Badass female warriors as the leads of young adult literature have been riding high for nearly 20 years now, but that wasn’t always the case. Fortunately, before Katniss Everdeen, Alina Starkov, and Annabeth Chase, there was Alanna of Trebond, the protagonist of Tamora Pierce’s The Song of the Lioness quartet, a series that itself kicked off the wider Tortall literary universe.
With the first graphic novel adaptation of Alanna hitting shelves this year, now feels like a perfect time to reflect on her creator and the impact that both women have had on young adult fiction over the last 40 years. We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Tamora and discuss her career, her inspirations, and the enduring legacy of her work.
About Tamora Pierce
Tamora Pierce was born in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, in 1954 to Jacqueline Sparks and Wayne Franklin Pierce. She was followed by Kimberly, Melanie, and her youngest sister, Danielle. Awarded a full scholarship to attend the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Tamora studied psychology and writing. She had already sold three short stories in her first couple of years at university, each for $25 per writing.
She would later undertake courses to help her develop her writing skills, launching her career into fantasy-fictional writing. Key to her direction in writing and her willingness to go to all lengths to pursue it came from her one lone writing teacher in college, the brilliant writer himself — David Bradley, Jr. She and David remained friends for years after.
After graduating from college and moving to upstate New York, Tamora took on various jobs that would allow her to write in her free time. Plugging away, she began what would later become The Song of the Lioness, which she finished after she had moved to Buhl, Idaho, to reunite with her sister Kimberly, her father, and stepmother. After landing in Buhl, Tamora secured a position as a house mother for a group home of wayward girls, the only job that she ever formally trained to do.
Friends exhorted Tamora to come to New York, where the book publishers were. Landing jobs in the literary and banking industries, Tamora would continue in her writing endeavors. It was while working at Ober that she sold the future The Lioness quartet to Jean E. Karl, who was, at that time, the head of the YA publishing department at Atheneum Books. Tamora gives Ms. Karl and former literary agent Claire M. Smith credit for encouraging her to adapt her single adult novel into four young adult novels.
In the fullness of time, Tamora would later be able to achieve the rare and blessed realm of the full-time paid writer, living at home, feeding the menagerie of critters while continuing to write her next books.
Over the course of the next several years, Tamora has had great opportunity in traveling the world and engaging with her fans, both nationally and internationally, while simultaneously attending various conventions and conferences. To date, Tamora continues to explore different book ideas while engaging with fans near and far. And animals, of course.
Thank you so much for joining us, Tamora. Let’s jump into the questions.
For those who may be unfamiliar with Alanna and her epic heroine’s journey, can you introduce us to who she is and where she finds herself at the start of Alanna: The First Adventure?
Two children of an indifferent father in their early teens are the main characters in the beginning. Alanna, who is the oldest, is outdoorsy, active, bold, and athletic. While her brother, Thom, is bookish and brilliant. Both have magical gifts, but Alanna is active and is more interested in “manly” endeavors, and Thom wants to be a mage. He goes to school, and Alanna, disguised as a boy, reports to the palace for knighthood training. Her life is filled with supporters, near discoveries, new friends/foes, trials, animal and magical acquaintances.
When you were writing the initial Song of the Lioness manuscript, did you imagine that it would have such an enduring impact four decades later? How does it feel to be a literary touchstone for multiple generations of young readers?
Honestly, I am just happy to be published/write sequels and other books. I worked in the literary business — and in the banking business – until I was published and began selling books. It took some time and some perseverance, but all along I was just happy to be writing. Thinking back over the past four decades (eeekeee!) I honestly can say that I have the best fans in the world. My evil intent is that my fans write their stories for me to read, so I never run out.
On your website, you talk about writing proto-fanfiction before the genre was even established and labelled as such. Do you think that fanfic can be a fruitful writing exercise for aspiring authors?
