Cynthia Leitich Smith is the award-winning author of JINGLE DANCER (Morrow, 2000), INDIAN SHOES (HarperCollins, 2002), and RAIN IS NOT MY INDIAN NAME (HarperCollins, 2001)(Listening Library, 2001). She is a member of faculty at the Vermont College M.F.A. program in Writing for Children and Young Adults. Her website at www.cynthialeitichsmith.com was named one of the top 10 Writer Sites on the Internet by Writer's Digest and an ALA Great Website for Kids. Her Cynsations blog at cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/ was listed as among the top two read by the children's/YA publishing community in the SCBWI "To Market" column. Cynthia's more recent titles are a picture book, SANTA KNOWS (Dutton, 2006) and two young adult gothic fantasy novels, TANTALIZE (Candlewick, 2007, 2008) and ETERNAL (Candlewick, 2009). She makes her home in Austin, Texas; with her husband, author Greg Leitich Smith.

Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith are authors of books for young readers.

Cynthia is the author of JINGLE DANCER, INDIAN SHOES, RAIN IS NOT MY INDIAN NAME, and TANTALIZE. Her recent book is ETERNAL. She also offers one of the largest youth literature sites on the Web at www.cynthialeitichsmith.com.

Greg is the author of NINJAS, PIRANHAS, AND GALILEO.

Together, the couple wrote SANTA KNOWS. They make their home in Austin.

Cynthia Leitich Smith is the acclaimed YA author of TANTALIZE (2007), and its companions, ETERNAL (2009) and BLESSED (forthcoming), all Gothic fantasies from Candlewick Press. She also has written several YA short stories as well as books for younger readers. TANTALIZE was a Borders Original Voices selection, honored at the 2007 National Book Festival, and The Horn Book called it "an intoxicating romantic thriller." A graphic novel adaptation of TANTALIZE is in the works. Cynthia may be found on the Web at www.cynthialeitichsmith.com. She makes her home in Austin, Texas; with her husband, author Greg Leitich Smith.

Cynthia Leitich Smith is the acclaimed author of ETERNAL (2009), and its companions, ETERNAL (2009) and BLESSED (TBA), all YA Gothic fantasies from Candlewick Press. A graphic novel adaptation of TANTALIZE is in the works.

Cynthia also has written several YA short stories as well as books for younger readers. Her 2009 short stories are “The Wrath of Dawn,” to appear in GEEKTASTIC: STORIES FROM THE NERD HERD (Little, Brown) and “Cat Calls,” to appear in SIDESHOW: TEN ORIGINAL TALES OF FREAKS, ILLUSIONISTS, AND OTHER MATTERS ODD AND MAGICAL (Candlewick).
Her most recent children’s book is SANTA KNOWS (Dutton, 2006). She looks forward to the next, HOLLER LOUDLY (Dutton, 2010).

Cynthia may be found on the Web at www.cynthialeitichsmith.com. She makes her home in Austin, Texas; with her husband, author Greg Leitich Smith.

Detailed Bio

Cynthia was born in Kansas City, Missouri. Her previous states of residence are: Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Michigan, and Oklahoma. She makes her home in Austin, Texas; and is a tribal member of the Muscogee (Creek) Indian Nation.

Cynthia graduated with degrees in news/editorial and public relations from the White School of Journalism at the University of Kansas, Lawrence in 1990 and from the University of Michigan Law School in 1994. At Michigan Law School, she was senior editor of The Michigan Journal of Gender & Law. She also studied abroad in Paris, France during the summer of 1991 via Tulane Law School and the University of Paris IV.

Her website at www.cynthialeitichsmith.com offers articles, interviews, reading recommendations, publishing news, and annotated links. It was named one of the top 10 writer sites on the Internet by Writer's Digest and recognized among "Great Sites for Kids" by the American Library Association in the "Authors/Illustrators" category.

In addition, her blog, Cynsations, was named one of the two most read by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. School Library Journal said of Cynsations, “If you read only one blog, this is it!”

Cynthia was named a Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers Writer of the Year in 2001 and one of three honored authors by "A Gathering of Readers," an International Indigenous Youth Reading Celebration during the week of April 18-22, 2005. Library Media Connection called her one of "100 History-Making Ethnic Women."

In addition, she and the covers of her first three books were featured on a poster published by the Equal Opportunity Division of the Bureau of Reclamation, which appeared at U.S. federal workplaces nation-wide, as part of a campaign “Building a Brighter Future for Our Children and Our Community” in celebration of Native American Heritage Month 2005, and Cynthia was highlighted with author Joseph Bruchac on the November page for the 2005 Author and Illustrator Birthday calendar, published by Perma-Bound.

Cynthia has been a featured author/speaker at the Texas Book Festival and the National Book Festival (twice) as well as at schools, public libraries, museums, universities, and conferences of such groups as: the American Library Association; the Texas Library Association; the International Reading Association; the National Council of Teachers of English. She also has been a featured speaker at such events as Reading The World; The Second Native American Authors Conference; Star-Lit Children's Literary Festival; etc.

