Archive for the ‘News’ Category

What We’ve Been Up To!

Hello Folx!

One of the things we’ve been having the most fun with lately is simply… talking with all of you.

For years, Tammy has built these incredible worlds, but the thing we’ve really been reminded of over the past few months is that while she may have created Tortall and Emelan, these worlds belong to the readers too. They’re filled with your favourite characters, your memories, your theories, your artwork, your “I still cry at this scene twenty years later” moments, and all the wonderful discussions that come from people loving the same stories.

So we’ve been trying a whole bunch of new things to get everyone talking a little more, and honestly? It’s been an absolute blast.

Here’s what we’ve got going on!

 

📜 Mystery Quotes (Instagram)

Every Sunday we post a mystery quote from one of Tammy’s books and ask one simple question:

Who said it… and which book is it from?

We’ve been absolutely floored by how quickly people recognize characters from a single sentence—or sometimes even a single word, and by how thoroughly some quotes stump even the most seasoned of Tammy’s adventurers! Every week we crown a new Exalted Scribe, and seeing everyone hunt through their books (or confidently guess completely wrong) has become one of our favourite weekly traditions.

📖 The Tortall & Other Worlds Census (Facebook)

Every couple of weeks we’ve been asking questions about life in Tortall and Emelan—not trivia questions, but the kind that get everyone imagining themselves in the world.

Would you rather spend a day in Tortall or Emelan?

Who would make the worst roommate?

What’s the first thing you’d order if you sat down at the finest inn in the realm?

The answers have been hilarious, thoughtful, nostalgic, and occasionally started some very spirited debates.

📚 Cole’s First Read – The First Adventure (Patreon)

‘This might be the project I’m most nervous about… and the most excited for.

Believe it or not, despite working for Tammy and knowing a surprising amount about her books through work, I’d never actually sat down and read the Tortall series from beginning to end, and now I’m finally fixing that with guys along for the ride!

After every chapter, I write up my completely unfiltered thoughts: what surprised me, what made me laugh, what made me angry, what confused me… and then I sit down with Tammy and ask her all the questions bouncing around in my head.

It’s been really special getting to experience these books for the first time, and even more special getting to immediately turn to the author who wrote them and ask, “Okay… but WHY?”‘

🎨 Tammy’s Art Wall (Patreon)

When Tammy moved into her new home, we started talking about decorating.

We looked at artwork.

Then we stopped and thought about what Tammy treasures most.

Why not fill the walls with the art and words created by her absolute favourite people– the fans!

So we’re inviting Patreon members to send in creations they’d like Tammy to hang in her home. Tortall, Emelan, dragons, landscapes, poetry… whatever inspires you, and you think Tammy would enjoy.

And yes… joining Patreon also happens to be how you’ll get Tammy’s new mailing address if you’d like to send something yourself. 😉

🧩 Monthly Challenges

We’re also putting together a growing collection of monthly challenges across social media.

Word searches, crosswords, puzzles, brain teasers… basically just more fun little ways to spend time in Tammy’s worlds between books.

We’re always looking for new ideas too, so if there’s something you’d love to see, let us know!

 

The team (and Tammy of course!) would love to thank everyone who has participated so far.

Every comment, every Census answer, every Mystery Quote guess, every question, every piece of artwork, every memory you’ve shared remind us that these books have become something much bigger than we or Tammy could have ever imagined.

We’ve got plenty more ideas in the works, and we can’t wait to share them with you.

–Team Tammy

THE NEXT CHAPTER BEGINS – TAMORA PIERCE SOCIAL MEDIA & PATREON UPDATE

The Next Chapter Begins.

The past few months have been about helping Tammy find her rhythm again at a gentler, steadier pace that lets her focus on her health, her writing, and the joy of creating. Through it all, your patience and kindness has meant the world to us As we step into this next chapter, our focus is on keeping Tortall and Emelan alive and thriving, and making sure Tammy’s fans feel seen and appreciated.

Expect to see more:
-creative community projects and fan spotlights
-behind-the-scenes glimpses of ongoing work
-fun giveaways of limited edition merch
-little sparks of creative and chaotic magic (and a few secret projects we still can’t talk about)

If you’d like to dive even deeper into this world, with Q&As, early looks, and exclusive goodies, our Patreon is the space that keeps Tammy’s work (and the whole team!) going strong, and it’s the best way to support Tammy while staying close to the creative process.
Thank you for being here, for cheering us on, and for helping this community shine as we go into the next chapter!

With love, gratitude, and a touch of dragonfire
– Team Tammy

Now accepting applications for the 18th Annual ALPHA WORKSHOP!

Calling all young writers!

The Alpha Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Workshop is accepting applications for its 18th annual workshop! This program guides young writers (ages 14 – 19) through the writing and publishing process, with the help of visiting authors. At Alpha, attendees take a story from its initial concept to a complete draft, receiving feedback and mentorship from Alpha’s staff and a roster of guest authors.

The workshop runs from July 24th – August 4th, at the University of Pittsburgh’s Greensburg Campus. As ever, Tammy will be there, ready to support Alpha’s young writers! She’ll be joined by Mark Oshiro, with more authors to be announced as we draw closer to the summer.

Applications for this year’s workshop are due by March 10, 2019.

And, if you wish you had a program like this when you were a teen, please consider donating to the Alpha Workshop! Each donation goes towards workshop expenses and scholarships for students who would otherwise be unable to attend.

Appearances and more housekeeping

It’s been a quiet month here at tamora-pierce.net, so here’s a quick update on all that’s been going on:

Tammy’s Schedule

Tammy’s back from YALLWEST, but she’ll be returning to California at the end of the month for BayCon and more. And, before her cross-country trip, she’ll be at the Greater Rochester Teen Book Fest on May 19th. Aside from her travels, she’s been hard at work with the next book in the Numair Chronicles!

Website & Fan Questions

Here on the website, we’ve revamped and relaunched the FAQ pages. They’re organized, updated, and now contain new questions and answers. If you have a question for Tammy, check the FAQs first—they might have the answers you’re looking for!

(The new Circle FAQ, in particular, answers the two most frequently asked questions: why the Circle audios are incomplete, and what happened to the book about Tris at Lightsbridge.)

Of course, you’re always welcome to send questions to Tammy via the fanmail account. Though responses are slow, your emails are appreciated, and Tammy does get to as many as she can, as quickly as she can with her busy schedule. Thanks for your patience!

Upcoming Announcements

We’ve got some exciting news coming this summer! If you’re feeling particularly curious and/or impatient, you might find a hint about it in one of the new FAQ pages…