Books with author Elizabeth Lynn

"Looking for your next big YA fantasy series? We've got our eye on this stylist blockbuster." --Entertainment WeeklyProject Runway meets Mulan in this sweeping fantasy about a young girl who poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor and embarks on an impossible journey to sew three magic dresses, from the sun, the moon, and the stars.Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she'll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There's just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job. Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia's task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise. And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor's reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined. Steeped in Chinese culture, sizzling with forbidden romance, and shimmering with magic, this young adult fantasy is pitch-perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas or Renée Ahdieh."Spin the Dawn is proof that casting a wider net not only gives us a fresh story that feels unlike everything else on the shelves beside it but also allows for richer and more nuanced storytelling." —NPR“All the cutthroat competition of a runway fashion reality show and the thrilling exploits of an epic quest… a stunning tapestry of adventure." —The Washington Post"What an amazing creation! Every time I thought I knew where it was going, I was wrong. This is a white-knuckle read." --Tamora Pierce, #1 New York Times Bestselling author of Tempests and Slaughter

“Looking for your next big YA fantasy series? We've got our eye on this stylish blockbuster.” —Entertainment WeeklyProject Runway meets Mulan in this sweeping fantasy about a young girl who poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor and embarks on an impossible journey to sew three magic dresses from the sun, the moon, and the stars.Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she'll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There's just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job. Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia's task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise. And nothing can prepare her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor's reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars and finding more than she ever could have imagined. Steeped in Chinese culture, sizzling with forbidden romance, and shimmering with magic, this young adult fantasy is pitch-perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas or Renée Ahdieh.“Spin the Dawn is proof that casting a wider net not only gives us a fresh story that feels unlike everything else on the shelves beside it but also allows for richer and more nuanced storytelling.” —NPR“All the cutthroat competition of a runway fashion reality show and the thrilling exploits of an epic quest . . . a stunning tapestry of adventure.” —The Washington Post“What an amazing creation! Every time I thought I knew where it was going, I was wrong. This is a white-knuckle read.” —Tamora Pierce, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Tempests and Slaughter

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of The Eighty-Dollar Champion, the remarkable story of the heroic rescue of priceless horses in the closing days of World War IIWINNER OF THE PEN AWARD FOR RESEARCH NONFICTION In the chaotic last days of the war, a small troop of battle-weary American soldiers captures a German spy and makes an astonishing find—his briefcase is empty but for photos of beautiful white horses that have been stolen and kept on a secret farm behind enemy lines. Hitler has stockpiled the world’s finest purebreds in order to breed the perfect military machine—an equine master race. But with the starving Russian army closing in, the animals are in imminent danger of being slaughtered for food. With only hours to spare, one of the U.S. Army’s last great cavalrymen, Colonel Hank Reed, makes a bold decision—with General George Patton’s blessing—to mount a covert rescue operation. Racing against time, Reed’s small but determined force of soldiers, aided by several turncoat Germans, steals across enemy lines in a last-ditch effort to save the horses. Pulling together this multistranded story, Elizabeth Letts introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters: Alois Podhajsky, director of the famed Spanish Riding School of Vienna, a former Olympic medalist who is forced to flee the bomb-ravaged Austrian capital with his entire stable in tow; Gustav Rau, Hitler’s imperious chief of horse breeding, a proponent of eugenics who dreams of genetically engineering the perfect warhorse for Germany; and Tom Stewart, a senator’s son who makes a daring moonlight ride on a white stallion to secure the farm’s surrender. A compelling account for animal lovers and World War II buffs alike, The Perfect Horse tells for the first time the full story of these events. Elizabeth Letts’s exhilarating tale of behind-enemy-lines adventure, courage, and sacrifice brings to life one of the most inspiring chapters in the annals of human valor.Praise for The Perfect Horse “Winningly readable . . . Letts captures both the personalities and the stakes of this daring mission with such a sharp ear for drama that the whole second half of the book reads like a WWII thriller dreamed up by Alan Furst or Len Deighton. . . . The right director could make a Hollywood classic out of this fairy tale.”—The Christian Science Monitor “Letts, a lifelong equestrienne, eloquently brings together the many facets of this unlikely, poignant story underscoring the love and respect of man for horses.”—Kirkus Reviews