In addition, Cynthia is a popular “online” presenter (Maine Library Association; New Hampshire Library Association; New England Library Association; Turtle Mountain Teachers Association; Salisbury University Children's Literature Festival, Westlake (Texas) High School, Rutgers University), etc.

Articles by and about or quoting Cynthia, her books, and her Web site have been featured in: American Western Magazine; The Baton Rouge Advocate; Better Homes and Gardens; Brazos Family Magazine, Byline Magazine; Book Links; Book Magazine; California Kids!; Children's Literature; The Children's Writers' Market Guide; The Christian Science Monitor; The Columbia (MO) Daily Tribune; The Dallas Morning News; Horn Book Magazine; The Journal of Bibliotherapy; The Kind News; Library Talk; The Miami Herald; Radio Disney Chicago; The Topeka Capitol-Journal; Once Upon A Time; Our Children; Teacher Librarian; Writer's Digest; and many other outlets, including K-VUE/ABC TV Austin, K-EYE/CBS TV Austin, WEOL A.M. 930 in Elyria (OH), KCMN 1530 AM in Colorado Springs, KAMU TV in College Station (TX).

Cynthia is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and the Writers' League of Texas.

Publications

JINGLE DANCER, illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu, (Morrow/HarperCollins, 2000)(ages 4-up) was a finalist for the Oklahoma Book Award, runner-up for the Western Writers Association Storyteller Award, and Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies. It was also named to the Texas 2 X 2 List. Book magazine named it among “Debuts that Deliver.”

RAIN IS NOT MY INDIAN NAME (HarperCollins, 2001)(Listening Library, 2001)(ages 10-up) also was an Oklahoma Book Award finalist and earned Cynthia the title of 2001 Writer of the Year from Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers. Kirkus said it was “tender, funny and full of sharp wordplay.” School Library Journal called it, “a wonderful novel of a present-day teen and her patchwork tribe.” The novel was featured at the National Book Festival. The audio production was aired as the November 2005 Book of the Month by Red Tales, Aboriginal Voices Radio, The Earth 106.5 (based in Canada).

INDIAN SHOES (HarperCollins, 2002)(ages 7-up). INDIAN SHOES has been named a Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies, a finalist for the Texas Institute of Letters Award, to the 2003 Best Children's Books of the Year, Bank Street College of Education; and to Choices 2003, Cooperative Children's Book Center. It also was named to the NEA Native American Book List and the 2004-2005 Crown List. School Library Journal hailed: "a good book for any elementary-aged reluctant reader and a necessity for indigenous children everywhere."

SANTA KNOWS (Dutton, 2006)(Scholastic Book Club, 2007), a holiday title, co-authored by her husband, Greg Leitich Smith, and illustrated by Steve Björkman. SANTA KNOWS is Cynthia and Greg's first book written together. The Horn Book Magazine named it among "Holiday High Notes." Kirkus Reviews called it "…a newly minted winner." Publishers Weekly cheered it as "fantastic," and The Miami Herald highlighted it among "Worthy Titles for the Holidays."

TANTALIZE (Candlewick, 2007, 2008)(Walker U.K., 2008), a gothic fantasy aimed at ages 14-up. The Horn Book Magazine calls the novel an "intoxicating romantic thriller." BookPage says the book "will appeal to fans—both teens and adults—of Buffy the Vampire Slayer." TANTALIZE was named a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, Borders Original Voices Nominee in March 2007 and Chapters (Canadian bookstore chain) Junior Advisory Board Pick. It also was featured on the Texas Library Association’s Tayshas List. In addition, the novel was chosen for the 2007 Texas Book Festival and the 2007 National Book Festival. The Bloomsbury Review cheers, "Cynthia Leitich Smith is the Anne Rice for teen readers."

Cynthia has published short stories, including “The Gentleman Cowboy” appearing in PERIOD PIECES: STORIES FOR GIRLS (HarperCollins, 2003)(ages 8-up), “The Naked Truth,” appearing in IN MY GRANDMOTHER’S HOUSE: AWARD-WINNING AUTHORS TELL STORIES ABOUT THEIR GRANDMOTHERS (HarperCollins, 2003)(ages 8-up), “A Real-Live Blond Cherokee and His Equally Annoyed Soul Mate,” appearing in MOCCASIN THUNDER (HarperCollins, 2005), and “Haunted Love,” appearing in IMMORTAL (BenBella, 2008). PERIOD PIECES was selected as a Bank Street Best Book (starred) and to NYPL Women In Books For the Teenage. IN MY GRANDMOTHER’S HOUSE also was named to NYPL Books For The Teenage. Her upper YA short story, “Riding with Rosa” appeared in the March/April 2005 issue of Cicada magazine.