Cynthia Leitich Smith Books In Order

Publication Order of Feral Books

Publication Order of Tantalize Books

Publication Order of Tantalize Graphic Novels Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Children's Books

Publication Order of Collections

Publication Order of The Blue Stars Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Cynthia Leitich Smith
Author Cynthia Leitich Smith was born in 1967 in Kansas City. She is a member of the faculty at the Vermont College MFA program in writing for young adults and children.

She is married to author Greg Leitich Smith. Cynthia has written some picture books with him.

She holds a J.D. from The University of Michigan Law School in Ann Arbor and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Kansas. She studied law abroad at Paris-Sorbonne University.

Cynthia is a member of the Muscogee Creek Nation and writes fiction for kids centered on the lives of modern-day American Indians. These books are widely taught by teachers in elementary, middle school, high school, and college classrooms.

Her fiction work is noted for its humor, diversity, lyricism, and mid-to-southwestern settings. In the early point of her career, she has shown outstanding range and enjoys experimenting.

Growing up, Cynthia spent a tremendous amount of time reading books, particularly library books. At the age of seven, she won a summer reading competition that was sponsored by the Mid-Continent Public Library of Grandview, Missouri. This is her favorite achievement.

Between third and fourth grade, Cynthia moved to Lenexa, Kansas. Into junior high, she worried a bit too much about being a foot taller than everybody else, including all the boys. They continued to grow, although she did not. She also worried about being one of just four of the girls in advanced placement classes, later realizing that being smart was one of the bonuses in life.

Growing up, her favorite books were “The Witch of Blackbird Pond” by Elizabeth George Speare, “Bridge to Terabithia” by Katherine Paterson, and “From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler” by E. L. Konigsburg. She also loved “Tiger Eyes” and “Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret”, both by Judy Blume.

She had Sunday afternoon iced teas with Great-Grandma Bessie, went fishing with Great-Grandpa Ernest, and took long walks with her Grandma Melba. She also jostled with her Cousin Stacy for the rights to Grandpa Clifford’s Chair and lived with her Aunt Anne. Her elders told her stories about themselves, their parents and grandparents, all of their extended family and their friends.

Cynthia especially remembers hearing about Grandma Dorothy and her three sisters, about how her great-grandma died at a young age and the girls helped raise each other.

None of her stories are retellings of any of these people or their lives, however, she is honored if people catches echoes of their voices in hers.

Cynthia was named Writer of the Year by Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers for “Rain Is Not My Indian Name”. She also won the American Indian Youth Literature Award for Young Adult Books for “Hearts Unbroken”, which also got the Foreword Reviews Silver Medal in Young Adult Fiction and named to YALSA’s Amelia Bloomer list.

Cynthia’s debut novel, called “Rain Is Not My Indian Name”, was released in the year 2001. She writes the “Feral” trilogy and the “Tantalize” series. Her work is from the young adult fantasy genre.

“Tantalize” is the first novel in the “Tantalize” series and was released in the year 2007. Are you prey or predator?

Quincie Morris has never felt like she was more alone. Her parents have died, and her hybrid werewolf first love threatens to go off on a rite of passage that is going to separate them for good. Then, while she and her uncle are close to unveiling Sanguini’s, their hot vampire-themed restaurant, a savage murder leaves them scrambling to find a chef.

Can Quincie transform their new hire into a culinary dark lord before they open? Can he wow the audience in his cheap cape, fake fangs, and his red contact lenses? Or is there much more to this earnest face than first meets the eye?

While preternatural and human forces clash, a lethal love triangle forms, and the line between prey and predator starts blurring. Who is playing whom here? How long will Quincie play along before she loses it all?

“Eternal” is the second novel in the “Tantalize” series and was released in the year 2009. Miranda is finally the life of the party. She just had to die to do it. Adopted and elevated by none other than reigning King of the Mantle of Dracul, Miranda goes from a high school theater wannabe to a glamorous royal fiend overnight.

At the same time, Zachary (her adoring and reckless guardian angel) was demoted to a human guise as the princess’ personal assistant. He will have his work cut out for him attempting to save his girl’s soul and planning the Master’s rapidly approaching Death Day gala.

“Blessed” is the third novel in the “Tantalize” series and was released in the year 2011. Quincie P. Morris, a neophyte vampire and teen restaurateuse, is in for the fight of her life, or undeath, at least. Even while adjusting to new appetites, she has to make clear her true love and best friend, the hybrid werewolf Kieren, of the murder charges. She also has to keep her dead parents’ restaurant up and running, as well as thwart the apocalyptic plans of one Bradley Sanguini, the seductive vampire-chef that ‘blessed’ her.

She hires a much more homespun chef and adds the preternaturally beautiful Zachary in to her wait staff. With hundreds of new vampires on the rise, and Bradley off assuming Dracula Prime’s powers, Zachary quickly reveals his true nature, as well as a flaming sword. They hit the road in order to stop the bloodshed before time runs out. Even if they manage to save the world, is there going to be any time left to salvage Quincie’s soul?

“Diabolical” is the fourth novel in the “Tantalize” series and was released in the year 2012. Zachary, ‘slipped’ angel and Kieren, his werewolf pal, get summoned under some suspicious circumstances to the mysterious New England boarding school. They rapidly find themselves in a hellish lockdown with one intriguing assortment of hand-picked and secretive “students”.

Plagued by hallucinatory, demon dogs, a sadistic instructor, and one legendary fire-breathing monster. Are they going to manage to escape somehow? Or is the devil going to have his due?