This richly imagined novel tells the story behind The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the book that inspired the iconic film, through the eyes of author L. Frank Baum’s intrepid wife, Maud.“A breathtaking read that will transport you over the rainbow and into the heart of one of America’s most enduring fairy tales.”—Lisa Wingate, author of Before We Were Yours Hollywood, 1938: As soon as she learns that M-G-M is adapting her late husband’s masterpiece for the screen, seventy-seven-year-old Maud Gage Baum sets about trying to finagle her way onto the set. Nineteen years after Frank’s passing, Maud is the only person who can help the producers stay true to the spirit of the book—because she’s the only one left who knows its secrets. But the moment she hears Judy Garland rehearsing the first notes of “Over the Rainbow,” Maud recognizes the yearning that defined her own life story, from her youth as a suffragette’s daughter to her coming of age as one of the first women in the Ivy League, from her blossoming romance with Frank to the hardscrabble prairie years that inspired The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Judy reminds Maud of a young girl she cared for and tried to help in South Dakota, a dreamer who never got her happy ending. Now, with the young actress under pressure from the studio as well as her ambitious stage mother, Maud resolves to protect her—the way she tried so hard to protect the real Dorothy. The author of two New York Times bestselling nonfiction books, The Eighty-Dollar Champion and The Perfect Horse, Elizabeth Letts is a master at discovering and researching a rich historical story and transforming it into a page-turner. Finding Dorothy is the result of Letts’s journey into the amazing lives of Frank and Maud Baum. Written as fiction but based closely on the truth, Elizabeth Letts’s new book tells a story of love, loss, inspiration, and perseverance, set in America’s heartland.Praise for Finding Dorothy“In some ways reminiscent of Jerry Stahl’s excellent I, Fatty, Letts’ Finding Dorothy combines exhaustive research with expansive imagination, blending history and speculation into a seamless tapestry. . . . It’s a testament to Letts’ skill that she can capture on the page, without benefit of audio, that same emotion we have all felt sometime over the last 80 years while listening to ‘Over the Rainbow.’”—BookPage (starred review)

What if Mulan had to travel to the Underworld? When Captain Shang is mortally wounded by Shan Yu in battle, Mulan must travel to the Underworld, Diyu, in order to save him from certain death. But King Yama, the ruler of Diyu, is not willing to give Shang up easily. With the help of Shang's great lion guardian ShiShi, Mulan must traverse Diyu to find Shang's spirit, face harrowing obstacles, and leave by sunrise--or become King Yama's prisoner forever. Moreover, Mulan is still disguised as the soldier called Ping, wrestling with the decision to reveal her true identity to her closest friend. Will Mulan be able to save Shang before it's too late? Will he ever be able to trust her again? Or will she lose him--and be lost in the Underworld--forever?

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of The Eighty-Dollar Champion, the remarkable story of the heroic rescue of priceless horses in the closing days of World War IIWINNER OF THE PEN AWARD FOR RESEARCH NONFICTION In the chaotic last days of the war, a small troop of battle-weary American soldiers captures a German spy and makes an astonishing find—his briefcase is empty but for photos of beautiful white horses that have been stolen and kept on a secret farm behind enemy lines. Hitler has stockpiled the world’s finest purebreds in order to breed the perfect military machine—an equine master race. But with the starving Russian army closing in, the animals are in imminent danger of being slaughtered for food. With only hours to spare, one of the U.S. Army’s last great cavalrymen, Colonel Hank Reed, makes a bold decision—with General George Patton’s blessing—to mount a covert rescue operation. Racing against time, Reed’s small but determined force of soldiers, aided by several turncoat Germans, steals across enemy lines in a last-ditch effort to save the horses. Pulling together this multistranded story, Elizabeth Letts introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters: Alois Podhajsky, director of the famed Spanish Riding School of Vienna, a former Olympic medalist who is forced to flee the bomb-ravaged Austrian capital with his entire stable in tow; Gustav Rau, Hitler’s imperious chief of horse breeding, a proponent of eugenics who dreams of genetically engineering the perfect warhorse for Germany; and Tom Stewart, a senator’s son who makes a daring moonlight ride on a white stallion to secure the farm’s surrender. A compelling account for animal lovers and World War II buffs alike, The Perfect Horse tells for the first time the full story of these events. Elizabeth Letts’s exhilarating tale of behind-enemy-lines adventure, courage, and sacrifice brings to life one of the most inspiring chapters in the annals of human valor.Praise for The Perfect Horse “Winningly readable . . . Letts captures both the personalities and the stakes of this daring mission with such a sharp ear for drama that the whole second half of the book reads like a WWII thriller dreamed up by Alan Furst or Len Deighton. . . . The right director could make a Hollywood classic out of this fairy tale.”—The Christian Science Monitor “Letts, a lifelong equestrienne, eloquently brings together the many facets of this unlikely, poignant story underscoring the love and respect of man for horses.”—Kirkus Reviews