Well, that’s how I got started — telling myself Robin Hood and Star Trek stories! My Dad caught me doing it and suggested that I write a book. When I asked him what I should write about, he thought for a moment, knew what I liked, and suggested, “Why don’t you do travels in a time machine?” And the thing that made it stick, he told me I could use his typewriter. Up until that moment, if I had touched the typewriter, I would be minus that hand today. He told me, without spelling it out, that this writing thing was a big deal to him, and I adored my Dad. So, I sat down and began to write.
Writing a book, even if it is a take-off on someone else’s words, gives you a way to build characters, creation (e.g., worlds, styles, combat, families, etc.), personnel (e.g., kings, nurses, doctors, thieves, rivals, etc.), and conflict resolution.
You also discuss a long period of creative writer’s block through your teens and twenties. Is there any advice that you would give to writers who may be struggling with the development of their craft at that age?
I got my first case of writer’s block after very harsh feedback; I was asked who did I think I was among other things. I continued to watch TV, read, listen to and do music, acting for school. I began to write for myself in college with great difficulty at first. But, it got better. And it continues to get better. I’m still going!
Often, fantasy and speculative fiction authors cite worldbuilding as something they grapple with during the creative process. As someone who has built two literary universes, how and where do you find inspiration while worldbuilding?
In the words of the great thinker Lionel Trilling (or T.S. Eliot, depending on who you ask), “The immature artist imitates. The mature artist steals.” In my world, words to live by.
This is the second time one of your novels has been adapted into a graphic novel. Does this format appeal to you, and how involved are you in the process of adaptation?
In the late 1980s, I was working for some comic book people, and while there, I wrote some for them, giving me the chance to learn about graphic novels. This type of writing is a whole new attitude and is fun. Sort of.
Most writers aren’t deeply involved in the graphic novel process. Typically, the author writes the book, and the graphic house has professionals to translate it. I worked for the house for a short time and can appreciate and respect the time, effort, and difference in approach for graphic work.
I’m lucky in that I’ve been able to work with some really fine graphic novelists (you know who you are, you amazing persons!) who have turned my material into exciting reads that appeal particularly to girls looking for female heroes in the comic book field.
The last book in the Tortall series was the excellent Tempests and Slaughter. Are there any plans for another visit to the kingdom of Tortall and its neighbors?
For now, we’ll see. Wink, wink.
Of all the characters you’ve created in the Tortall and Circle of Magic universes, who would you say that you most identify with?
All but the minor, because I have to build the characters. But that list includes my teaching acquaintances, my learning acquaintances, experienced people I have worked with, people I have traveled with, people that I have met in the schools, writers’ conventions, and those that I met overseas. Once I have someone to base it on, invariably the character I create becomes his or her own person or critter.
We always love to ask children’s authors about their favorite reads from when they were little bookworms themselves. Is there a book or series that you particularly enjoyed as a child?
Ok, I have three. The Robin Hood books, Mark Twain (pretty much everything), ditto Louisa May Alcott. And boy, did I read a bunch of Louisa May and Mark Twain, not just the typical ones. All that I could get my hands on were free game.
Lastly, in honor of Alanna: A Graphic Novel, what advice would you give to a young reader who is starting their own first adventure in life?
First off, and most importantly, keep writing. If you run out of ideas, don’t be discouraged; keep writing. The more you do/learn/read/see/hear, the more ideas will come to mind. Keep a record — you never know when a bit you thought was interesting will pop up years later, and if it dies on you — and it will, a lot — go on to the next thing. NEVER throw anything away. You never know when you will find a use for it, when the very fact that you were attracted to it enough to hang on to it means that you might have something to use it for down the road. Did I mention pictures?
A massive thank you to Tamora for taking the time to share her work, insights, and advice with us! Be sure to find her online at Tamora-Pierce.net and follow her on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, and Bluesky. And, of course, don’t forget to check out Alanna: A Graphic Novel and add it to your family’s reading list!
To check out more of our exclusive talks with authors, check out our entire One-on-One Interview series!
To see all of our fantasy and sci-fi recommendations for young readers, check out our Bookshop bookshelf.
