims the first slot in my recommendations list, not only because she’s marvelously good, but because without her, none of us would be here in this little corner of cyberspace.