When a cantankerous Sweet Briar resident ends up six feet under, the ladies of the sewing circle have to deal with a town full of suspects… With the library’s budget dwindling, Tori Sinclair is forced to let go of her predecessor, and fellow sewing circle member, Dixie Dunn. After losing her job a second time, Dixie decides to volunteer for Home Fare, delivering meals to the homebound. Less than a week after Dixie starts, her client Clyde Montgomery is found dead. The police think he died of old age, but with most of the town badgering Clyde to sell his picturesque land, his passing seems a little too convenient. Determined to prove that Clyde was murdered, Dixie asks Tori for some sleuthing assistance. But with so many Sweet Briar residents in possession of a compelling motive, the sewing circle ladies will have to needle out the truth to find the killer…

***STANDALONE***She's the office ice queen. He's the executive flirt. What happens when he sets out to melt her heart? Evaleen Bechmann is too busy running Human Resources for the billion dollar company, Mimir, to even consider dating. As for emotions, she refuses to discuss that too. It doesn't matter anyway. She's invisible to men, especially one man in particular. Evaleen is fine with that. Not everyone gets their happily ever after, that’s only for novels.Edgar Mimir is a Nordic god to some, a tech-savvy genius to others, and to women – he is everything they desire. His life should be perfect, and everything he has ever dreamed of… only it’s not. One woman haunts him. When he first saw her, her electric blue eyes shone with defiance, fear, and sorrow. He wanted to reach out to her, but she disappeared. Until one day he turned around and there she was.The Attraction File continues the Cake Love series inspired by the popular character blog “Payne in the Blog” in a stand-alone book. If you like sassy heroines, playboy heroes, and office romances that make Bob in accounting blush, you will love Elizabeth Lynx’s idea of how stubborn love can be.

Seeing the Silver Horse as a cute toy, Susannah gives it to her brother, Niall, as a present. One night Susannah awakens and finds neither her brother nor the Silver Horse; racing to the park, she sees her brother riding not a toy, but a stunning stallion. Susannah, Niall, and the horse are whisked away to a land unseen and unknown. This is how this unforgettable adventure through fantasy and lost toys begins. Now, lost in the Realm of Dreams, Susannah must fight for her brother or he will forget his entire life as a human.

Do you want to live to 100 happy and healthy? How to Live to 100 shares the secrets of how regular people (just like you) embrace a long, healthy and happy life!Warning: reading this book and following the advice within can extend your life!Discover the insights (known only by Costa Rica's famous Blue Zone Centenarians) to living a long life full of purpose:learn the role peace and well-being play in your day-to-day life;find out why connecting to others is life's best medicine;discover why diet and lifestyle is NOT always the answer;learn the ways your culture can extend your life;-understand how your personality plays a role in your age;learn how to examine – and improve – your well-being;discover why biohackers, doctors, and academics do not have the answers behind longevity;and much more!How to Live to 100 answers the question: What can I do to live both a long and healthy life?Grab your copy now and start living a low-stress life of longevity!

A half-human half-dragon liege struggles to control his inner beast and preserve a kingdom in this masterful tale from a two-time World Fantasy Award winner. The new lord of Dragon’s Keep, Karadur Atani assumed ultimate power by destroying his malevolent twin brother and usurping his throne. Determined to rule wisely and benevolently in the world of Ippa, the changeling fears he will fall victim to the madness that plagued his father. And he knows he must keep his violent and unpredictable dragon nature in check. Sometimes, however, the dragon’s vengeance must be unleashed. When foul murder in the countryside demands justice, Karadur assumes his most fearsome form to destroy the outlaw Unamira clan with fire—and without mercy. But two members of the family survive his wrath. Karadur will take one, the beautiful herbalist Maia, as a lover in order to soothe his troubled heart and volatile spirit, and to produce the dragon-changeling heir he so fervently desires. The other, Maia’s half-brother, Taran, will pursue the criminal life he was born into, becoming a dangerous scourge, a pitiless avenger, and a threat to the fragile peace of the dragon lord’s realm. The winner of two World Fantasy Awards—one of the genre’s most prestigious honors—author Elizabeth A. Lynn adds new depth to the medieval fantasy world she first conceived in Dragon’s Winter. Rich in color, character, and imagination, Dragon’s Treasure is further proof of Lynn’s exceptional world-building skills as she presents a fantastic adventure as enthralling as the best dragon tales of Anne McCaffrey, Robin Hobb, or George R. R. Martin.