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Birth
Tamora Pierce was born in South Connellsville, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, on December 13, 1954, which makes her a Sagittarius. Her mother wanted her name to be Tamara, but the nurse misspelled it, and she legitimately became Tamora. -
Moved to California
In June, 1963, Tamora Pierce moved to California because her father had gotten a transfer there. -
Back to Fayette County
Tamora Pierce's mother took her and her sisters back to Fayette County, Pennysylvania. -
Moved to New York
She moved to Kingston, New York with her boyfriend in 1976, where she drifted to jobs to pay rent and published a few stories and articles. -
First Book, Alanna: The First Adventure
Her first book, Alanna: The First Adventure, was published in hardcover by Antheneum. Description: The story is about a young noble girl who disguised herself as her twin brother to chase her dream of becoming a knight and her twin a mage. She makes many powerful friends, but also many enemies. It is part of the series The Song of the Lioness. -
Song of the Lioness: 2nd Book
In the Hands of the Goddess, the second book of the series The Song of the Lioness, was published in 1984. Description: Alanna Trebound finds life as a knight harder than expected, but keeps her disguise. She fights alongside her knight master and struggles with the attention of her enemy. Alanna also struggles to find her place as a woman as the Prince and the Rogue King begin to court her. -
The Song of the Lioness: 3rd Book.
The Woman Who Rides Like a Man, the 3rd book in the series, was published in 1986. Description: After gaining her shield as a knight, Alanna travels south meeting up with a Bazhir tribe. She learns to reconcile her magic, which she used to despise, and becomes a shamaan. Prince Jonathan also becomes "The Voice".This reconciles the Bazhir tribe, who long resented the Conte rule to the capital city. Alanna and Jonathan break up, and Alanna soon gets with George, the Rogue King. -
Song of the Lioness: Last book.
The fourth and last book, Lioness Rampant, ends the Song of the Lioness series. It was published in 1988. Description: Alanna travels to the "Roof of the World" in search of the Dominion Jewel rumored to unite any ruler who holds it with the land that he or she rules in order to prove her worth. During this journey she meets Princess Thayet, her bodyguard Buri, and the Shang Dragon, whom she develops a romantic relationship with. She also duels with Duke Roger resurrected by her brother, Thom. -
Started getting successful
In 1992, Tamora Pierce began to be able to make a living as a writer. Her books slowly gained popularity. -
The Immortals: Wild Magic
Tamora Pierce starts off her second series, The Immortals, with the publishing of the first book, Wild Magic, in 1992. Description: Veralidaine, or perferred Daine, a 13-year-old girl, finds out her knack with wild animals is in fact a rare and powerful form of magic. nder the guidance of the mage Numair Salmalín(the most powerful mage in Tortall) she learns to control her magic, which proves very important for herself and her companions. -
The Immortals: Wolf Speaker
Tamora Pierce publishes her second book of The Immortals series, Wolf Speaker, in 1994. Description: While traveling with Numair the powerful mage, Daine meets a pack of wolves who show her the devastation that the destruction of the valley and the pack's home is connected with a treasonous conspiracy against her adopted king and country. -
The Immortals: Emperor Mage
Emperor Mage, the 3rd book of The Immortals series is published in 1995. Description: Daine joins a delegation of Tortallan diplomats sent to Carthak, where she meets the Emperor Ozorne. Daine is caught up in a strange battle involving displeased gods and strange magics. -
The Immortals: Realm of the Gods
Realm of the Gods is the 4th book of The Immortals. It was published in 1996. -
Circle of Magic: Sandry's Book
Tamora Pierce starts off the series Circle of Magic with Sandry's Book, published in 1997. UK title: The Magic in the Weaving Description: 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. -
Circle of Magic: Daja's Book
Daja's Book is the 3rd book of the Circle of Magic series, published in 1998. UK title: The Fire in the Forging. Description: 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 labelled her an outcast or to stay with her friends and teachers. -
Circle of Magic: Tris's Book.
Titled The Power in the Strom in UK, Tris's Book is the 2nd of the series Circle of Magic. Description: 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? -
Protector of the Small: First Test
Tamora Pierce starts off her 3rd series, Protector of the Small, with the publishing of First Test in 1999. Description: Keladry of Mindelan, the first official female page, faces giant spidrens, Immortals, hazing, bullying and the mistrust of her superiors in her first probationary year as a page. -
Circle of Magic: Briar's Book
The second book of the series, published in 1999, is Briar's Book. UK title: The Vine in the Healing Description: 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. -
First Sponsored Tour
Pierce went on her first publisher-sponsored tour in England in 2000. -
Protector of the Small: Page
Page, the 2nd book of the Protector of the Small series is published on 2000. Description: 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. -
The Circle Opens: Magic Steps
Magic Steps, published in 2000, is the 2nd book in the series The Circle Opens. Description: 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. -
Protector of the Small: Squire
Tamora Pierce publishes the 3rd book of her Protector of the Small series, Squire, in 2001. Description: 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. -
The Circle Opens: Street Magic
Street Magic is the second book in the series, The Circle Opens.
It was published in 2001. Description: In Chammur, Briar discovers a street girl named Evvy, 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. -
The Circle Opens: Cold Fire
This is the 2nd book of the series, published in 2002. Description: 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. -
Protector of the Small: Lady Knight
Lady Knight, the 4th and last book of the Protector of the Small series, is published in 2002. Description: Though she is a knight, Kel is still inexperienced. She struggles with her sense of duty when her commanders assign her not to the front lines of the war, but to manage a refugee camp. Also, she had a vision in the chamber of a quest to turn the tide of the war. -
Tricksters: Tricksters Choice
Tamora Pierce starts off her new duology, Tricksters Choice (also known as Daughter of the Lioness) with Tricksters Choise, published in 2003. Desciption: Aly is taken by pirates and is sold as a slave in the Copper Isles. She 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 and Dovasary Balitang, are linked to the prophecy that predicts one of them will become queen. -
The Circle Opens: Shatterglass.
The last book, published in 2003.
Description: Tris encounters Kethlun Warder (Keth), an undiscovered glass mage who "lost" his glass talent when he was hit by lightning, but gained the ability to mix lightning and glass. Keth can create glass balls that contain visions of the work of a murderer who incidentally orphaned Glakisa Irakory (Glaki), a 4 year old academic mage who lives in the same place as Keth. Keth also created a living glass dragon, named Chime by Tris. -
Tricksters (Daughter of the Lioness): Tricksters Queen
Tricksters Queen, the 2nd book of the duology, Tricksters, is published in 2004. Description: 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: Terrier
The first book of Pierce's new trilogy, Beka Cooper is published on October 24, 2004. Description: "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".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. -
The Will of the Empress
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 -
Melting Stones
This is the first full length novel written expressly for audio. 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. -
Beka Cooper: Bloodhound
The second book in this trilogy, Bloodhound, was released on April 14, 2009. Description: Beka travels to Port Caynn, where a secretive ring of cole-mongers threatens to destroy the country. -
Beka Cooper: Mastiff
The third and final book of the trilogy is Mastiff, formerly titled Elkhound. It was released October 25, 2011. An excerpt from Mastiff is included in Tortall and Other Lands: A Collection of Tales. Description: After a devastating attack at the summer palace, Beka is assigned to recapture what was stolen, but a traitor will make the quest difficult.
